NZ18 AKL-LAX 18 AUG 13 (THE WORKS)
Posted: 18 Aug 2013, 23:13The aircraft was a b767 and I read that the only reason air Nz is keeping them is due to the delays with the 'dream' liner. So i was in a pretty dated cabin. The seat was basic bu the ife was advanced. USB port and on demand. Puts the 'younger' a343s to shame.
Leg one was 3 hours. The food service was actually really nice. Salmon and tart with copious glasses of wine. This is a bit of a party plane it would seem for kiwis going on holiday. Not quite an EasyJet hell, but certainly loud and bubbly. All in good humour though.
As we landed, I noticed the airport was essentially a garden shed. Infant, I think at one point we crossed a main road with cars waiting patiently on red. Steps down off the craft, no air bridge here and then into a living room. I was the only pax transiting back onto the plane. This was again an odd experience. The chap rescanning my bags was not the sort of tsa official one comes to expect with the us for example,
The departures area was rammed. We were in what felt like a school hall. Wooden roof and random little fans. It was 1030 at night but my body clock was all over the shop. There was a man in the corner playing a Ukulele and singing to us. When the flight was called he began to sing individual goodbyes..."the large lady in red, I will miss you" "the man with the hat and the brown case, good luck " and so on.
Don't get that at Lhr!!
Leg two was a full plane but we all slept. Flight time was around 9h - Can't even remember what was for dinner or breakfast. We landed in lax ahead of time and I cleared immigration in what I am holding to be a record! (14 mins)
As my bag had last been seem 32 hours earlier in Dunedin, I was glad to see it arrive swiftly, off the belt
Now sat in the vx ch 'the loft' at lax. Not bad.... Tr coming up soon for flight vx420
Over and out
Sam
