New Zealand Express: Day 8 Returning Home

By the numbers

16 kilo bag

Some duty free booze

Two boots through security xray

 

The journey to New Zealand had finally come to an end, I was going home after a quick trip to New Zealand. I had to be up early and I was mobile just before 4am and checking to see the  flight board update. It told me on my phone I still had 40 mins to wait. I thought this was incorrect so I went down stairs to look fort myself. I was nearly going back to sleep for 40 mins extra. My gut instincts was right that check in had actually opened and the international departures was open too. This was nothing like the post pandemic opening with everything opening late. I picked up a trolley and took that up to my room.

 

Check in was the usual and really easy with no problems. The wait going through security was a whole different matter. The line up for the security gate was long and once through the immigration part was the line for security. It took a little bit getting through and I was chatting to the nice security lady who dropped a bombshell. I had to take my shoes off as they covered my ankles. I had to put them on a security tray and wait for them and my bag to go through. That was something new. I had to put them back on after going through security and the issue wasn’t really clear.

 

I found breakfast with coffee so I was set until I made it to the plane. Deciding it was best to wander over to where the gate was located meant it was something like a 10 min walk. I had plenty of time, but I did not want to rush. When we were told to board I knew it was going to be that one step closer to being back in Australia. The flight itself was uneventful and I did end up with a little bit of an issue that I never realised. I was taking pictures in the baggage area while waiting for my bag and was asked to delete the photos. Though they should make sure they were permanently deleted as all it did was send them to the easily accessible recycle bin. I had nothing to declare, so I was allowed out. From the looks of it I was actually the first person allowed through back into the main terminal of the airport.