Well, where do I start?? I guess Wellington, New Zealand, would be a good place, as this is the place where it all began....
With a tearful goodbye and a small amount of excitement, I went through the security station at Wellington's Qantas terminal on a journey bound for a small town in up-state New York. Little did I know what it had in store for me!! I boarded my flight from Wellington to Auckland and with a few bumps and a little turbulence we were off, little did I know this would be the least of my worries as i continued my journey.
Arrived in Auckland, and took the time to wander through and browse the duty free selection and perform an all-time favorite task, people-watching (its amazing what you learn about cultures and people simply by watching - try it sometime). Finally I passed through yet another set of security personal into the waiting area to board the longest of all my flights, from Auckland to Los Angeles. Here I spent the next two hours waiting for a broken down Air New Zealand flight to off load its passengers and for them to be transferred to our flight. Finally, we boarded, this time a much more crowded flight and got underway, only two hours late. By this time, I knew I was ion trouble as my connection flight, which took me through Detroit to Albany, was only an hour and a half after we landed. There was no way I was going to make it. Oh well, it isn't the time to stress when you are in close proximity to nearly 200 other strangers.
I lay back, relaxed watch a movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, (which I thought was very average after all the raves) and fell asleep. To be woke by the plane touching down in LA. I learnt we had made up some time, but not nearly enough to help me reach my flight on time. So in a mad dash, with my competitive streak firing on all cylinders I was first off the plane, what seemed to be last to get my bags and then through customs. I made a mad dash of about at least 1km, maybe more, to the 2nd terminal in the pouring sunshine, which I had been too preoccupied to notice due my need to make a flight, so not to be late for school. The stunning student that I am!!!
On arrival at the terminal, I hear the final boarding call for my flight, all hopes dashed I join the queue to see what else I can do. I manage, via a very nice man working the travel desk at Northwest - I do recommend :) - to make the last flight on a different airline in half an hour. I made yet another dash, trolley and all to the next terminal and breezed straight through got my tickets and checked my bags. Little did I know sitting here 1 day later I still haven't seen them!!! :(
I was faced with another security checkpoint; this one was not to be as easy however. I was taken aside; my boarding pass was marked with, what I determine to mean, "watch out for this person', yellow highlighter. I was then searched, as were all my belongings. They failed to find anything, but still it's a scary feeling and even though you know nothing is there you still find your mind racing through your contents in order to just make sure.
All good. I make the flight, heading to philly. I land all is good, but I realize im going to be about a hour later than I originally was due to land and so my ride would not be there, I make a very rushed and extremely apologetic phone call to my friend mike who is picking me up and then board yet again another flight to Albany - my final destination, and it couldn't come soon enough.
I was so glad to finally see Mike at Albany - actually, I would say more relieved than anything. I made the one hour trip south east to school and made it into my fully furnished dorm room, care of my room mates, at close to 2:00am this morning. Needless to say I was sleepless most of the night and am now well and truly overdue for bed.
School started today. Its so good to see everyone again and hear about their summers and the different adventures that they have all had in the past 3 months.
I will write again soon and let you know how my classes are. Im taking quite a variety this year so it should be interesting.
Speak again soon - and heres a pick from my dorm window out into the valley of which our school overlooks.
Catch up soon
Kez
new zealand
i'll have to keep checking your posts.
