NZ Holiday - Flying the Pacific to Auckland on Air New Zealand

 Just Landed - 29th September 2012

Take a Hat to New Zealand

Leaving Auckland in our wake.

It's a hop, skip and jump to Waiheke Island. A 10 hour hop to LA, a 12 hour skip to Auckland and then we jumped on a bus and ferry to Waiheke Island in the Gulf just off Auckland.

Flight NZ1 to Auckland set off on-time from LAX. We were in Economy but had booked Skycoach. Basically you get all 3 seats in the row and the 'foot rest' flips up to make a full width bed. Its a bit of a tight fit, particularly if you are over 6ft.
Not something you would want to share with a stranger. Mind you they would not stay a stranger for long. We both got some shut-eye anyway. Quite like the service on NZ, it's good but unfussy.
A couple in front of us were moaning, she had booked a seat with nobody in front which meant she had unlimited leg-room but no video screen. Well, not on the seat in front, it swung out from the side. Reckoned she was in the jump seat? Think they were angling for an upgrade but the flight was full and there was no way she was having our extra seat. Anyway, it was good flight with just a bit of turbulence.

If US Customs are a bit sensitive about food then NZ Customs could be described as obsessive. We were paranoid about bringing anything that would cause us to suffer a fine, or worse. If you bring in an Apple they put it on your head and get a drunk teenager to fire a cross-bow at it. Alternatively you pay a 400 dollar fine.
We got through unscathed and headed for Auckland City on the Airbus Transfer Bus.
Happy to see that the place had not changed too much since I was last here in 1976. We sped through the suburbs towards the Fullers Ferry Wharf.  A beautiful bright morning as we rode the Hydrofoil to Matiatia. A friendly Kiwi pointed out all sights along the way and made sure we got on, and off, the correct bus once we had reached Waiheke Island and our Holiday Apartment.

Waiheke Island

We now have an 11 hour time difference to London and TW's watch. NZ changes to Summer Time tonight which on the downside means we have an extra hour of jet lag (bit like moving the finish line on the marathon mid-race). However, on the upside, it means we now have a 12 hour time difference so TW's watch is showing the correct time for once? Now, when does the UK go to Winter Time? Oh, I give up!