I love Kiwis!

I love the Kiwi sense of humour and laid back attitude.

Where else would the airport departure boards tell you to "Relax" if your flight still has over an hour before its gate lounge is open?

I have to say that I really enjoyed flying with Air New Zealand. The seats are larger and there is more leg room than in Qantas planes. The staff are lovely and friendly. And the air safety video was actually fun to watch! All the characters ie pilot, flight crew and passengers in the video are dressed as characters from the Hobbit/Lord of the Rings films! Very clever and hilarious! I have watched it four times in total over the last month.

I have transited through seven different international airports in the last year and quite a few more in pervious years. For this latest trip I chose to travel via a flight that would NOT need me to transit via LA aiport in Los Angeles after experiencing the confusing, stressful, cattle herding atmosphere of that airport on the way to and from Canada last year. So glad I flew via Auckland in NZ and than direct to San Francisco. San Francisco is a much smaller airport than LA and is calm and relaxed. It is a large airport - 102 gates in the international terminal but it has that lovely calm atmosphere that many international airports have and which I quite enjoy hanging out in. And transiting via Auckland was a breeze! In LA, you have to collect your bags and go through US customs even if you are simply transiting to another flight on your way to another country. And you have to drag said bags out on to the street and walk from one terminal to another in the frantic atmosphere of people being dropped off at the front of the terminals - over 6 on them. And staff are not helpful. I know Auckland is a much smaller airport and that is one reason why it is easier, but I did not have to collect my bags, or go through NZ customs, I just went through one security check point and straight in to the waiting area with the shops and gate lounges. Very efficient, smooth and relaxing.

So - I am tired
 (3 hours of something that approximated sleep in a period of 39 hours is not enough and I won't get home to my own bed for another 5 or 6 hours)

and I am bored
(I've done a lot of reading and watching movies/tv on the plane and in the airports and standing in queues as well)

and I have to wait over 3 hours for my last flight to get home
and there is free wifi in Melbourne airport

so -

I have thoroughly enjoyed my "Grandma visit" to San Francisco. Sometimes it is not the destination that is important, but the people - my family. I now have two beautiful granddaughters!