Filed under: Process of Travelling | Tags: Adelaide, Air New Zealand, transits
As you know by now, my flight into Hong Kong arrived late. I was re-routed to Auckland through Adelaide, Australia. That’s an awful long way from Toronto.
I walked off the plane and was met by one of Air New Zealand’s land staffers, who gave me a printed receipt of why I wound up in Adelaide and sent me to the gate. There, I was met by a Qantas staffer (it appears as though they do airport management as well) who didn’t understand the paperwork ANZ had given me. A couple of phone calls sorted that out and I was rewarded with an exit aisle window seat – the most luxurious part of my 30 hours in the air from Vancouver (36 if you include Toronto from earlier in the week). All Staff seemed quite interested in what I was undertaking by moving to Auckland.
In fact, they were so friendly that I would consider holidaying in Adelaide. I’m stereotyping that they are all fairly nice people.
The flight to Auckland was wonderfully uneventful. I was the only Canadian on the flight for sure. I claim this because I was the only person in the entire “Not Australia or New Zealand” line. I was welcomed into the country by a border guard with one of those trendy mullets that people from more “English” countries are always sporting. He was cracking jokes and everything. My Visa was therefore validated and New Zealand officially became stuck with me.
Next stop was Customs to declare my life savings (Note to the Royal Bank: yes, I do only have $2 to my name right now. Please skip my next few mortgage payments). Turns out I didn’t have to because most of it was contained in a bank draft and I didn’t have to declare that. The Customs Agent was all excited for me too. He actually shook my hand as wished me good luck on my way out!
Suffice to say, the final leg of the airplane marathon was most pleasant. More on New Zealand itself over the coming days.
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Holy smokes, I Live in New Zealand. 
don’t worry the bank will take good care of you, even if you do only have $2!!! Hope it’s going well.
Comment by Tracy September 29, 2007 @ 8:49 am