BLOG POST 8
We disembarked from the flight and strode into the lounge, we saw a beautiful Maori carving adorning the walkway at the Auckland’s airport and as we proceeded there were sensors which when we walked illuminated the walls around us , with our every step they showed interesting facts and pictures about the country.
There were ominous looking sign boards asking the passengers to declare or dispose off forbidden goods or be fined 400 dollars
We disembarked from the flight and strode into the lounge, we saw a beautiful Maori carving adorning the walkway at the Auckland’s airport and as we proceeded there were sensors which when we walked illuminated the walls around us , with our every step they showed interesting facts and pictures about the country.
There were ominous looking sign boards asking the passengers to declare or dispose off forbidden goods or be fined 400 dollars
We then
went for immigration check with our passport and passenger arrival card which
we had completed on the plane.
A young boy in a tight fitting suit obviously newly stitched was standing ahead of us in the queue, his looks aroused all my maternal instincts which remembered our son who had gone to US at the tender age of 21 (tender for his mother) I asked him his details and assured him that he would be fine, he was whisked through the passport control point quite fast and disappeared from our sight
What is the purpose of your trip? was the question asked ,we answered to tour, and lo behold ! the Immigration officer stamped our passport.
We then marched ahead to the carousel where our bags were anxiously waiting for us and then had to wait in a long queue for immigration check where our passenger arrival cards were checked, it went on well because of all the care we took while packing in India
We came out of the airport and waiting patiently for us we found the Grand Pacific Tours Representative holding the tour sign
A young boy in a tight fitting suit obviously newly stitched was standing ahead of us in the queue, his looks aroused all my maternal instincts which remembered our son who had gone to US at the tender age of 21 (tender for his mother) I asked him his details and assured him that he would be fine, he was whisked through the passport control point quite fast and disappeared from our sight
What is the purpose of your trip? was the question asked ,we answered to tour, and lo behold ! the Immigration officer stamped our passport.
We then marched ahead to the carousel where our bags were anxiously waiting for us and then had to wait in a long queue for immigration check where our passenger arrival cards were checked, it went on well because of all the care we took while packing in India
We came out of the airport and waiting patiently for us we found the Grand Pacific Tours Representative holding the tour sign
Though he must have picked up quite a lot of passengers from airport that day ,he greeted us cheerfully and was chatting with us.He
went and got his van ,we piled up the luggage and plonked ourselves in the
seats ,after a drive for nearly half an hour during which time we saw quite a
lot of roads being serviced as it was now almost 3 am .
Our driver waited patiently at all the traffic signals ,I was thinking of our country and traffic sense of some of our people and thought the less said the better ,he dropped us at our hotel the Grand Millenium ( however we were in no state to see whether it was grand or not)
Our driver waited patiently at all the traffic signals ,I was thinking of our country and traffic sense of some of our people and thought the less said the better ,he dropped us at our hotel the Grand Millenium ( however we were in no state to see whether it was grand or not)
At the
reception desk we were given our room key and a big bundle of the tour documents,oh
no ! I thought ,we were trying to travel as lightly as we could and this extra
luggage now was like the final straw on the camel’s back .It contained
·
Durable
travel bag
·
Toiletry
wet pack
·
Personal
name badge
·
Laundry
bag
·
Luggage
label
·
Ticket
wallet
·
Personalised
itinerary
·
Optional
tours directory
·
General
Information & FAQ booklet
·
Customs
required re sealable plastic bag
·
Postcard
·
Touring
map
We were given one of these each and we had to bear them all through our
journey but they were very useful and my husband paid no attention to my timid
suggestion that we could leave the travel bags in the hotel room (I am very
much used to load shedding)
As
soon as we checked into the room we looked into the next day program, it was wake
up call at 6 am, bags outside the room at 7 am ,breakfast from 7 am and
departing hotel at 8 am, some of our co travellers in this tour would later say that normally
they get up late and only on paid holidays like this they get up at such unearthly hours L.O.L !
We were left with just 3 hours of sleep, my husband is indeed blessed to be able to sleep soundly as soon as he hits the bed whereas poor me was trying in vain to sleep which eluded me
We were left with just 3 hours of sleep, my husband is indeed blessed to be able to sleep soundly as soon as he hits the bed whereas poor me was trying in vain to sleep which eluded me
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