Getting there and back was not so good.
I turned up for my flight on Thursday evening at Auckland airport to be greeted with the words. "Is that the passport you'll be travelling on?" Shiiiiiiit. I had handed over my son's passport. Mine was tucked safely in the draw at home, forty minutes drive away.
I am what I would call an experienced traveller. I travel often, probably too often. In my work days I used to do it with a couple of dozen bits of camera gear. Now as a mother I travel with two hindrances (boys) and more cases than I can carry. I am also, at times, an idiot.
I spent the next hour perched on my suitcase hoping for sympathy while waiting for my (heroic) husband to zoom home and back. He did it in record time but I was booked on a cheap flight with the Australian budget carrier Jetstar. The girl was nice but not nice enough to let me check in 7 minutes after their check in had closed. Budget airlines you see are rigid about check in times. It's just that usually they're late. This flight was on time.
Tears. Husband to the rescue. I bought another flight and got to Sydney only an hour late and $300 poorer. Thank you Dear Husband.
So after a lovely weekend on Sunday night I dropped off my car at the airport and turned up to the Jetstar check-in early to head back to Auckland with the right passport. Drum roll.... FLIGHT CANCELLED.
Oh the irony. The budget airline that would not let me on a plane seven minutes late on Thursday was now telling me they would fly me home a whole 26 hours late.
Aaaaah. I rang Husband who sounded like another 26 hours as a single father might kill him. I raced through the airport to find the free internet, kicked a nine year old off it (nicely) and then raced to buy another new ticket with another airline. I got one of the last ones. I felt like a finalist in the Amazing Race. I didn't feel so much like a winner.
Four international air tickets later, did I enjoy my weekend? Well, hell yes. But I won't be going again for a while.
Oh, that's so stressful - glad it worked out and Sydney was worth it (it usually is!).
ReplyDelete26 hours late? Did they offer you a place to stay? You did well to buy another ticket, seasoned travelers are also good at that!
ReplyDeleteciao
A.
PS
First time me, I'll follow you, since I also live in Auckland :-)
Bloody hell Ann! I feel your pain. But it's one heck of a good travel story nonetheless :)
ReplyDeleteOh my giddy aunt
ReplyDelete(wow, I've wanted to say that for about a week now and have not had the opp to do so).
WHAT a story. Yes, you must have felt like one of those nutters on Amazing Race - but the only prize for you was to make it home without paying 10 times the normal airfare.
Hope you had fun anyhoo - and got to where you wanted to go.
ps. well done on the dummy - a VERY big step and well worth the truck/motorbike/whatever (-:
Oh no! Such a comedy of errors, but at least it is over now. Glad to hear Sydney was fun. xx
ReplyDeleteI'm clenching my jaw at the thought of Jetstar... Mr SJW refuses to fly with them ever again after an altercation some time ago... but I'm pleased the time in Sydney made up for Jetstar's faults! Georgie x
ReplyDelete4 flights! You could have taken another friend.
ReplyDeleteOh dear... so glad that you managed to have a wonderful break in between the travel horror stories!
ReplyDeleteOh how I do love a good travel story, so long as I'm not the one who lived through it. You poor thing Ann. 7 minutes is so mean. I'd have wanted to hurt the nice girl. So pleased that Sydney made up for the hassles, and that your sense of humour, as always shone through.
ReplyDeleteDearie me, Ann, what a story! You poor thing...
ReplyDeleteGlad Sydney was wonderful though.
x
Well then that was horrible! The beginning and the ending parts, thankfully not the middle. Remind me never to fly Jetstar. Emirates all the way!
ReplyDeleteOh, Ann, even writing Jetstar gives me the heebies. You know how much we unfortunately we have to rely on them down here. You poor darling. I can't wait for the lowdown on your Sydney time, though. J x
ReplyDelete