Thursday, July 14, 2011

Gate 28 also known as Gate 26 and 1/2

Welcome to Auckland and The Funny Sheep Travel Blog!
  
So this week we hopped across the pond and moved 8,356 miles.  You know, no big deal. 
(By the way, I am disappointed with Google Maps. I went there to find the exact milage between North Carolina and Auckland, but they would not calculate a route.  Where is your humor, Google?  I was hoping for “Get in your row boat and row across the South Pacific”.  Evidently they do not think this is a good idea.)
Our adventure started off on Saturday in North Carolina with the baggage check-in.  We were first in line.  It took 2 hours.  Apparently you have to get approval from the prime minister, the red panda at the Auckland zoo, and Samonsite, the baggage god, to fly with 5 suitcases.  And then you have to buy the bags their own small country.
At least the views on the flight to L.A. were pretty decent.  Lots of mountains and deserts and other nature type things.  Kind of like google earth, but better.
After we arrived in LAX, we immediately remembered why we hate this airport.
We went in search of Gate 28 only to find that they had hidden it.  Gate 26 was to our left, gate 27 was in front of us, but then nothing.  The numbers stopped.
David: “So is this like Harry Potter where you have to run through the wall?”
Me: “Yes, it’s exactly like that. You get to go first.”
We finally found 28 hiding in a corner between 26 and 27.  It seems that they can’t count in L.A.
If you are flying to New Zealand to visit us (which you totally should), I would recommend Qantas over Air New Zealand for two main reasons.  Qantas allows you to check more luggage and they have better quality food (including a snack bag that we missed on Air NZ).

Although, that being said, Air NZ does have the best safety video EVER.  Richard Simmons leads an 80s style “safety workout video” (“And reach for your luggage, and reach! And pull your seatbelt, pull!”). Phil Keoghan (Amazing Race Host) makes a great cameo in a sweatband too.  So that may make your decision a little harder. 

After we arrived in Auckland and got settled at our hotel/ apartment, we went in search of a temporary phone plan, a bank account, etc.  You know, real people stuff.  Our temporary phone plan gave us 2800 free texts! ... to anyone in New Zealand.  Which is great except we don’t really know anyone in New Zealand. Yet. I’m thinking of texting random numbers, “Will you be our friend?  Please respond yes or no.”  Thoughts?
We also ate our 3rd breakfast that morning (what can I say, I am like a hobbit) at a cool converted firehouse cafe called The Williamson.  They have delicious paninis and cool booths that make me taller than David when I sit against one wall.
And for some reason, everyone thinks we are British.  So we decided to start speaking in lots of different accents to mess with people.  Kind of ridiculously fun.
So yeah, that’s about it.  Sorry there are no pictures yet.  Our internets are a little limited at the moment, but we will work on that.

-  Meredith

1 comment:

  1. Very funny. Sounds like a great adventure.

    Air NZ's safety video won me over.

    Good luck with getting settled.

    ReplyDelete