June 17, 2011 10:00am by David Farrar

DPF away

Stranded passengers are holding their breath as a giant ash cloud in New Zealand’s airspace begins to move away, with hopes all flights could resume by today.

The ash cloud – made up of two plumes – was shifting to the east, away from New Zealand, the Wellington Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre said.

Good. I am due to fly to Auckland, and then Heathrow via Hong Kong this evening. I have been moderately anxious.

One of my oldest mates is getting married in England, so I am heading over for the wedding (and stag do). Not cost effective to fly over just for a weekend, so going for around a fortnight. A friend from Germany and I are holidaying around- one week in England and Wales and one week in Scotland before the wedding at Lytham St Annes, which is on the coast in Lancashire.

By coincidence I’ll be in London the same night as Rotorua MP Todd McClay – Saturday 25 June. We’ll be hosting a pub meeting for Kiwis and anyone else interested for an update and chat on NZ politics. I’ll blog details of the pub ext next week.

Blogging will be lighter for the next fortnight or so – especially when I am on a plane!