Flying out of Christchurch - dawn over the Pacific

There's a good story this day as I could have missed my Air New Zealand flight from Christchurch to Auckland. I woke up at 6:06am for a 6:55am flight. Suffice to say I was a little concerned but I didn't panic. I got dressed and grabbed my bags and called a cab and got to the airport at 6:32am ran to the check-in and dropped luggage and was off to security to get to the Departure Gate. It was like being part of The Amazing Race. I was worried X-Ray might hold me up awhile but the staff were very good and knew about implanted medical devices and by now I was practiced with the procedure of getting my tablet PC out of bag and doing what I needed to do to be patted down if they so desired. I actually then dropped a medicine bag on the way to the plane and I gave it up for left behind but a Air New Zealand staffer found it and delivered it to my seat once I was on. No way was I holding up a flight for medicine I could fill back in Australia in 12 hours time.

I was asked to put away the DSLR for takeoff which I was disheartened but accepted it and waited till all signs indicated I could switch it back on because the dawn was fantastically lovely. The above is the best photo I got from about 6-10000 feet. Next time in NZ I am definetely going to a beach for a South Pacific sunrise.