Of course things are never as smooth or as ideal as one hopes. In order to make this OE to happen, it certainly didn’t come without some pain and agony. The story I’ll leave it to another blog post. But one thing for sure is that I certainly would not have made it, if it wasn’t for ALL THE HELP I received from some really really awesome and rocking allies! : ) Thank you all indeed.
My departure from NZ truned out to be extremely rush. The reason is because once I get to UK, I will be working for the same company that I have worked for in NZ (although it'll be a different position). So the date of my departure is dependent upon my employer. However, the dilemma was that just 4 weeks before my departure, work suddenly asked if I can leave 2 weeks earlier!!! Apparently they urgently require resources for a project in Norway (which at the same time, it means I suddenly found out that they are planning to send me over there straight away too!!!). : O A double (shocking) surprise!
So all of a sudden I had to rethink about plans and organise and pack my luggage in a very very rush manner. Unfortunately farewell activities with friends had to be trimmed as well. : ( To be honest, I never felt so unprepared for a trip (or plans) in my life before!!! But nonetheless, I made it and fortunately still in one piece too (a big thanks to mummy and daddy for making things so much easier)! : )
Air NZ Premium Econmy / First class spcial area
Anyway back to my actual OE. On the night of 5th April 2010 I left NZ on a midnight flight, sitting in the Premium Economy class (which I managed to score from work : D). At the Auckland airport, there’s actually a special check-in counters and areas for Premium Economy / First class (see above pic). You can even go to the NZ custom via its special lift as well (but you lose seeing the big gate where you can bid farewell to Aoteaora). Anyway too bad I knew about this too late, so I actually check-in at the normal counter…but I did use the special way, through their lounge to go through to customs tho. : P (coz who knows when I'll have the next chance to fly Prem Econ in NZ! hehe)
Once I aboarded the plane, I found that I was actually placed on the first row in the Premium Economy class. Which means i have extra-extra-extra leg room, as the Air NZ Premieum Economy seats already has more leg room than the normal Economy seats. However one observation is that the seats are not as wide as the ones on Qantas tho. So it is still a 3 seats row on the side. Apparently the food are the same as Business class. You get a 4-course meal and they are all served individually by the air hostess and in ceramic, not filmsy plastic! So let me show you what I had here! : D
Left: Dinner (we had Opera Cake too!)
Center: Evening coffee with choc mint
Right: Breakfast, blueberry sauce on french toast kind of thing
My first destionation is Hong Kong. My original home! : ) This is the perfect excuse for me to stop by there for a couple of days before I really fly to UK to start my OE. To see friends, to buy some 'essential' stuffs before I fly off to leave on my own! : \ hehe And also a 2 days real holiday break (well at home, a place I'm familiar with) before I fly to the much estranged UK and start work straight away!
Destination HK here I come....
