Day #9: The Connection

I was packed and downstairs with my luggage at 5:00am. Everyone was instructed to place their luggage outside their door by 5:30 am with bus departure at 6:30am. Both buses arrived and the one bellman on duty and Jim both started going floor by flooor bringing luggage outside. I counted and marked them for confirmation with the passengers. We left the hotel at 6:30 a.m. on the dot and arrived at the airport at 7:00 a.m. Based on the earlier confusion of departure, we hired 3 men to meet us there with the carts and load them. We instructed passengers to wait on the bus and when their luggage was loaded on a cart, we would call them off the bus one by one and they can roll it into the ticketing line.

As I feared, the departure area sidewalk was jammed. It was very difficult to load the luggage, match it up with the golf bags. Then in the middle of everything we were trying, the trolly company came by to fill the trolley machines. I asked them to wait but all I got was a stare. Then the passengers got impatient and started getting off on their own. It was a bit more of a controlled chaos, but not by much. Eventually everyone had their luggage including me and we got in the line. The lines were very short and everyone was checked in and on their way to security in 30 minutes—all except me.

Remember when I told all the passengers about the carry on allowances, 15 pounds and that’s it. Well, I asked about my briefcase and they said it would not clear security so I would have to check it. “The charge for the extra checked bag will be $60 and you will need to go to the next BUILDING to pay that, then return to the line to obtain your boarding pass.” The next BUILDING? You have got to be kidding me. I had no choice, Jim was handling the rest of the passengers to security, so I started walking. I had to go literally to another building but at least there was no line. I paid the money and asked the agent if there was anyone to avoid standing in line again. Fortunately, he said to go to the service desk and they would issue the pass.

It worked and I sailed through security. I arrived at the gate and turns out I was the only one who got stopped. They all had a great laugh about that one. The real reason they didn’t get stopped is they were all traveling on a business or first class ticket and they get to have 2 bags.

We boarded the Air New Zealand flight and departed on time to ChristChurch. It was 3.5 hour flight. So many people said to me they thought New Zealand was right next to Australia. Surprise!!

There was no fog, no delays, like Sue had two days before. This was great! We exited our plane at the same time several other wide body jets from Asia did. OMG. Immigration was a sea of people. There were no lines. I knew there would be stantions eventually but for now, it was a horde. I took a deep breath and thought “we’re in big trouble.” We waited 30 minutes and barely moved.

Did I mention we had a one hour connecting time. Forgot to say that I think.

At this point the passengers began to look at me and ask me simple questions like “are we going to make it?” “what do we do if we don’t make it?” “why aren’t you up at the front of the line telling them we need to get thorugh.” Fortunately, I had spent 48 hours with ½ of these people and they trusted me. I said it would be fine and they started passing the word.

Meanwhile, our ground agent Frank was calling me. He kept asking me where we were in line. I kept saying “where we were 5 minutes ago.” Sue called from New Zealand and she was calling the airlines trying to get us fast tracked. Frank was working on our behalf in the outer hall.

I told the passengers that we had the option of traveling by coach to the resort or spending the night in a hotel and reticketing the following morning. What I didn’t tell them was it was 8 hours on a bus and the city was sold out because of the PGA and Rugby. I kept a smile on my face and began texting Frank and Sue things like “high anxiety in here” “help us!”.

Finally, several passengers said to me “why don’t you go talk with someone about this?” I explained that the only people I could reach from here were immigration people and they don’t care about you , the airlines or your flight. We had people on the outside working on our behalf and they have a better chance of success. I also told them that the New Zealand government doesn’t look kindly on US tour operators working over here anyway. In fact Penny, on cruise #1, was detained and warned at the airport to never try to enter on a pleasure visa, and that next time she should apply for and get a work visa, which is nearly impossible. So I told them to keep quiet and they agreed that was best.

All of a sudden, two Air New Zealand supervisors appeared at the immigration lines and were asked the large group of passengers waiting there who was their tour leader. It took them about 2 seconds to give me up. Not only did they point me out, they loudly said “she’s in charge, she’s the tour leader of our cruise.!” OMG. Traitors! I thought for sure I was on my way back to North Carolina. It was just like the scene in Invasion of the Body Snatchers when she thinks Donald Sutherland is not one of them, and he points at her and a horrible noise emits from his mouth!

Turns out Frank and Sue pushed enough buttons to get things rolling for us, literally. The supervisor said “we are holding your plane for you but you must run, all of you, with your luggage.” I quickly told everyone and we were off. Immigration took 10 seconds for a stamp, and we ran for the luggage area. Let me make this clear: they were running. Supervisors were running. They had already pulled luggage off the belt and all we had to do was put it on cart—if we had a cart! I ran all around looking for some and even a security guard with guns was running to help me. I was tossing golf clubs like they were loaves of bread (super human strength in a crisis!) and everyone was out but me (again). I failed to unload my m&m’s in the amnesty bin. They are strict about food being brought in and it's a $200 on the spot fine. He looked at my candy and I said “look, I really need those to make it through this.” “He said, "from the looks of things, I think you do. Go ahead.” Customs looked at each golf shoe, we rescanned our bags, and came out the arrivals door.

Frank and his staff were waiting and grabbed everyone’s carts and started running. The passengers were running. Ladies in cute shoes ready for the opening reception were running. Men with bad hips were running. Frank waited for me and offered to push me on the cart with my luggage! No need, so I sprinted to the luggage recheck area. They had a team of crew members grabbing our luggage and shoving it into the luggage conveyor. No tags, no looks, no matching up anything, Then the Air New Zealand supervisors began running again. (In hindsight, I think they learned this from their sheep herding dogs. Not one passenger refused to run.)

We ran all the way from gate 1 to gate 11, showed our boarding pass, I got a huge bear hug from Frank, and then walked in a downpour outside to our prop plane. We boarded and they closed the door and started the engines before we were seated. We couldn’t find storage for everyone's carry-ons so we passed them down the aisle, over our heads to the rear of the plane (where we entered) and the last person, me, stuck them anywhere they would fit. The plane was rolling and I was still stowing luggage. I sat down and we were airbourne about 3 minutes later.

OMG.

There was a huge cry of relief and a round of applause for ourselves! There were smiles all around but everyone was exhausted. When they passed out the complimentary water, I didn’t know whether to drink it or pour it over my head!

It was a 50 minute flight to Queenstown, mostly above the clouds. Then about 10 minutes to landing we dropped down and we were in the mountains of The Remarkables, flying delicately between mountains on both sides. It was very windy so it was gliding more than flying, lots of turns, banks as we came down the pass. Everyone was commenting how scary it was, lots of chatter, until we dropped below the clouds. Then silence.

It was unbelievably beautiful. The only other time I have felt this way was the first time I saw the Alps. It was just like television, movies, books. Magnificent. There was no talking. Not a word. Everyone was just stunned at the majesty of the area.

Turns out there are no nighttime flights in/our of Queenstown because of the mountains so you have to take off in time to land before dark. Smart! We landed, taxied to the terminal, and deplaned to get our luggage.

Another thing I didn’t tell them passengers was in my sprint to the finish line (just like The Amazing Race!) I was told we were 450 kilos over on luggage. Some would not be going with us and would be on a cargo plane to Invercargill, another city on the coast. It would then be trucked 3 hours to the resort. Who cares! These people just don’t want to switch hotels and fly again tomorrow.

None of the golf clubs arrived and 5 people had missing luggage. No worries though! We were met at the airport by Heidi, our German tour guide, and Jose, our Portugal tour guide. Both have been with Kalos for a couple of years and were already on the job with the luggage. We were transported to the resort, got our room keys, and hurriedly went to the opening reception.

Sue introduced the staff and when she introduced me as the staff person traveling with the Melbourne folks, I got a round of applause. The story had already been told and it seems I was to receive all the glory. I’ll take it!

Dinner was great and we had a traditional Maori tribe greeting. Similar to Samoa and Hawaii, the indigenous tribes use dance and song, but try to be very fierce in their facial expressions and the body paintings. It was very cool!

I had several people come to the staff table at dinner to thank me for my hard work and to tell Sue that I was the calm they all needed. I think they were just scared of my muscle and brawn after seeing me tossing those golf clubs about!

I unpacked and finally went to bed at 1:30 a.m. I had to be at breakfast a 7am and then a full day of golf for the passengers. I just hope they put me somewhere I can sit in the sun and rest!

Next time we fly direct!