Day 2 Flights #2 & #3

Well Boeng sure know how to squeeze them in. The flight from Singapore to Delhi was cramped. Almost brand new aircraft Boeing 787-10 but were we racked and stacked! 3×3×3 and not much leg room even for me. Very tight fit. But even so managed around 4 hrs pretty decent sleep even missing out on supper. Was pretty shattered by the time we boarded so on with the eyeshades, headphones and as soon as the seatbelt light went out zzzzzzz.

So woke about 2 hrs out by a crying baby that had been going all flight apparently. So on arrival at Delhi at 5am on a misty hot sticky morning I was greeted by a man with my name on a card along with a couple of others.. I said to him quizzically "you have my name on your board?" "Oh yes please remember to pick up your luggage on carousel 14 for your next flight" What service. 

So immigration was a giggle, there were a group of elderly travellers all in white mainly women with two old gentlemen and one younger. They were having problems queuing and going up one by one as they appeared to be multiple wives. A rather comical start to the day. Was quite a queue heading in and I watched everyone get fingerprinted so was ready for mine but he just took my photo, checked my passport and eVisa and waved me through. Felt discriminated against!!!!  But really felt special! 

Then off to gather up my bag which was there Yay! And went following the signs and did a huge circuit of the baggage hall just to arrive back where I started. And just walked out through customs, no check no nothing. Apparently they tag the bags that need checking.

So out and the first thing I see is an armed army person with an AK 47 or something like that. Sitting with a sign "Keep distance, no query" they are everywhere. 

So have managed to pick up my sim card and installed it myself. Must say the young man was pretty rude, but that may be the difference with service here  who knows, time will tell. Then I re read my instructions telling me to be forceful about what I want as it is not me but is a culture thing here. So installed and up and running eventually, about 2 hours earlier that told.

Can't get a long black here!! They call it an Americano. Go figure but must say the one I am sipping from Costa

is pretty good. Asked for a strong and got it! 

So now a bit of a wait while the sim card activated and then can post this and will try and find a place to rest for a couple of hours. 

Cannot believe the queues at the toilets. And forgot about the ones in Singapore, they have bidets and squats. 

Still managed to do the morning ablutions and now just observing the traffic. Fascinating such a range of people! A bit wary of taking photos here.....too many guns!

So it is 15:30 kiwitime and 08:00 India time ....been a long time since bed, still only an hour's flight to go.

The airport main floor is a bit sparce but a couple of interesting displays, honoring the elephant, carrier of the gods and 

The queue just to get into the airport are amazing.

and you can see the haze/pollution in the background. 

I am learning a lot about huge queues here, the one for domestic security...just wow... They post times for getting through, currently 30 mins. So I should get into the queue with plenty of time.  🤗

As you can probably tell, I am doing a couple of circuits of the floor, writing a bit then off for another circuit. Wi be fit by the time I get on the next flight!

Well finally got through security... Domestic security here is worse than at LA International. Full search of everything and full body sweep with metal detector. Handled by the Army not just security.

The departure hall has 62 gates and guess which one I am now sitting at... Yup 62. But the will here was awesome.

Some interesting works of art too

A brilliant piece celebrating yoga.

The haze is fascinating

One can barely see the other side of the airport.

So all being equal my final flight for a while leaves soon and while.im in India my phone number is

+99871504163

Haven't got roaming on my Spark but Facebook, Messanger and WhatsAp will all work.  

Safe travels everyone from a rather shattered and exhausted traveller. 

Namaskar

Day 2 Flight #1

So after an almost good nights sleep (til 3am when the brain goes “Wake up!!!) Dave ever so kindly drove me to the airport and came in to say goodbye. Thanks Dave, you are awesome! So first up, go the the kiosk to check in but the scanner won’t read my eVisa for India, so into the queue, when I get there the lovely lady give me a few ooops moments as she gets things into place for me. Then asks me if I would like to move seats to upstairs, “Its quieter!” Awesome says I! So stage 1 successful! Have boarding passes right through to Chandigarh.  Have a wander around looking at the shops prior to heading through security. Then headed into security,through the ePassport lane no issues, then unload the bits, bobs and other stuff, didn't need to take belt off or shoes! Yay team. BUT saw the container get pushed off into the ‘to be checked’ lane....bugger, what did i miss. By the time it came to the front of the line as the lovely lady checked it on the screen she waved me though “phew”. So as I write this I am contemplating a “Best Ugly Bagel for lunch. Might have the King Salmon or the Boss Hog, one with smoked salmon, cream cheese, red onion, capers, dill and lemon juice, or bacon, rocket sauce, cheddar cheese and egg....  decisions, decisions.  So the smoked salmon won out! Was rather nice.

 So headed up to the gate. Waaaay over there, luckily there were travelators.

So cool looking at all the planes waiting, being serviced, pushing back, arriving. Good fun. Busy afternoon. Passengers missing.

 I do so love  people watching at the airport, who’s on business, who’s on holiday, weddings, funerals, all sorts. Who like flying, who hates flying. Who is stressed to the max with frustrated kids etc.  Great fun. It is also fun to look at the layout for the walkways etc through Duty Free and past all the shops.

 No straight lines and geared up for ‘buy here, buy here’. Fun watching people!   
I do like the godwits that are hanging from the ceiling at various places.

Loading up the plane....

So away we went, gentle push back and quiet taxi

The off to the west and off towards Sydney.

You can just see the west coast beaches in the bottom pic.

The flight went over Sydney, diagonally across Australia and then on to Changi Airport. We were 2 mines early taking off and 8 mins early arriving, 10 hours later.

Changi Airport is amazing, the heat and humidity outside is like a solid wall. I went through the butterfly house but they were all asleep and it was too dark to take pics.

The concourse in Terminal 3 is huge and I walked from one end to the other and back.

,

So a bit of a wait for the next leg, so thought I would at least get this one done and dusted. Yay for free WiFi at Changi Airport!!!

Safe travels everyone.

Auckland Day 1

So many thanks to my friend Dave who has driven me into Auckland, putting me up for the night at his girlfriend’s place and is driving me to the airport tomorrow. So to pass the time he has taken me on a trip out to Hobsonville and Whenuapai.  

 OH MY GOODNESS ME!

things have changed. What used to be fruit orchards and vineyards is now terrace housing    

So things have changed a lot out west!

Some interesting use of the old aircraft hangers though....

and then off to view the airforce....

and back home to enjoy the sunshine....

Thanks for the tiki tour Dave and looking forward to the promised Thai for dinner later, yummy!

Day 1 of the big adventure

So it has begun. 

After a damp start at the Papa Aroha Campground, Dave and I left around 8:30 heading south to Thames then right hand down and off to Auckland. Cannot believe how much has happened in building south of Bombay just amazing. 

So now staying in Royal Heights, Massey for the night.

 then off in the morning to Auckland International Airport. 

Safe travels everyone. 

seven sleeps to go

So it is now into the final countdown. Seven sleeps til I leave the Coromandel on my journey to India.

I am currently residing at Papa Aroha Campground. 

The weather is interesting currently, rain occasionally sweeps in like a straw broom and then whisks away over the hills behind. Then the wind, then the sun shines through.

I am almost packed ready to go and it's good that my friend Dave is going to be using the bus over the summer. We will get parked up in its place by the end of the week and give him the run down on everything so he know what's what. 

I have completed my rail journey and I am travelling 6208km by train at a cost of $NZ285. The longest leg is 1662km from Howrah (Kolkata) to Chennai on the Coromandel  Express with a duration of 26 hours. Great way to start 2020. Leaving Howrah on 1/1/2020. Luckily not til 14:50! 

I am chuffed at the number of people who want to know how to follow my trip, so hopefully this will increase my blog followers by three or four. 

Hope to be able to do daily updates but will see what happens. Will be using airport wifi until I get to Delhi and get my Indian SIM card. 

Have movies, books and music ready for the flights and stopovers. 

So happy and safe travels everyone.