ALL ABOARD

Ali Jones Writer, broadcaster, and housebus adventurer. @housebusdylan @dylanthehousebus

Sometimes getting from here to there is not about travelling in the conventional sense. The first thing I thought of when our lovely editor Joshua mentioned this month’s theme of ‘here to there’ was the light at the end of the EQC tunnel. I know some people are sick of hearing about anything to do with the earthquakes, insurers, and EQC but a surprisingly large number of Cantabrians haven’t yet reached the end of the long road back to normal (whatever that is). If all is going to plan, about two weeks after this edition hits the shelves and interweb, our more than 100-year-old ‘forever’ home will be forever gone. I didn’t think I’d feel much emotion about our failed EQC repair being bulldozed. The cracks in the foundation, the gaps around the door frames, and jamming a sock in the door to stop it from swinging open by itself have all been constant reminders of the nightmare so many have been through. Almost five years after we moved in with two teens in tow (they have left home now), our home is being reduced to rubble, and we’re building a new one. This is the second time we have lost a house to the quakes; the first was destroyed by the February quake, and this has been destroyed by ineptitude and bad decisions. But it’s the fruit trees we planted at both homes, growing to produce beautiful fruit, that reminds me about what time can achieve. My late dad loved fruit trees, so they always make me think of him. The Sundrop and Moorpark apricots, the Black Doris plum and Peasgood Nonsuch apple – they will be gone soon too. Nevertheless, we can and will plant more. We have our plans; the consents are pretty straightforward, and we are advised that we should be opening the door to the new house nine months from the build start date. Until then, Rob and I, with Billy, the greyhound, will hunker down in Dylan the Housebus alongside Edith the Suzuki and dream of apricots, plums, and apples growing in our garden again. P.S. Our thoughts are with those of you still not out the other side of the earthquake ‘here to there’ yet.