New Zealand here I come....
I'm writing this sitting on the plane - we're over Reykjavik apparently. The plane has one of those GPS systems and every now and then it flashes up on the big TV where we are, how fast we're going etc. Even when we were taxiing at Heathrow it kept updating to show which direction we were facing, which I thought was overkill slightly.
Update: Later on, about 8pm London time we went over the Arctic (at least if it wasn't it was doing a pretty good impression). And although this sounds a bit nuts given how high up we were, I could've sworn I saw Polar bears. As I didn't have an aisle seat, I couldn't tell you much else about the scenery, apart from a few weird glacier things in Northern Canada.
Security at the gate at heathrow was different. I've never even been frisked before - this time my hand luggage was inspected again, I got patted down and asked to remove my shoes. It's a good job they didn't try that one after over 24 hours on a plane....
No jokes about biological weapons please (yes, I am talking to you Dad).
And when we touched down in LA - and had the joy of going out through US customs and then back in through their security checks. Being at the back of the plane meant being at the back of a long queue each time - first through customs, and then out the terminal, back in and through security again. By now it was 2am London time, and the effect of the flight was starting to hit, so I could really have done without all the faffing about. I managed to persuade them that my shoes wouldn't set off the metal detectors so I didn't have to take them off again. I'm just hoping all this X-raying isn't going to bugger up the film in my camera.
Managed to have a bit of a kip on the second leg of the flight, although it was more of a series of catnaps it was enough to leave me feeling vaguely human by the time we got to Auckland. From there it was a quick flight in a little 16 seater plane to Rotorua, the thermal area, where I'll be staying for the next couple of days.
Another update here in a day or so.
Update: Later on, about 8pm London time we went over the Arctic (at least if it wasn't it was doing a pretty good impression). And although this sounds a bit nuts given how high up we were, I could've sworn I saw Polar bears. As I didn't have an aisle seat, I couldn't tell you much else about the scenery, apart from a few weird glacier things in Northern Canada.
Security at the gate at heathrow was different. I've never even been frisked before - this time my hand luggage was inspected again, I got patted down and asked to remove my shoes. It's a good job they didn't try that one after over 24 hours on a plane....
No jokes about biological weapons please (yes, I am talking to you Dad).
And when we touched down in LA - and had the joy of going out through US customs and then back in through their security checks. Being at the back of the plane meant being at the back of a long queue each time - first through customs, and then out the terminal, back in and through security again. By now it was 2am London time, and the effect of the flight was starting to hit, so I could really have done without all the faffing about. I managed to persuade them that my shoes wouldn't set off the metal detectors so I didn't have to take them off again. I'm just hoping all this X-raying isn't going to bugger up the film in my camera.
Managed to have a bit of a kip on the second leg of the flight, although it was more of a series of catnaps it was enough to leave me feeling vaguely human by the time we got to Auckland. From there it was a quick flight in a little 16 seater plane to Rotorua, the thermal area, where I'll be staying for the next couple of days.
Another update here in a day or so.