Well, Jacqui's off to Mexico for a few weeks, or a month, or maybe longer.
Thursday night Jacqui spent packing and I spent sorting out her laptop. Updated all the software and switched off automatic updates - Jacqui will be using the tethering function on her iPhone for internet and at $10 per megabyte, it could be very expensive! We ended up going to bed sometime around 4.
A few hours later, on Friday morning, we got up early and faffed about for exactly 7 minutes too long, and then battled our way through Friday Morning Traffic, moving at the exact same speed as Golden Syrup, before arriving at the airport exactly 7 minutes late.
Damn.
"Sorry sir, check-in is now closed." the lady told us.
"Closed?"
"Yes, but don't worry; you can get on the next flight for a $90 charge."
"Excellent! When's that then?"
"In 6 hours"
The lady was very nice though : not her fault we arrived late. She suggested that we might like to try some of the other airlines to see if anyone could fly us to Auckland sooner for around the same price as the $90 charge.
We tried Pacific Blue who could fly us for $250 each. No thanks.
We asked Air New Zealand.
"The best we can do is $320. Each". Bah.
Holy crap! So we resigned ourselves to waiting in the airport.
We found a nice spot to wait and proceeded to send the day drinking expensive airport coffee and eating expensive airport food. Oh joy. We also spent the day being stressed and irritated : not exactly the pleasant day in Auckland we'd planned.
Eventually, it came time to organise our tickets on the next flight, so we checked in, and paid the fee.
We hefted Jacqui's cases up on the the bag weigher thingy.
"This one is 8kg too heavy. You'll have to move 8kg from that suitcase into your hand luggage."
Damn.
Cue Jacqui and I, cases opened, stuff strewn all over the airport, trying to figure out if we'd managed to transfer 8kg.
Second attempt.
"Sorry, it's 4kg too heavy now."
"4? Can you not just let it go?" I plead.
"Yes, but I'll have to charge you," he tells me.
"How much?" I ask, expecting a serious sting.
"$40"
Why the guy felt he couldn't have told us this 15 minutes before we starting arranging all Jacqui's stuff in the middle of the airport, I really don't know.
We paid the $40 and checked everything in. Finally, we were on our way north.
The flight was pleasant enough : JetStar are cheap, but cheerful and we arrived in Auckland tired but glad to have arrived.
Taxi to the hotel : again battling through traffic, but this time Friday Evening Traffic.
The the hotel was fantastic - very chic, trendy and cool. We immediately went to the bar to get some eats : I had a very fine fish and chips, and Jacqui had a decent steak sandwich. Then we proceeded to drink Mojitos - the bar guy made pretty damn good ones, and his interesting experiments using ginger ale were outstanding. Anyway, we slept well, exhausted (and a little drunk if I'm honest)
After the series of unfortunate events on Friday, we rather hoped that Saturday, the actual day of the flight might go a little better.
It started well; we had a nice room service breakfast and checked out almost on time. We left our luggage at the hotel and wandered the 10 minutes to Queen Street for shopping. Of course, there was several things Jacqui needed for her trip, and a few things we wanted to get for her family. Sorted; Pickup luggage, integrate new stuff into luggage and taxi to airport.
We arrived at the international terminal and Jacqui got checked in only to find that the flight was running 20 minutes late. No big deal right? Wrong - this meant that her luggage wasn't going to be getting to Mexico - she'd have to pick it up in Santiago and check it in again. Not good news - Jacqui had back surgery last year, and lugging 60kg of suitcases really isn't going to work.
Damn.
Last I heard (Jacqui called me after going through to the departures area) was that she had spoken to an agent who had said that someone would meet her at the other end to help her with her cases, or have them transfered to the next available flight about 2 hours later.
I certainly hope it all works out. And I miss her already.
Thursday night Jacqui spent packing and I spent sorting out her laptop. Updated all the software and switched off automatic updates - Jacqui will be using the tethering function on her iPhone for internet and at $10 per megabyte, it could be very expensive! We ended up going to bed sometime around 4.
A few hours later, on Friday morning, we got up early and faffed about for exactly 7 minutes too long, and then battled our way through Friday Morning Traffic, moving at the exact same speed as Golden Syrup, before arriving at the airport exactly 7 minutes late.
Damn.
"Sorry sir, check-in is now closed." the lady told us.
"Closed?"
"Yes, but don't worry; you can get on the next flight for a $90 charge."
"Excellent! When's that then?"
"In 6 hours"
The lady was very nice though : not her fault we arrived late. She suggested that we might like to try some of the other airlines to see if anyone could fly us to Auckland sooner for around the same price as the $90 charge.
We tried Pacific Blue who could fly us for $250 each. No thanks.
We asked Air New Zealand.
"The best we can do is $320. Each". Bah.
Holy crap! So we resigned ourselves to waiting in the airport.
We found a nice spot to wait and proceeded to send the day drinking expensive airport coffee and eating expensive airport food. Oh joy. We also spent the day being stressed and irritated : not exactly the pleasant day in Auckland we'd planned.
Eventually, it came time to organise our tickets on the next flight, so we checked in, and paid the fee.
We hefted Jacqui's cases up on the the bag weigher thingy.
"This one is 8kg too heavy. You'll have to move 8kg from that suitcase into your hand luggage."
Damn.
Cue Jacqui and I, cases opened, stuff strewn all over the airport, trying to figure out if we'd managed to transfer 8kg.
Second attempt.
"Sorry, it's 4kg too heavy now."
"4? Can you not just let it go?" I plead.
"Yes, but I'll have to charge you," he tells me.
"How much?" I ask, expecting a serious sting.
"$40"
Why the guy felt he couldn't have told us this 15 minutes before we starting arranging all Jacqui's stuff in the middle of the airport, I really don't know.
We paid the $40 and checked everything in. Finally, we were on our way north.
The flight was pleasant enough : JetStar are cheap, but cheerful and we arrived in Auckland tired but glad to have arrived.
Taxi to the hotel : again battling through traffic, but this time Friday Evening Traffic.
The the hotel was fantastic - very chic, trendy and cool. We immediately went to the bar to get some eats : I had a very fine fish and chips, and Jacqui had a decent steak sandwich. Then we proceeded to drink Mojitos - the bar guy made pretty damn good ones, and his interesting experiments using ginger ale were outstanding. Anyway, we slept well, exhausted (and a little drunk if I'm honest)
After the series of unfortunate events on Friday, we rather hoped that Saturday, the actual day of the flight might go a little better.
It started well; we had a nice room service breakfast and checked out almost on time. We left our luggage at the hotel and wandered the 10 minutes to Queen Street for shopping. Of course, there was several things Jacqui needed for her trip, and a few things we wanted to get for her family. Sorted; Pickup luggage, integrate new stuff into luggage and taxi to airport.
We arrived at the international terminal and Jacqui got checked in only to find that the flight was running 20 minutes late. No big deal right? Wrong - this meant that her luggage wasn't going to be getting to Mexico - she'd have to pick it up in Santiago and check it in again. Not good news - Jacqui had back surgery last year, and lugging 60kg of suitcases really isn't going to work.
Damn.
Last I heard (Jacqui called me after going through to the departures area) was that she had spoken to an agent who had said that someone would meet her at the other end to help her with her cases, or have them transfered to the next available flight about 2 hours later.
I certainly hope it all works out. And I miss her already.
Comments
Post a Comment