Margaret Parkinson

Well we are all set to leave on our next visit to our family in NZ. It will be a bit different this time because Gail is travelling with us. (at great expense) She came on the 6th January to surprise our son on his 50th birthday. We were dining out in Manchester at The Room Restaurant and she did not want to miss it. As someone has mentioned earlier it has cost her more to come here that it would have done for us to go there. However this time we have booked Premium Economy so she will not be with us for part of the journey.

As some of you will understand she has been shopping for England while she has been here especially M & S underwear. She came with a part empty suitcase which is just as well but she will still have to put some things in ours.

Anyway we leave at 3 this afternoon flying from Manchester to Heathrow at 6.40 pm. We have 2 hours there and then it is a 21 hour flight to Sydney coming down in Bankok where we will be able to get off. When we booked the flight we did not know Gail would be coming so I tried to upgrade her to Premium with Qantas. They quoted $3000 because she would have to upgrade the whole ticket even though she had already got here. We did not ask whose $'s Australian or NZ because we were not going to pay it. We are only premium on the long flight and all I can say for the extra we have paid it had better be worth it.

My next posting will be when we arrive on Sunday.

June

AngelaandJim

Have a safe journey and a wonderful holiday. Will look forward to your next post.

Angela x

MissMarple

Hi June, Alan and our Gail,

It was lovely to see you all the other day and great to catch up with you. Have a great journey, maybe you could pass Gail some posh things from your posh class section of the plane!

Keep us posted on your latest NZ adventures.

Love J and R xx

MnB

Safe travels!! Look forward to reading all about your trip
B x

j19fmm

Have a great and safe journey June, hope the sun shines for you x

Margaret Parkinson

We left Manchester on time no problems there. We landed at terminal 5 Heathrow but were departing from terminal 3. We had wheelchair assistance and this is when the fun started. When we got off the plane there were 3 people needing wheelchairs & 1 gentleman needed assistance because he was parcially blind. There was 1 person with a wheelchair and we had to wait 10 minutes before someone else came. You have to bear in mind we are told to get off last so they should have been ready for us. We were then taken to a bus and had to leave the chairs. We arrived at terminal 3 and another waiting area and again had to wait 10 mintes. Off we went again, dropped off and told to wait for the buggy. This took another 10 minutes. Along came the buggy picked us up then went off in the opposite direction to where we were boarding. Picked us another 2 people did an about turn then off we go again, dropping the ladies off 1 at a time at their gates. The buggy and we were left to frend for ourselves luckily by this time our flight was boarding. A gentleman attendant noticed my husband walking with a stick and took us to board. You have to realise we had paid extra for the Premium Economy and we had been led to understand that we would have priority boarding. This was not the case. In a word Lodon Heathrow in my opinion could not run a toffee shop. From then on everything well smoothly and I have to say the Premium Economy made a big difference to us but I am still not sure it is worth 2000 pounds more for the privalege. The wheelchair assistance at Sydney was fine and Aunckland was more then just fine they were brilliant.

Arriving at Auckland baggage claim our name was annouced and guess what our luggage was still in Sydney. Gail got hers but our 2 had somehow missed the flight and would be on the next one. The told us they will be delivered tomorrow. Good job we had a few changes of undies in our hand luggage. lol

Doug was there 2 meet us cant say it was a pleasant 3 hour drive because it poured with rain all the way, I hope it clears up soon.

June

BEVS

June !!

Welcome back to New Zealand.

I so hope you all have the best of times.

AngelaandJim

Oh June that's terrible but glad the premium economy helped relax you for the flight. Fingerscrossed your bags will arrive tomorrow and you can enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Will look forward to reading your posts.

Angela

ianandhelena

how are things in Marple?
my sister used to live there-now she lives in Disley-and i grew up in Stalybridge.
we lived in Wellington for a year and loved it!

Margaret Parkinson

Got a phone call at 8.30 this morning to say the luggage had arrived and would be delivered by taxi, 5 minutes later door bell rang and there they were no worse for their adventure. unpacked now and ready for the off plus it has now stopped raining to things are looking up.

June

j19fmm

Excellent news June. Hope the rest of your trip goes smoothly x

Margaret Parkinson

Would someone mind telling what happened to the weather work up to rain again this morning. I hope we are not going to have 6 weeks of this.

So I am going to do something exciting I am going to iron & clean the bathroom.

June

BEVS

I'm not sure the bathroom will appreciate being ironed

MissMarple

Hi June,

Glad you've all arrived safe and well, and survived the additional passenger assistance!

Fancy there being rain. Goodness we've had 6 degrees above zero today, so positively balmy or should that be barmy here.

Chill out for a few days, am sure the weather will pick up for you.

Enjoy those sausages. is it 42 varieties to choose from?

Give our love to Alan and the rest of the family.

Jules and Ron x

Margaret Parkinson

We did not do much today because it was raining again. Gail dropped us off at Bayfair where we had a good look round because it has been extended since we were here last.

We always try to have a weeks break while we are here and if you have read my other posts you will see that we went to the top of the North Island last year.

This time we thought we would try Wellington. In the past we have done self drive but last year we decided to go by coach and this worked well because when you self drive the driver does not see much and we are on holiday after all so let someone else do the work.

We have been to the Travel Agents today and explained what we would like to do and this is what she has come up with. Intercity to Taupo and stay overnight there and see something of it. The following day down to Wellington and stay for 5 nights, having researched the area there seems lots to do.

Then we are taking the train back to Hamilton and stay overnight there. I dont think the train is high speed so we will be able to take in some of the scenery. Then its the bus back home again.

Does this seem a good idea and has anyone got anything to add that may help. We are not thinking of going until 20th Feb.

June