Freelance journalist Jenny Macintyre was on her way to the airport to fly to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, when the massive May 12 earthquake struck the region.

She was in China on an Asia:NZ-funded reporting assignment accompanying University of Canterbury Emeritus Professor Bill Willmott.

Professor Willmott grew up in China and during his distinguished academic career was regarded as an authority on Chinese in the Pacific. Jenny Macintyre was travelling with him to record his memories and reactions as he returned to the places of his childhood.

But she reports that “we were just heading for the airport to fly to Chengdu when a text came through from New Zealand telling us of the earthquake. For five days, Bill didn't know if his relatives and friends were okay”.

 
“We were diverted to Dali and Lijiang close to the Tibetan border. Beautiful cities but it was a pity to miss the places of Bill's childhood which really was the focus of the trip.”

Jenny did however record the accompanying images and observations.