Day 1: Travel Day - Tāmaki Makaurau to Chicago

Nau maiYesterday we flew from the northern isthmus of Te Ika-a-Māui to the very large city on the southern shores of Lake Michigan. We left on Thursday afternoon from Jon and Liz’s place in the great suburb of Avondale. Trains were flowing thick and fast along the nearby western line after the recent opening of Auckland’s City Rail Link, possibly the largest piece of passenger rail infrastructure in the world to be completed this week. Our usual mode of transport to the airport was employed: a super shuttle - a Toyota Super Hiace fitted out with the latest in passenger carrying technology, a dozen seats with three-point restraints and height-adjustable headrests. The vehicle tows a super trailer, a twin-wheeled cargo carrier with an efficient rectangular storage area and a streamlined sheet metal body to keep your baggage safe from the elements. The Mainfreight Sign was lit up, a steadfast beacon on George Bolt Memorial Drive that we could always rely on to set an intention for our…