..The blog of my NZ trip - to be taken with more than a pinch of salt ... followed by sample of our photos which are downloadable
Slightly surprisingly BA confirmed my original departure date so I got to T5 (via the back door as my driver couldn't find the drop off place!) Arriving early, I found I needed an Oz visa (hardly surprising) Not even the combined expertise of the First check in staff managed to crack it so I was allowed on the A380 on a 'pending visa' basis the greatest challenge being a good passport photo. Allocated world traveller + so more than sufficient legroom!
On arrival at SIN, an arrival/ landing card was/is needed - to be completed electronically! My phone wilted at the task so an iPad was requisitioned for the task eventually, helpfully provided by the Airport authorities for we strugglers. This probably meant I missed the connecting flight to SYD So I had to adjourn to the airport hotel & had lovely swim & time to complete my Oz visa. On arrival at the BA desk I was told when & where to go very specifically! there I met an ex BEA vanguard skipper. Like me he was allocated a jump seat, but I never saw him again as he turned right! I fared better sitting in the FC galley on the 787. For food service, I was moved to be front of the tourist passengers & then into a 787 FC doorway for a sleep!
The somewhat unexpected arrival in SYD at 0510 meant I had to see whether my NZ visa had appeared - of course not , I'd been scammed again for $nz 179! However the QF checkin queen helped me complete the form/ photo with instant access results to Christchurch in a full 737-800, bulging at the seams.
On arrival at CHC I found the car Colin (my flatmate from the 60s who lived in AKL) had booked, & set off to find a motel in the fading light. Success eventually so I took a B&B /motel & uncovered the delights of industrial Ashburton & an early night. An early departure the following day resulted in a long hard driving day across the South Island to the famed Franz Joseph glacier in mist (so too much to see)! After such a day a early dinner was called for at Bessie Jane's - an interesting beetroot salad! washed down with Sav blanc for the return trip tmrw.
The journey back was a different kettle of fish as the weather obliterated the glaciers. Indeed the electronic sign said that Arthurs Pass was closed! (with a v long detour), ignoring the sign it turned out to be a long slow crawl up thru some abandoned large lorries. The high point literally was Arthurs pass through the Southern Alps. Add the vast lorries to alpine twist & turns so the journey up was reduced to a crawl until the 2 broken down cars were cleared out of the way. The descent proved easier & a great relief was the FLAT Canterbury plain. Fortunately, the original motel had a vacancy so normality was resumed with a double chicken wopper at Burger King!
I was due to pick up Colin the following day so I unlocked & packed the car, then went to thank the proprietor who had been v helpful. However then the car refused to start, the AA was called & the engine restarted. But the AA bod decided (without questioning me) that I'd left the door open overnight which had flattened the battery; (but how come I'd managed to open the car to pack it?) I soon received the £70 charge electronically which I've been fighting ever since - so don't get a Ford Puma from Ezicar nz! (another scam?).
Col was picked up & the journey south commenced. Our attempt at reaching the famed Milford Sound was somewhat thwarted but the bonus was our car being attacked by 4 rare Kea birds. I spotted it sitting on a traffic cone & then it was joined by several others to attack us. Apparently a car’s rubber seals & side mirrors are their speciality! Luckily the traffic lights changed after we'd got some challenging photo shots- thru the windscreen, side & back windows!
Without being too specific the fraud squad of Barclaycard had again picked up the frequency of my card being used so their AI induced bot rang me as I'd just gone to sleep, asked me obvious questions but wouldn't let me raise the issue of the visa scams - so near but so far!
Then for an even more ambitious drive to the South & Stewart island (next stop Antarctica). We set off to Lake Tekapo where the lake's colour was divine in stark contrast to the surrounding snowy mountains.
Onto Wanaka & Te Anau, where on a walk round the lake we observed a seaplane just waiting for us. We ‘seized the day’ & were soon up in the air in fading light over the southern Alps & fjord land. Follow that?
& then Invercargill = gateway to Stewart island, (only 400 people in a huge area). The highlight was a boat trip, armed with a bucket of fish; which started a fight between the albatrosses, making for some challenging photography, especially in HDR! Stewart Island was v different from most of the South Island, far fewer touristos & reminiscent of the Isle of Sheppy.
After 4 days we returned to the mainland & on to Dunedin, an elegant city reflecting its Victorian heritage.
Then back to 'my' motel for the final night before returning to Christchurch airport to part ways with Colin but not before another argument with the Ezicar staff at the airport which proved pointless as the charge has not been withdrawn.
After another crowded QF flight to SYD I had to overnight there before catching the BA flight to SIN up the sharp end. Then it was relegation time & back to WTR+ with the Captain’s wife & child for company.
So whilst my homework might have paid off SYD/SIN by travelling a day earlier, it ran out of luck on the last leg arriving a day earlier than expected to the surprise of some! I tried to get/book the National Express to Woking. However, a Welsh coach blocked my coach's set down & causing me to lose another £26! (another complaint now redressed).
My transgressions on the trip included trying to carry a bottle of water thru security, having my breakfast apple confiscated by Oz border guard, a warning letter issued; having Christchurch security confiscate my new peanut butter as a ‘spreadable’ liquid. Lastly being pulled over by NZ police on the say so of a truck driver for overly cautious driving (better than drinking & being tired.)
My learnings were:
I used my last 'golden ' ticket to good effect. I went out with a 'bang not a whimper ' so my english teacher would have approved. Farewell then the challenges of sub load & even confirmed flights to the illusory promises of Ryanair & Easyjet who both seem to have a network as large as BEA's in halcyon days.
Beware of batteries on Ford Pumas & dodgy car hires
Time spent in reconnaissance is rarely wasted- good planning paid off but I should have found out electronic visas were required. Although I only required 2 visas, hotel bedrooms are not well equipped for photographing 'perfect' passports.
Airline staff are still as helpful & friendships forged in BEA are stronger than ever
Scouting, BA, Round table & life all gave me skills that endure. Resilience they call it now.
I would have loved to stop off in Perth to see 2 other former flatmates from the 60s but a wave from 39k feet had to suffice.
Whilst travelling broadens the mind, its good to be home.
Our photographs might be available on request however there are a lot of pix & many on mine were taken with HDR on which is why some of them are more 'interesting" to say the least!
Written with my tongue firmly in my cheek …
On arrival at SIN, an arrival/ landing card was/is needed - to be completed electronically! My phone wilted at the task so an iPad was requisitioned for the task eventually, helpfully provided by the Airport authorities for we strugglers. This probably meant I missed the connecting flight to SYD So I had to adjourn to the airport hotel & had lovely swim & time to complete my Oz visa. On arrival at the BA desk I was told when & where to go very specifically! there I met an ex BEA vanguard skipper. Like me he was allocated a jump seat, but I never saw him again as he turned right! I fared better sitting in the FC galley on the 787. For food service, I was moved to be front of the tourist passengers & then into a 787 FC doorway for a sleep!
The somewhat unexpected arrival in SYD at 0510 meant I had to see whether my NZ visa had appeared - of course not , I'd been scammed again for $nz 179! However the QF checkin queen helped me complete the form/ photo with instant access results to Christchurch in a full 737-800, bulging at the seams.
On arrival at CHC I found the car Colin (my flatmate from the 60s who lived in AKL) had booked, & set off to find a motel in the fading light. Success eventually so I took a B&B /motel & uncovered the delights of industrial Ashburton & an early night. An early departure the following day resulted in a long hard driving day across the South Island to the famed Franz Joseph glacier in mist (so too much to see)! After such a day a early dinner was called for at Bessie Jane's - an interesting beetroot salad! washed down with Sav blanc for the return trip tmrw.
The journey back was a different kettle of fish as the weather obliterated the glaciers. Indeed the electronic sign said that Arthurs Pass was closed! (with a v long detour), ignoring the sign it turned out to be a long slow crawl up thru some abandoned large lorries. The high point literally was Arthurs pass through the Southern Alps. Add the vast lorries to alpine twist & turns so the journey up was reduced to a crawl until the 2 broken down cars were cleared out of the way. The descent proved easier & a great relief was the FLAT Canterbury plain. Fortunately, the original motel had a vacancy so normality was resumed with a double chicken wopper at Burger King!
I was due to pick up Colin the following day so I unlocked & packed the car, then went to thank the proprietor who had been v helpful. However then the car refused to start, the AA was called & the engine restarted. But the AA bod decided (without questioning me) that I'd left the door open overnight which had flattened the battery; (but how come I'd managed to open the car to pack it?) I soon received the £70 charge electronically which I've been fighting ever since - so don't get a Ford Puma from Ezicar nz! (another scam?).
Col was picked up & the journey south commenced. Our attempt at reaching the famed Milford Sound was somewhat thwarted but the bonus was our car being attacked by 4 rare Kea birds. I spotted it sitting on a traffic cone & then it was joined by several others to attack us. Apparently a car’s rubber seals & side mirrors are their speciality! Luckily the traffic lights changed after we'd got some challenging photo shots- thru the windscreen, side & back windows!
Without being too specific the fraud squad of Barclaycard had again picked up the frequency of my card being used so their AI induced bot rang me as I'd just gone to sleep, asked me obvious questions but wouldn't let me raise the issue of the visa scams - so near but so far!
Then for an even more ambitious drive to the South & Stewart island (next stop Antarctica). We set off to Lake Tekapo where the lake's colour was divine in stark contrast to the surrounding snowy mountains.
Onto Wanaka & Te Anau, where on a walk round the lake we observed a seaplane just waiting for us. We ‘seized the day’ & were soon up in the air in fading light over the southern Alps & fjord land. Follow that?
& then Invercargill = gateway to Stewart island, (only 400 people in a huge area). The highlight was a boat trip, armed with a bucket of fish; which started a fight between the albatrosses, making for some challenging photography, especially in HDR! Stewart Island was v different from most of the South Island, far fewer touristos & reminiscent of the Isle of Sheppy.
After 4 days we returned to the mainland & on to Dunedin, an elegant city reflecting its Victorian heritage.
Then back to 'my' motel for the final night before returning to Christchurch airport to part ways with Colin but not before another argument with the Ezicar staff at the airport which proved pointless as the charge has not been withdrawn.
After another crowded QF flight to SYD I had to overnight there before catching the BA flight to SIN up the sharp end. Then it was relegation time & back to WTR+ with the Captain’s wife & child for company.
So whilst my homework might have paid off SYD/SIN by travelling a day earlier, it ran out of luck on the last leg arriving a day earlier than expected to the surprise of some! I tried to get/book the National Express to Woking. However, a Welsh coach blocked my coach's set down & causing me to lose another £26! (another complaint now redressed).
My transgressions on the trip included trying to carry a bottle of water thru security, having my breakfast apple confiscated by Oz border guard, a warning letter issued; having Christchurch security confiscate my new peanut butter as a ‘spreadable’ liquid. Lastly being pulled over by NZ police on the say so of a truck driver for overly cautious driving (better than drinking & being tired.)
My learnings were:
I used my last 'golden ' ticket to good effect. I went out with a 'bang not a whimper ' so my english teacher would have approved. Farewell then the challenges of sub load & even confirmed flights to the illusory promises of Ryanair & Easyjet who both seem to have a network as large as BEA's in halcyon days.
Beware of batteries on Ford Pumas & dodgy car hires
Time spent in reconnaissance is rarely wasted- good planning paid off but I should have found out electronic visas were required. Although I only required 2 visas, hotel bedrooms are not well equipped for photographing 'perfect' passports.
Airline staff are still as helpful & friendships forged in BEA are stronger than ever
Scouting, BA, Round table & life all gave me skills that endure. Resilience they call it now.
I would have loved to stop off in Perth to see 2 other former flatmates from the 60s but a wave from 39k feet had to suffice.
Whilst travelling broadens the mind, its good to be home.
Our photographs might be available on request however there are a lot of pix & many on mine were taken with HDR on which is why some of them are more 'interesting" to say the least!
Written with my tongue firmly in my cheek …
