We departed Wichita at 4:20 pm headed for Dallas. After a two hour layover, we boarded the flight to Los Angeles. Our flight from LAX to Auckland departed at 11:00 pm (1:00 am Wichita time), so we were already tired. 13 1/2 hrs later, at 9:30 am, we landed in Auckland. Pleased to say that despite many small children and several hundred people crammed to too little space, we managed to get a decent nights sleep and woke up feeling ok.
Before we landed, the flight attendants gave instructions about the customs declaration forms. They were very clear that NZ takes its Biosecurity seriously and any product with honey it (including lip balm!!) would be confiscated. Fresh fruit, nuts, meats, etc all definitely not allowed. There was a sniffer dog at baggage claim, and they actually x-rayed your bags when you passed through customs. The officer who interviewed our family was thorough, but very polite and welcoming. I thought I was going to have to dig out my hiking boots from the bottom of my suitcase to show that the bottoms were not covered in mud from foreign places, but he believed me.
I wasn't next to the window on the plane, so didn't get good landing pics, but did get an obscured view of lots and lots of coast line and greenness. It looked very different than all the snow that we left on the ground at home. This was my first pic from the shuttle bus. Lots of water and rolling hills of various islands in the distance.
Got to our hotel without trouble, but 3 hours earlier than they would allow us to check in, so we decided to explore the city.
Room feels very European - a bit on the too cozy, but definitely better than the plane!
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