Julie and Stevie's Most Excellent Adventure in the Down Under

Day 1, February 4, 2014 8:00 p.m.

WE ARE ON OUR WAY!! 

Our plan of traveling light failed miserably.  We each have two extra large bags ... but they are the Rimowa Salsa luggage ... very light weight ... until we loaded them with crap.  We probably have enough clothes to change 4 times per day.  And with all the activities Stevie has scheduled for us, we'll probably NEED to change 4 times per day.  I'll be sure to keep you posted on our wardrobe changes.

When it came time to leave Los Angeles,  we were trying to hitch a ride to the airport and were quite fortunate to have three of our friends offer to drive us until they found out about the bags.  Our choice was narrowed down to the largest car.  Jess won and he was a champ at loading the car.  (Thank you again, Jess.) Good thing it wasn't a front wheel drive car because when the bags were loaded, the front wheels almost came off the ground.  When Stevie and I got in the car, we tipped the scale back and the front of the car settled down.  But I could swear I felt the front end bouncing off the ground with every bump.

Loading the car and hauling our lightweight but heavily laden bags has paid off.  After relaxing over cocktails for a couple of hours in the Air New Zealand lounge,we are finally on our way on a Boing 777-300ER.  Thank you American Express points for coming through for the business class ticket. This is very comfortable as well as being FREE!   We each have a private little suite.  If I were on a honeymoon, these accommodations would not be ideal, but for Stevie and I  … it’s perfect.  I can totally zone out with my tunes and endless movies.  

Around 11:00 last night, the flight attendant came to my pod/suite for “turn down service”  He pushed a button and my comfy seat turned into a flat bed.  Then he unrolled a temperpedic mattress, two pillows and a down comforter.  Now that’s what I’m talking about.  I could get used to this treatment. The flight attendants have the cutest Kiwi accents, too. This trip is gonna be some kind of fun. I crawled into bed and sleep for about 7 hours.  So we should be able to hit the ground running in Auckland.  Which will be so much easier as that’s what we’d planned anyway … with or without sleep.  So, we’ll transfer to our flight to Queenstown and be ready for some exploring.  

We’ve been on our Air New Zealand flight for 10 hours.  We have another one and a half hours to Auckland,  for an early arrival time.  The flight has been incredible, BUT, we’ve just had our first little disagreement.  No eggs and bacon for breakfast and the eggs florentine are gone.  But the little Kiwi flight attendant is so darn cute, I’d eat about anything he had to serve up.  So bring on the eggs quesadilla.  What a spoiled, picky bitch I’ve already become. Shameful.  But no worries.  Reality awaits in Auckland when we have to schlep our bags from the International terminal to the domestic terminal for our next flight.  

Follow the Green Brick Road

February 6th, 2014, 6:39 a.m.

We got on board on the 4th of February,  flew for 11 1/2 hours and landed in New Zealand where it is now the February 6th.  What the heck just happened???   

We've arrived at the Domestic Terminal by following the green line from the International to Domestic terminal, and are awaiting our next flight to Queenstown.  While waiting, I heard an announcement, which I'm sure was directly at ME, about the weight limits for carry on baggage for our connecting flight to Queenstown.  Seven kilos is the MAX allowed for a carry on bag and only one bag is allowed.  

Well, we quickly weighed our bags and they were three times the max allowable limit.  We found a table and started loading all the travel books, computer cords and all the heavy stuff from our carry on bags in Stevie's carry on suitcase and checked it through to Queenstown for an additional $160.00.  OK.  So we're having our 2nd little disagreement with Air New Zealand.  But after lots of laughs and giggles and sitting on the suitcase to get it to zip up, we're on our way again.  

Still trying to figure out what happened to February 5th!!!

More news later.