Son's arrival home means Dad can relax

By CATHY ARONSON

Mike Nathan needed to see his son face-to-face to be sure he was all right.

He was among the crowd at Auckland Airport yesterday waiting as the first direct flight from Bali brought home weary survivors.

His son, Eli Nathan, had phoned to say he was alive after escaping through a rear room at Paddys bar.

Mike Nathan knew Eli had suffered a punctured eardrum from the sound of the bomb, but was thankful that he and his three friends escaped serious injury.

"It's been a nightmare. I just need to see him again."

The 21-year-old surfer had been travelling for nine months, and called his parents just before the bombing to say he would be home in a fortnight.

His parents and his girlfriend, Jo, greeted him in an early and tearful reunion yesterday.

His friend Cameron Duke, 21, who also escaped the tragedy, hugged his mother in a tearful reunion.

Mr Duke, tired and worn out, managed a smile and said: "I'm just happy to be home."

About 140 New Zealanders arrived home on the Garuda Indonesia flight.

It left Bali on Tuesday evening, went to Brisbane and arrived at Auckland Airport at 1.20pm yesterday - half an hour late.

Most on the aircraft were traumatised by the events in Bali, but had escaped injury.

The seriously injured already had been flown to Darwin, and the moderately injured arrived home via Australia on emergency Qantas flights earlier in the week.

Most of those who returned yesterday were scheduled to come home on the flight, or had cut their holiday short to take an early flight home.

Some were confused about what had happened and how many people were hurt.

Surfer Andy Mauger, who was reunited with girlfriend Suz Buckle at the airport, was unhurt but upset at what he had seen.

Asked if he had been in the club, he said: "No, they are all dead, everyone is dead."

Scott Savidge was in Lombok on the island next to Bali when the bomb exploded but still wanted to leave the country.

He had been to Bali at least six times and had made a lot of friends in the main town. He did not know if his friends were alive or dead.

Aucklanders Stewart Fraser and Nicola Smith arrived home with their children Benjamin, 6, and Daniel, 10.

They were far away from the action and avoided going to the bombing site to shield their children from the horror.

But as they waited for their plane on Tuesday the airport was full of injured people with bloodied bandages.

"We've just been concentrating on keeping the kids normal," said Mrs Smith. "They've seen a lot."

They were due to fly out on Sunday but gave up their seats to people who had been injured.

Mr Fraser said that when they left Bali the people were in shock and the atmosphere was sombre.

He felt sorry for the Balinese people and would like to go back one day to support them.

But for now "it's not a holiday destination".

Bali messages and latest information on New Zealanders
New Zealand travellers in Bali, and their families around the world, can exchange news via our Bali Messages page. The page also contains lists of New Zealanders in Bali and their condition.

Foreign Affairs advice to New Zealanders

* Travellers should defer travel to Bali

* NZers in Bali should keep a low profile and remain calm

* Foreign Affairs Hotline: 0800 432 111

Feature: Bali bomb blast

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