March 23, 2019
The time had come for our long anticipated family trip to New Zealand. After a year of planning, we were ready to set off on what could be the last long trip, just the three of us.
Total Flight Time:
Baltimore to Chicago – 2 hours
Chicago to San Francisco – 4 hours
San Francisco to Auckland – 12 hours
Auckland to Taupo – 45 minutes
Total Wait Time:
Baltimore – 2.5 hours
Chicago – 4 hours
San Francisco – 2 hours
Auckland – 2 hours
Itinerary:
- Depart Asheville/Baltimore and arrive in Chicago O’Hare
- We all departed from our respective origin airports very early in the morning in order to get to Chicago O’Hare in time to pick up our luggage from baggage claim and recheck them through to Auckland. Of course my flight from Baltimore was delayed by 2.5 hours, so thankfully we planned for a decent sized buffer period. By the time I got to Chicago, the airport was in full swing. By the time we got through security we were ready for some lunch. We had signed up for membership that would get us into American Express lounges in major airports. Unfortunately the one we were planning on going to was in a completely different terminal. We succumbed to burgers from Chili’s.
- Flight from Chicago to San Francisco
- After a very long morning, we were excited to get some sleep on the flight. The plan was equipped with tvs, but I was afraid to start a movie in case I didn’t finish and would be unable to find it on the next flight. First world problems right?
- We had just enough time in San Francisco to browse duty free, do a loop around the terminal for some exercise and find a snack. However, it was impossible to find a regular snack. Everything looked too healthy!
- Flight from San Francisco to Auckland
- By the time we got on the plane, we were ready to be there. My mom and I plopped into our “premier economy” seats and just started exclaiming “this was so worth it!” That it was. Essentially, we were in what used to be known as “business class” where there are wider seats, more leg room, pillow and blanket, and a menu of what they will be serving throughout the flight. We were ready to be pampered.
- I spent the 12 hours sleeping and watching movies. My only regret is not finishing Thirteen. Because obviously I was unable to find it on the flight back to finish it…
- Arrival in Auckland
- The airport is smart. Once we walked off the plane, we were immediately greeted by duty free. We walked straight to the counter to buy a sim card for our phones. I was convinced that my phone was already unlocked and I wouldn’t need a code to activate it. I had forgotten that I had a new phone and was unable to grab a sim. Luckily, wifi is rampant now and I would have no issue messaging through various channels on my phone.
- Thanks to modern technology, immigration is now electronic with humans just overseeing the flow of people. I hadn’t flown international for a while so this was new for me. It was quick and easy, but my mom and I were not tall enough for the camera to take our pictures. The picture ended up being our foreheads. Not our problem.
- In order to transfer to the domestic terminal, there were two options: walk or shuttle. Walking required going outside and following a green stripe on the sidewalk between the buildings. It was the perfect walk to get some fresh air and enjoy our new scenery.
- When we got to the domestic terminal, we checked our bags for the third time. The most surprising thing to us was there was absolutely no security to go through for domestic flights. All airports were simple: a building, counters for flights, cafe and waiting area. The Kiwis are a trusting people. What a beautiful life.
- Flight from Auckland to Taupo
- We finally touched down in Taupo at a small airport that was just big enough for a cafe counter, indoor and outdoor waiting area, fold down tables for car rentals and an outdoor baggage claim.
- We picked up our rental car and drove to Hilton Lake Taupo. We were too early for our room to be ready so we drove around the lake into town to try to find something to eat. We figured the best place to park would be around the visitor’s center. “I-Site” is the term for the information center or visitor’s center. As we drove into town, mom kept saying to look for the “eye sight”. We thought she was being silly until we saw the big “i” sign.
- We browsed the few shops that were open and finally settled on food at Robert Harris. When we tried to order coffee, we were told that an Americano was just dark coffee. This would be a confusing point throughout the whole trip.
- We bought necessities at the grocery store, Pak N Save, and by time we got back to the hotel to check in to our room, we were showered and asleep by 7pm.
March 26-27, 2019: Two Days in Taupo