Up at 5.30 to get my stuff together. Showered and packed without waking the comotoast Dan Simms - dead to the world on the couch. I left the flat about 6 to bike (still slightly drunk) to the airport. Had to re-pack everything at the airport to make sure that I was not over the limit and my bike would fit in the box etc. By the time I got through security, claimed back some tax on some things I bought in Aus, exchanged some money there was not even time to sit down for a coffee before flight at 9!
Great flight to New Zealand. Had a bit of a nap and took some great photos flying over New Zealand. The view of the mountains made me really excited about visiting NZ!
Landed on time but it took for ever to get through passport control and then the biocontrol departement. As I had been camping etc in Aus the Biocontrol people wanted to check everything I had bought with me even though I thought I had washed it thoroughly enough beforehand. It turned out that I had not and there was an earwig in my tent!
This is my bike in the x-ray machine!
I was very glad that I declared everything as another guy in front of me did not declare the food he was carrying and was charged $400!
Although it took ages the guys at security were very friendly and even showed me the bike going through the scanner and gave me some sunblock lip balm :-)
The guy, Stuart, that I am staying with in Christchurch (from Warm Showers) had very kindly offered to pick me up from the airport. I went to the place where we had agreed to meet but he was not there - as I had taken so long to get through security.
My aus phone did not work so I could not send email etc or phone from the mobile and the phone number that he sent me did not work from a pay phone and so I emailed him from the internet site in the airport hoping that Stuart would get it. Fortunately he did and we met up about 30 mins later. I had arrive about 2 and did not get out of the airport at till past 5-6. I did not mind - I am in New Zealand and it was a nice sunny day to sit in the car park. Happy as Larry.
Stuart is an extremely lovely man and made me feel very welcome in his house. He showed me parts of Christchurch on the way to his house.
We had a steak stir fry for diner and then he headed out for training with St Johns Ambulance. Stuart volunteers for the organization. I found it very strange to hear that the ambulance service in NZ is run by St Johns and most of the people volunteer. They normally have 1 paramedic working with 2 volunteers. It is sometimes the case that there is no parametric available which means there is no ambulance service and the fire service steps in! There is just not the wealth and population density here to support the ambulance service!
Stuart got back about 10 and we ended up nattering about bike touring till late. He took 1 year out a few years ago and did a ski session in Whistler and a 5 month bike tour.
Great flight to New Zealand. Had a bit of a nap and took some great photos flying over New Zealand. The view of the mountains made me really excited about visiting NZ!
Landed on time but it took for ever to get through passport control and then the biocontrol departement. As I had been camping etc in Aus the Biocontrol people wanted to check everything I had bought with me even though I thought I had washed it thoroughly enough beforehand. It turned out that I had not and there was an earwig in my tent!
This is my bike in the x-ray machine!I was very glad that I declared everything as another guy in front of me did not declare the food he was carrying and was charged $400!
Although it took ages the guys at security were very friendly and even showed me the bike going through the scanner and gave me some sunblock lip balm :-)
The guy, Stuart, that I am staying with in Christchurch (from Warm Showers) had very kindly offered to pick me up from the airport. I went to the place where we had agreed to meet but he was not there - as I had taken so long to get through security.
My aus phone did not work so I could not send email etc or phone from the mobile and the phone number that he sent me did not work from a pay phone and so I emailed him from the internet site in the airport hoping that Stuart would get it. Fortunately he did and we met up about 30 mins later. I had arrive about 2 and did not get out of the airport at till past 5-6. I did not mind - I am in New Zealand and it was a nice sunny day to sit in the car park. Happy as Larry.
Stuart is an extremely lovely man and made me feel very welcome in his house. He showed me parts of Christchurch on the way to his house.
We had a steak stir fry for diner and then he headed out for training with St Johns Ambulance. Stuart volunteers for the organization. I found it very strange to hear that the ambulance service in NZ is run by St Johns and most of the people volunteer. They normally have 1 paramedic working with 2 volunteers. It is sometimes the case that there is no parametric available which means there is no ambulance service and the fire service steps in! There is just not the wealth and population density here to support the ambulance service!
Stuart got back about 10 and we ended up nattering about bike touring till late. He took 1 year out a few years ago and did a ski session in Whistler and a 5 month bike tour.
No comments:
Post a Comment