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Getting from Auckland to Christchurch.
At first I thought I would buy a campervan in Auckland and drive it down to Christchurch.  After a bit of research, I realised what a crashingly stupid idea this was.  Eleven hours' drive from Auckland to Wellington.  Then a boat, the lots more hours from Nelson to Christchurch.    I decided my transportation south would involve aluminum and kerosene.
The Auckland domestic terminal was delightfully simple and convenient, reminded me of COS in the early eighties.    I could leave my shoes on, and my laptop in the bag.   The meticulous poring over of the film canisters, as happened at SFO, was replaced by a cursory glance, without opening the ziploc.  They did make me take a picture, though.

 
While we were waiting for our trip out, this nicely painted Air Malaysia plane came in.

 
 
 
Departure from NZAA 23L
Banking southerly on climbout
 
 
 
 
Farewell Spit on the right
 
   
 
Although this image is similar to the one above, I included it because the earth's curvature is visible here.

Golden Bay and Abel Tasman Park

Start of the Southern Alps
 
 
 
Waimakariri River
 
 
 
start of 180 deg turn over the Cantabrian plain, Southern Alps in background
I never fail to be impressed at how fertile the land is in this country.  Fertile, and exceptionally well managed. That's the Rakaia river in the background.
180deg turn almost completed, heading back north; Pacific Ocean in background, behind the mountains of Banks Peninsula.
Banks Peninsula in background.
The mountains of Banks Peninsula are now in right side of frame, Pacific Ocean on left.  Christchurch is visible in distance, next to ocean.  On  glideslope into NZCH 02.