Was working in Christchurch today and was invited to spend some time with the search and rescue chaps at the memorial service for last years earthquake. Wow. Intense. Made me really think about how tenuous life is. Had a coffee with a friend who had 3 flatmates in the morning and an empty house that night – nobody came home. She has survivor guilt and is broken, 1 year on. Was fukin dusty I can tell you. Home now , having a small Springbank and toasting those who never came home, just normal people some of whom I know were big bikers.
When I was involved last year it seemed different, a year on it feels worse.

The media always seem to focus on the infrastructure rebuild, not the lives that will not and cannot be remade.

The main thing that struck me, and I spend a lot of time there, is all those that dodged a bullet that day live with guilt all the time. And the huge number of injured. The infrastructure is still foo barred but it’s so crazily localized you could drive by and never notice.