24 Hours of Trivia

On Thursday 8th April I said goodbye to Harry and I was on my way to New Zealand.  We both felt sad that he wasn't coming but I was comforted by the fact that I would spend 48 hours in the air and he would be busy in the weekends doing lots of interesting stuff.  To pass the time and to help him realise he wasn't missing too much I decided to record details about my flight to Wellington via Hong Kong and Auckland.  It is pretty boring stuff and the only time I will ever do this so worth recording for posterity.

13.42 pm - Said goodbye to Harry at the bus station.  Felt quite sad at saying goodbye rather than being able to say hello to all our friends together.

13.46 pm - I double checked with the officials that the bus did actually go to Terminal One at Heathrow because the board mentioned all terminals bar One.

13.48 pm - We were told that the bus would be a tad late (5 or 10 minutes) as there was a traffic hold up and the bus was coming from Swansea.  I had never thought of catching a bus when on work down there but might consider it some time.

13.50 pm - I decided that it is going to be a long 5 or 10 minutes and sit down with lots of others with various sized bags.

14.11 pm - The official says the bus will be a bit later - the M32 is closed and traffic is being diverted around Bristol as someone is trying to jump off the M32 bridge.  I was reminded of the programme 'On the Buses' as the man with grey hair and wearing a yellow security jacket paces up and down explaining with his hands the reason for the delay. 

14.14 pm - This is when I am reminded that we are all quite selfish - little thought was given to that distraught creature planning to end their life - some were concerned about missing their plane, others wondered why he couldn't just jump and then the traffic could just run over the body.  After giving a thought to the person responsible for this I decided I was glad we had booked an early bus for me - I had 7 or so hours to wait around.

14.20 pm - I text Harry just to let him know I hadn't yet left.

14.49 pm - The bus arrived and everyone piled on.  I passed my bag to the driver said 'thanks' etc and he said with a smile 'My bus is full of foreigners today' to which I replied 'Aren't you lucky' but wished I could think of something smarter to say.

14.51 pm - We are on our way, but not before some safety and toilet instructions.

15.12 pm - We head along the M32 with some delay from crawling along the Bristol streets missing the diversion (Harry told me later that the police managed to talk the man down from the bridge which I was good news). 

15.13 pm - I wonder if the bus drivers hours will be up before we arrive at Heathrow.

Are you bored yet?  Well I was so I made up a game.

15.37 pm - I watched a few truck drivers (being in a bus gives a much better view than in a car).  One was eating a burger, another on his cell phone, another leaning on the wheel as though he was about to fall asleep.  But my game to prevent boredom was "Could I determine if the driver had a tattoo on his right arm by the shape and colour of the vehicle?".  The answer was not easily - my success rate was low, but when I decided most of the tee shirt covered drivers did have tattoos regardless of what vehicle they drove my success rate shot up.

15.53 pm - I started to get real bored and fidgety (Harry knows all about that) and took a panadol because my neck started to hurt.  I was still looking at tattoos, muscley arms and truck shapes though.

16.27 pm - We arrived in Reading at the shopping mall outside a telephone box with broken glass and where I read that if I didn't have the money I could type in the word 'reverse' on my cell phone and this would be a collect call for the lucky person at the other end.

16.46 pm - Caught in traffic on M4.  But nothing too serious.

17.00 pm - Arrived at airport.  Easy peasy to check in as no queues and well signposted to the Air New Zealand stand.

17.48 pm - Wandered through customs after having my jars of cream etc tested once again (what is it about my little plastic bag of goodies that says 'test me test me' all the time?) and looked for a bookshop to find a book and a paper and then to a coffee shop where I was taken to the back of the cafe to a row of tables specially designed for the single traveller. 

18.00 pm - Happily sitting reading paper and listening to the guy at the next table sporadically talking in English and German and eating a very unappetising ploughmans lunch (I almost ordered it but glad I didnt).


18.10 pm - Enjoyed my cup of tea more than the burger.


18.51 pm - Asked for the bill and wandered over to the departures board.  No gate number yet so sat somewhere strategic so I didn't have to get up and down to look at the board all the time. Where is Harry I thought - telling me what Gate I would probably be at, what type of plane I would be on, whether I would be sitting in the middle row of seats or not.  At least I thought some surprises in store for me.

19.25 pm - Told to go to Gate 40. And after a 20 minute walk arrived there.  Talked to some people flying to Seoul for holiday.


19.53 pm - Doing a Harry working out if it would be a full flight or not - but not having much luck cos I didn't know how many were travelling on the new Asiana airline leaving from the next gate and how many my plane would take.  It was getting dark outside and I hoped for some stretching space on the plane.


20.30 pm - Boarded the plane - rather tardy in joining the queue as I would after all be about 24 hours on aeroplanes.

21.05 - Kiwi captain - how I recognise that accent now I live somewhere else amongst lots of other accents.  He said we were leaving on time - there were some empty spaces up front but they were cold as the heating had broken down - we could move there after we had taken off.  I presumed we had to sit in our allocated seats for take off and landing just in case there was an accident and it would be easier to name bodies strapped into their allocated seats. 


21.15 - Settled down to watch Crazy Heart - but it didn't grab me as a film - the 'excellent country music' was the attraction but the story line a typical 'down and outer' meets success story.  I never got past the first seedy motel.


21.45 - I moved to my 'bed' for the night.  Was given 4 extra blankets to help keep out the cold but didn't need them.  But being a 777 the arm rests don't go all the way up.  What's more mine fell down so while lolling around watching movies and trying to sleep I kept pushing them back up to be more comfortable.


22.00 pm - Dinner was served and I watched 'Have you heard about the Morgans' movie which was passable but I was pleased that I hadn't paid for the privilege of watching it.  Highlight during dinner was dropping my glasses so I had to move the tray over to my other 'chair' to pick them up. 


23.00 pm - Finished watching Morgans and went to bed on my 3 seater couch.  Much more comfortable with the feet up.  You can imagine there will be a few 'loo' stops during this trip but I have decided not to mention how many times I have to go in 24 hours. 


23.30 pm - Well I must have dozed a bit but really am awake now and so settled down to watch another movie.  Then got up after a few minutes and tried those travel sickness pills the phamacist recommended to help me go to sleep.  They just might work - but somehow I doubt it because by ...


03.27 am - I had finished watching 'Young Victoria' which was quite a good movie.  Got up and looked in the mirror 'Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the woman looking so haggard?'  When I arrived in Hong Kong I sent Harry a text to say all I needed was a broom stick and pointed hat - reminiscence  of this moment infront of the mirror.  He tactfully asked me how the trip went.


1.50 am - Next movie was Lovely Bones - but must be tired cos even a film purported to be great didn't hold me.  The doziness from the pills had worn off  a bit.  Boredom settled in (no Harry to annoy which made it worse).


3.00 am - I went to sleep and woke up 2 hours 20 minutes later - that is very impressive for me on any flight - maybe the pills work after all.


6.15 am - Breakfast time - probably would have tasted good in another environment with some sleep and I set about watching 'Devil wears Prada' which was a good movie and saw me all the way to ...


2.55 pm (Hong Kong time) and we started our descent and I moved back to my allocated seat.


3.05 pm - Saw a bit of the view by leaning over the person near the window but not a lot to see except some high rises peaking out from the smog.  We arrived one hour ahead of schedule.  So, one more hour to wander around the transit lounge in Hong Kong.


4.20 pm - We were off the plane and back through security where my plastic bag of goodies escaped further inspection for once.  I talked to an English couple who looked just as tired as I felt - they are volunteers in an organisation that goes and looks after children in orphanages in Romania.  However, this flight they were going to Auckland unfortunately to her mothers funeral but then were having a holiday with family.


4.40 pm - I worked out I had $23 in Hong Kong money and offered to buy the couple a cup of tea - only to find that a cup of tea was $25 so I paid for it on my card.  I managed to knock over one of the cups which seemed to go for a long way across the linoleum and the man bought himself another one probably wondering what on earth he had found here!!  


5.35 pm - Standing in the queue again with my boarding pass and transit card.


5.55 pm - Back on the plane - same seat and no hope of a bed further up the cabin.  The English couple are behind me all the way and I take note not to spill any more drinks.  I took the grapes and chocolates out of my bag for munching on during the movies.


6.20 pm - We are all on the plane ready to go except we aren't going anywhere.  I sneezed and bit my tongue which is incidentally very sore because I have been doing that trick all week.


6.25 pm - Started to watch Rock and Roll Pirate but that didn't grab me either but just as the song 'Judy in the Skies' came on the plane began to taxi (no joke). Oops it is actually 'Judy in Disguise with Glasses' - must have been tireder than I thought.


7.00 pm - I filled out the arrival card for New Zealand and had trouble remembering what countries I had been in during the last month, after careful consideration I wrote Wales, England, Czech Republic.


7.10 pm - Attendant bought around water and I mused on the fact that Air New Zealand is now employing a number of middle aged men to do the 'hostess' bit. By now Harry would have kindly suggested I should readjust my watch.


7.20 pm - The dinner menu was announced - I could have chicken or pork and I wished I had organised vegetarian as they always get their meals first.


8.00 pm - Got up for a drink and talked to 2 English woman who are travelling to Nelson and Wanaka.  I made some suggestions about what they could do on their one day in Auckland (they were helpful suggestions!!).  They talked about the hospitality of New Zealanders - a common theme that seems to come up where ever we go.  I looked out the window once they had gone back to their seat and saw lots of little lights glittering below so figured we were somewhere above Australia or perhaps there was a party of boats somewhere.  Went back to seat.


9.50 pm - I woke up.


12.30 pm - I watched the film Hachikito which was one of the better ones on offer.  Incidentally the 777 has touch screen controls so I didn't have to use the remote.  Drank 2 cups of water and went for another wander.


1.50 pm - Woke up again and went for another walk and had another discussion with the English woman visiting Auckland, Nelson and Wanaka.


2.15 pm - Started watching A Single Man - which I did finish watching but can't remember much about.  


6.50 am (NZ time) - Breakfast was announced - I could have omelette or noodles and the choice of a fine selection of NZ wines.


8.35 am - we began our descent into Auckland and we were told that Air New Zealand has been voted airline of the year (not sure by whom but they were proud of it and so they should be). 10 minutes later I went onto the tv to see what the programme on Wellington was like - all about shopping and restaurants.


9.05 am - landed in sunny Auckland. The captain came out to say goodbye.  Customs officers were polite and said hello with a smile.  You can electronically get checked through customs if you have a chip in your passport which I don't.  Walked a long way to the exit where volunteers at Auckland were helping lots of tired tourists go to the right places and directed me to the right place to drop my bag.  


10.10 am - Walked along the blue line to the domestic terminal.  It was sunny and I enjoyed it.


10.20 am - Bought a coffee and sat with a number of people travelling to Wellington that were on the plane from Hong Kong.


10.30 am - I text Haz to say I had arrived and Shaz to say 'see you soon'.


11.10 am - I am aboard another plane this time bound for Wellington. Saw the 'body paint' security announcements and tried to answer the quiz questions on the screen - but not up to date with Shortland Street so didn't know some of the answers.  Great view over the South Island.


12.10 pm - Arrived at airport and met Sharon at the luggage carousel - I have travelled a long way for that hug...


If you have got this far you have done well. I hate to say it but I suspect Harry wouldn't have got bored doing what I have just done and has probably enjoyed reading this account as it reminds him of how much he enjoys flying.


24 hours of flying and as you can see not a lot happened - the planes were on time and I managed to get some sleep.  For most of my travels that has always been the case.  However, I did have a few other adventures during my flying time around the globe eg it took me 10 hours to fly from Sydney to Wellington (airconditioning problems, long flight plan up to Brisbane and across to Norfolk, aborted landing in Wellington).  Then the possibility of a longer time in NZ due to the volcano with the unpronouncable name (I wouldn't have minded having a few extra weeks over here and in fact began to look forward to it).  In Auckland when returning we spent more than 90 minutes sitting on the tarmac as the crew attempted to sort out a passenger issue finally asking about 12 wait listed passengers to disembark (felt very sorry for them as they were probably some of those who missed their flights due to the volcano).  I arrived back safely in England after a great holiday but wishing I could have stayed longer (forever perhaps?).