On to Australia

Dec. 30

John woke early as he needed to get himself organized, packed and off to return the rental car before 9am. His flight to Auckland was scheduled to depart at 10:30.

After finding the place to drop off the car (Note: John only had to ask for directions twice!) he went into the terminal building and handed in his car keys. Next he went to the counter to ask if he could check in all the way to Melbourne and not have to see his suitcase until landing in Australia.

Well... he had forgotten that Canadians (probably everybody else too but Kiwis) need a visa to visit Australia that cannot be granted in Australia. Luckily he could pay for an electronic one on the spot but he had to go to the service desk. It was $30 but he could have got one for free online if he had known AND had a good Internet connection.

On the first leg from Christchurch to Auckland, he sat beside two young women from California. One was a furniture maker which John thought was very cool. He was lucky to be in row 2 and was amongst the first off the plane in Auckland.

Once landing in Auckland, John walked to the International Terminal. It felt kind of strange to John to be back in Auckland but not in Auckland as such. It was a good 10-minute walk in a very strong wind and even the 20 degree temperature felt chilly. The sky was partly cloudy and John could tell that a high pressure weather front was coming in.

After filling out John's New Zealand exit form and the Austraian entry form, we went through security again and waited for his flight to Melbourne.

The flight went well and the sky grew clearer the closer we got to Austalia.

We landed and John along with the others went though Australian Immigration, glad he had his electronic visa. Next he had to hand his form to a friendly Customs guy who stamped it saying, "Welcome to Australia, Mate!" However, John went the wrong way and had to come back past the same Customs guy who said could he see the form again and then put an X over the stamp. John thought, "Whew that stamp must have meant I would have been searched." But then he thought, "What would stop anyone putting an X over the stamp?" Sure enough the guy had in his very friendly way ordered that John's suitcase and me to be searched.

John was sent down his own lane and had to wait at the end to be allowed in, only to be sent down yet another lane where he again had to wait. All the other people sent down other lanes were having their suitcases opened while John was standing alone.

In a couple of minutes two guys came along and asked John if he had declared everything. He had not declared an apron as a present for Janice so he fessed up that he had it. They asked if it was made of wood (you cannot import wood into Australia)... but really who makes aprons out of wood? Then they asked of he had any drugs or syringes. John said, "Good Lord, no!" They then asked if they could XRay the luggage and me. John had no problem with that but I felt violated. Of course, the XRay showed nothing and they happily sent us on out way.

Luckily, when he walked out the door, Janice was waiting in the 38 degree Celsuis heat. We all went to her car and she drove us to her new home. She had only been there since Dec. 14. On the way, Janice picked up some groceries for supper. When they got to Janice's house, John said hello to Stewart while Janice prepared spaghetti sauce and spaghetti for supper. They all spent quite a while talking before John retired to his room for the night. His first day in Australia ahd come to an end.

TRB