Forgive the length of this post but it’s worth it. Promise!
Today was one of those, right place, right time moments. Although it didn’t feel like that in the beginning. Today’s hostel checkout was 10am but I was ready to leave at 9:15a and I thought I’d head to the airport, take my time, relax and board my flight to Wellington. I checked into my flight around 10am and walked over to the domestic flights terminal. I was completely shocked to learn that not only is there no ID check at those gates but there is NO TSA SECURITY line either. The barista at the coffee counter told me because it was a small plane that there wasn’t any security area. I’m like, “what?” No TSA. No having to pull my iPad or liquids out. Say what?! You do you New Zealand but that’s taking Australia’s LAX airport procedures to a whole different level (see what I did there? A pun on LAX or L.A. International airport). Again, I said, “Ok NZ, you do you.”
Shortly thereafter, I received a text from Air New Zealand (the first of many notifications) that my flight was delayed from 12:05pm to 12:35pm. And then the next alert, delayed until 12:50p. And then the worst kind of text message you can receive while traveling abroad, jumping from place to place, “your flight has been CANCELED.” Go see a desk agent. Go get your bags. Go get on another flight. Sigh. This isn’t the first time this has happened and I remained surprisingly calm, but very annoyed, at this mishap. Got rebooked on the 2:15p flight to Wellington and collected my soggy, wet luggage to re-tag it and put it back onto the conveyor built. Except the conveyor built was broken and the queue was 20 people long. And even asking an agent if there was a shorter line for people who got rebooked from a canceled flight, I was told I just have to wait. A nice man who worked for the airline assured me getting through security would be fast (“small airport” he said). Then, the airline realized a lot of people were rebooked onto the same 2:15p flight so they herded us to the oversized baggage drop off location. Which still took longer and was being run by a very surly, non-personable lady. I head to my gate which is through the shortest, fastest security line ever. No taking liquids out, no showing boarding pass. Nothing of the sort. Ok, I made it I thought.
The flight was supposed to take 45 minutes from Christchurch to Wellington and we started our descent. And then something happened. Just as I was taking video of us flying over the water, the jets turn on and we start heading back up into the sky! As an American, my first thought was, terrorism. And how terribly sad if that is my worldview??! The flight attendant comes onto the PA system and tells us we’re going to have to make another approach to the airport. No other information. At this time, there’s some nervous chuckling and we’re still unaware of just why we can’t land.
Then, the captain comes onto the cabin speaker: “There’s just been a major earthquake and we haven’t been cleared to land. We’re going to have to circle around until we are cleared to land.” Anxiety is rushing in at this point (as if I’m not anxious enough already traveling alone). At this exact moment, I start crying. Thinking there’s no Wellington to go to and that my parents are back in California seeing news alerts about a major earthquake where I’m supposed to be. And we circle the airport, more than 3 times. And still unaware of how much damage is on the ground. And wondering how much fuel is left in the plane – I’m not sure they plan for “having to circle the airport OVER BODIES OF WATERS due to an earthquake”. Or maybe they do because it’s New Zealand – look at the post from a few days ago where the earthquake map was plotted out. You’ll understand my sensitivity.
We land safely and I turn on my cellular data for 2 main reasons: 1.) Tell my parents I’m OK and 2.) see what information I can find out about this “major earthquake.” 6.2 magnitude???! Say what???! I get inside the terminal and it’s very calm. No ones talking about the earthquake and I figure it’s because they are common here and because we spent a good amount of time in the sky while they made sure the airport was safe to land at. I can only say that I will be traveling with Xanax in the bag that goes under the seat and not up in the overhead bin like it was today. And yes, I have a prescription because despite this cool-girl-exterior, I’m a nervous flyer. The directions even state to take it 1 hour before takeoff. Oops.
I arrive at my hostel and the girls working the front desk tell me they could really feel the quake. Then I do some more research while having a beer at the bar down the road, to calm my nerves of course. I mean, there could be aftershocks. My flight was 1 of 2 planes that were unable to land because of the earthquake. I was on Air New Zealand Flight 6140.
And the article asked if anyone was on the flights to contact the New Zealand Herald. I emailed the news desk because I have video of us descending and then being abruptly whisked back higher into the sky. A definite, “oh shit” moment. I don’t want to brag or anything but I may be quoted in the NZ Herald by reporter Luke. Wonder if Luke is cute. Or young. Or single. Or a trifecta of all three. In my research, I found the Defense Minister said there was no tsunami warning. Say what… earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanos. For such a small country, they could really have big kid problems with Mother Nature.
I have moved on from crying to laughing about this all. I could have been on an earlier flight and been in Wellington when the earthquake struck. It’s been a long while since I felt one and they always leave me…well, shaking. I couldn’t resist. At least I’m alive and safe.
Update: I made the news!! Hope the link works:)
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12151627
There She Goes... 