Kia Ora!
We started our long journey from our "home" airport in Austin, Texas. Flew to Houston with a hour and half layover and boarded a United flight to Los Angeles international airport (LAX). There may be those who love L.A. but that is not our sentiment about this airport. LAX is the most inconvenient international terminal I have traveled from yet. One must leave the domestic terminal, catch a bus or walk from terminal 6 to the international terminal 2 and once more be groped or photo-stripped by TSA. Furthermore, signage at the terminals is scanty. Who knew there were two levels of traffic? Of course we wasted time waiting on the wrong level for the bus. While we have enjoyed the 20 minute walk in the past, finding our way in the dark was intimidating and we finally found the correct bus.
We upgraded our reservations to Premium Economy. This Boeing 777 had the most comfortable seats at this level yet. The configuration was two seats abreast with aisles separating three rows of seats. We were in the last two seats in the middle row. In this location, there was no visual of the outside. We could have been in any confined conveyance. The sense of airplane motion was nil. Only the map on the screen in front of our seats assured us we were indeed crossing the Pacific Ocean.
As we prepared to take off, the requisite safety instructions were presented in the most creative video yet featuring a Brit named Bear Grylls promoting NZ scenery, tramping activity, wild life. It has gained a life of it's own on You-Tube (
bear grylls new zealand full episode) and is worth watching.
The food was pretty good even though dinner was served about 11:30 PM by our time. We were both able to get decent sleep (we take Ambien to ensure rest.)
We landed in Auckland International Airport and were greeted by a new entry point since we were last here, a most intricately carved doorway in Maori style. We passed uneventfully through passport control and immigration and pushed our luggage the one-half mile to the domestic terminal (resting on the way) where we rechecked our bags to Wellington, capitol of NZ where KC needed to pass the approval of the Medical Council before he could assume the job he was already hired to do.
Lunch at the terminal included Monteith's ale, a favorite obtainable only in NZ.
Then it was on to our home for the next few months, Timaru in South Canterbury. This time our airship was a 20-seat Beechcraft. Luckily it was a relatively calm day and the airsickness bag pictured was not needed on this 1 1/2 hour prop flight south. However, it again expresses that delightful Kiwi sense of humour: "how ever you say it it all comes out the same."
We started our long journey from our "home" airport in Austin, Texas. Flew to Houston with a hour and half layover and boarded a United flight to Los Angeles international airport (LAX). There may be those who love L.A. but that is not our sentiment about this airport. LAX is the most inconvenient international terminal I have traveled from yet. One must leave the domestic terminal, catch a bus or walk from terminal 6 to the international terminal 2 and once more be groped or photo-stripped by TSA. Furthermore, signage at the terminals is scanty. Who knew there were two levels of traffic? Of course we wasted time waiting on the wrong level for the bus. While we have enjoyed the 20 minute walk in the past, finding our way in the dark was intimidating and we finally found the correct bus. 
We upgraded our reservations to Premium Economy. This Boeing 777 had the most comfortable seats at this level yet. The configuration was two seats abreast with aisles separating three rows of seats. We were in the last two seats in the middle row. In this location, there was no visual of the outside. We could have been in any confined conveyance. The sense of airplane motion was nil. Only the map on the screen in front of our seats assured us we were indeed crossing the Pacific Ocean. 
As we prepared to take off, the requisite safety instructions were presented in the most creative video yet featuring a Brit named Bear Grylls promoting NZ scenery, tramping activity, wild life. It has gained a life of it's own on You-Tube (bear grylls new zealand full episode) and is worth watching.
The food was pretty good even though dinner was served about 11:30 PM by our time. We were both able to get decent sleep (we take Ambien to ensure rest.) 
We landed in Auckland International Airport and were greeted by a new entry point since we were last here, a most intricately carved doorway in Maori style. We passed uneventfully through passport control and immigration and pushed our luggage the one-half mile to the domestic terminal (resting on the way) where we rechecked our bags to Wellington, capitol of NZ where KC needed to pass the approval of the Medical Council before he could assume the job he was already hired to do. 
Lunch at the terminal included Monteith's ale, a favorite obtainable only in NZ.
Then it was on to our home for the next few months, Timaru in South Canterbury. This time our airship was a 20-seat Beechcraft. Luckily it was a relatively calm day and the airsickness bag pictured was not needed on this 1 1/2 hour prop flight south. However, it again expresses that delightful Kiwi sense of humour: "how ever you say it it all comes out the same."
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