Gonna do a few days at a time because I can only post them on the internet when I get to the Libary.
Well, lets start from the beginning. We took off from Manchester. We landed in Dubai. Then the problems started.
We had boarded the plane at Dubai, and it was quite hot. The temperature, and the plane! Airbus A380. Was Amazing, with a capital A. There was a technical fault. We were on the plane for two hours, before the captain apologised and we got off the plane. They couldnt fix the fault.
After a further 6 hours of boredom, because Dubai airport is shite, there’s fuck all in it, we boarded the plane and took off for the second leg of our journey. Just so you know the journey was supposed to be the following.
Manchester – Dubai 7½ hours.
Dubai – Sydney 13 Hours
Sydney – Auckland 2½ hours
A total of 23 hours travelling. Should have been around 28 hours to get there, including flight times, airport travel etc.
Well As I said.
So sitting on the plane for 2 hours in Dubai. Then the flight delayed for unknown time.
Sitting there for 4 hours, then they start boarding us again. WOO! Well, so we thought. We flew for about 9 hours then we started a rapid decent. Not like crashing or that, The captain came on the thingy. Apparently there was a woman who was seriously ill, like dying, so we had to divert to Perth airport. That’s the other side of Australia, about 4 hours from Sydney.
It was an emergency. We didnt mind. Went down 36000 feet in about 10 minutes, instead of the 30 its supposed to take. Laura was sick. Wernt too bad. Could have been better. Anyways we landed in Perth and sat in the plane for about 2 hours, cos we were told to, haha, no seriously though cos we were supposed to be taking off again. Then we found out that the crew on the plane had reached their shift limit.
Dunno if you know but they are only allowed to work for so many hours, because they need to be at their peak should there be an emergency etc. So we had to wait for a backup crew to turn up. They were at Sydney because they were going to be taking over there. So they got told to basically get their uniforms and get their asses to Perth airport. So we had to wait for about 3½ hours, then they had to get the plane sorted. We got some vouchers for food an that, $15 each, then someone else gave us another $75, which Laura spent all on sweets! Hehe. Finally took off.
So on our way to Sydney, wasnt too bad. Backup crew and all. Wasnt an eventful few hours. So we landed at Sydney at around 10.30/11.00. Apparently Sydney had flight restrictions. They arnt allowed to fly planes out after 11pm, so we had to stay in the night in Sydney. Lets just say mummy wernt happy.
So we go to the hotel, well room with a bed anyways. We had to be up at half 7 because the shuttle bus was coming at 8.35 to take us back to the airport for our flight. Now its a scheduled flight which was meant to be at 8.50 [we were originally meant to be up at 5.30 because the flight was 8.50 – Donna] but because it came in so late the night before, it was delayed until 12.00. Wasnt too bad, then the shuttle bus was late. Didnt get there till about 9ish, we were fuming with them as well. Anyway we arrive at the airport. Its all going so well. We get vouchers for $15 cos the plane was delayed from 8.50. You still keeping up cos im writing this at 12.40 am lol. Lets take a little breather. I just watched Fringe, now there is some pisstake of Ellen Degeneres, “Ill Kiss A Girl”. On Mad TV I think.
Still on a break, go and have a coffee or a tea or something. Im sure you can spare 2 minutes.
So we get some more $15 vouchers. By this time we have met a lovely couple called Ann and Ron who are lovely. And some woman called Jennie, who is lovely, dont get me wrong, but she just appears and hangs around. So we get on the plane and sit down. Sitting there, sitting there, sitting there, technical fault. FFS!! Naturally my mum is getting angry, getting ready to get up and headbutt the captain. Then we are sitting there, sitting there, sitting there. “We apologise but the fault can not be fixed, this flight is cancelled.” Mum in tears, then angry, then tears, then angry. We walked off the plane we a sense of gloom. Are we ever going to get to New Zealand or what.
We went upstairs and spoke to the Emirates desk. Well not the desk, a person behind the desk, she was lovely. The guy came over and completely understood. Naturally my mum was being stubborn and not shutting up. Its taking the piss, you dont understand etc. They were offering to put us up in a hotel again over night because there was no plane available. Understandable really because its a scheduled flight so they only have 2 or 3 available at any one time in the airport. Anywhoos.
We walk away fuming, then the nice guy shouts us over. 8 seats have literally that second became available on another flight with Pacific Blue. Virgin Airlines New Zealand subsidiary. We go to the desk and get checked in by a cute little bastard. So we rush through, this was about 6pm, an check-in closes then, so we stand and wait, our bags go in, we run for the gate, we board the plane, and every steward was gay! We took off around 6.50. I knew this would be a good flight. The head steward was so funny, you really had to be there.
Anyway 2½ hours later we land. In Auckland. OMG WE MADE IT!!
We left on Thursday at 4pm. We were supposed to arrive on Saturday 7am Local time. We arrived midnight Sunday. From 3 days travelling to 5 days. Finally. We start our new life.