‘Lots of happy tears’: joy as New Zealand opens border after two years of isolation

Some reunions were also tempered by grief, as for many New Zealanders the reopening came too late

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Tears, hugs, laughter and the shouts of children echoed through the arrivals halls of New Zealand, as the country opened its borders and lifted isolation requirements.

I've been waiting six months for this moment," says Steve, 72, who was waiting for his fiancee, Karin, to arrive from Australia. I'm over the moon," he said. I feel a bit shaky."