Teale in Transit

Amazing what a difference only a few days can make. This time last week, I was getting beat in a game of cribbage by my father (who, I swear, cheats). And now, I'm nice and cozy in my Uni accommodation in Auckland, New Zealand, clothes unpacked, fridge stocked, and settling in nicely.

Where to start? Tuesday, I guess. Tuesday morning, I rolled out of bed, finished my packing, and tried to get in some last-minute quality time with my cat, Athena. (Who was having none of that, as anyone with a cat could have predicted.) Had one last lunch with my parents, and then it was off to the airport. Thank goodness for the Boise airport - there was not one person in line before me at check-in, and maybe three other people in the security area. No threat of missing my flight there! Once I verified that the Alaska Airlines agent was sending my luggage to New Zealand (there was a bit of confusion when she started rattling off Australia immigration requirements), my parents and I said our goodbyes and I was off!

Well, off to the other side of security, where I grabbed a bite to eat and listened to some Harry Potter on my iPod. The first leg of my trip, BOI to LAX, was fine, if uneventful. Once I arrived in LAX, an airport I've never been to before, things got a bit more interesting. No signs in the terminal indicated that my flight (or any international flights) existed, nor was there a map indicating an international terminal. Finally I asked a security guard, who directed me to exit the building and go to the next terminal to the right. I had to go through security a second time - and a third and fourth, since I tried to go through the metal detector with electronics in my pockets, and then they discovered the full water bottle in my bag - and then trek down to my gate. The place was packed, food choices were pathetic, and there wasn't a Starbucks in sight - NOT a good sign for the 11 hour flight ahead.

I tend to request window seats when I travel long distances, as I find it slightly easier to sleep if I can lean against something, but at the last minute I requested an aisle instead. A VERY fortuitous choice, as this meant I was seated in the small upstairs economy section, with only 11 rows of seats - 6 of which were empty! A flight attendant told me they were expecting a full flight, as they'd overbooked for 430 passengers on a plane that will accommodate 400, but apparently a connecting flight didn't make it into LAX in time, and all of those passengers had been seated in my section. Sad for them and their vacation plans, of course, but it did mean I had a very quiet flight, and an entire row of seats to myself!

We arrived in the Fiji airport at about 5:30 in the morning, a good three hours before my flight to Auckland was departing. There was yet another layer of security, but while standing in line, I struck up a conversation with a girl from LA. As it turns out, she was also headed to Auckland to study at the University! A good companion to pass a few hours, anyway, and we have plans to do some shopping tomorrow morning.

The last three hours, from Fiji to Auckland, felt very long, but finally we landed and I was in New Zealand! Immigration moved shockingly quickly, baggage claim less so, and customs was the slowest of all. (New Zealand is VERY cautious about what gets into the country.) John, my Rotary host counselor, was waiting for me with a sign on the other side of the exit, and there I was - heading out into the humid Auckland summer!