Aucklanders touching down in Wellington describe ‘surreal’ feeling after months apart

Loved ones reunite in Wellington Airport. Photo / Nick James

Aucklanders touching down in Wellington for the first time in four months said it was a “surreal” and “fantastic” feeling.

The Auckland border opened at 11.59pm last night, allowing Aucklanders to move beyond the city’s boundaries for the first time since August 17.

Landing at Wellington Airport this morning, Tim Dare had travelled down to see his daughter and grandchild who he hadn’t seen since June.

“We’ve been locked down for over 100 days in Auckland so I’m very pleased to get out … I’m just very pleased to be here.”

Blair Tubman was on the same flight to the capital, travelling for work.

Aucklanders have touched down in Wellington for the first time in four months. Photo / Nick James

He said Auckland Airport had been really busy with long queues, but it was just a good feeling to get out.

“I wasn’t planning to leave on the first day of being allowed to but it just coincidentally worked out that way. It’s nice to be able to do that.”

Tubman said he had been in Christchurch when the country went into lockdown in August and had to rush back to Auckland, where he’d remained ever since.

“It’s great that we’re able to travel now and I look forward to getting down to see my family in Christchurch next week and then get up to some of the holiday hotspots.”

Julia Steenson said it was “surreal” to fly to Wellington for work.

“It felt like freedom,” she said.

“I was a little bit nervous, I didn’t know whether to be excited or freaked out. But now that I’m here, just walking through the entryway, this is great – freedom.”

Dale Shermam-Godinet was travelling for work and said it was a “fantastic” feeling to take off from Auckland.

“It was fantastic just being on a plane, and getting up and away.

“We have a lot of things that need to be done, and they need to be done face-to-face, rather than over Zoom like we’ve been doing for the last 107 days.”

Her message to the rest of the country was not to fear the lifting of the border.

“Hopefully everyone isn’t scared, because Auckland is pretty good at this, we’ve been living with it for 107 days.”