Wellington to Queenstown

Wellington on a good day is glorious. Blue skies, deep turquoise water, houses dotted along the hills all looking freshly painted.

Tub of flowers in a Wellington

Yesterday I flew from Wellington to Queenstown. We all climbed on board but we're then informed that our flight was delayed because of some sort of leak (never quite explained). They found another plane the same size so we were reseated in that. I overheard a staff member say that these passengers were lucky because it would take hours before the defective plane was ready to take off.

The Southern Alps were much more spectacular than my phone camera could record

 On our way south, passengers (the plane was full) were offered free wine for the inconvenience and the servings were very generous. When we disembarked the passengers clapped in appreciation.

Otago peaks, flying into Queenstown

Nelson to Wellington

Goodbye Nelson

I had a very smooth flight from Nelson to Wellington this morning. There were two smoke plumes in the distance and people were scanning the surrounding bushland for fire. The hostess said lots of her Nelson colleagues had been evacuated and we're living with friends.

Hello Wellington

Twenty five minutes later I was landing in Wellington to clear skies, a completely flat sea, and unusual heat. There has been a fire in the city here as well, but it was put out quickly. 

Travel shenanigans

Imagine being on a plane for a long haul flight to Sydney, not being able to land there because of debris on the runway, then being diverted to Canberra where you have to wait a further eight hours before a plane from Sydney can come and collect you (the crew had exceeded their maximum flying hours) so  you can be flown back to Sydney to go through customs. That is exactly what happened this week - and the passengers were understandably upset.

There are worse things that could happen of course, but that can't have been much of a consolation.

This little sketch was painted in Sydney in 2007 while I was waiting for a flight.  My subject has a real 'airport' look about her hasn't she?

Favorite seat neighbours when it really counts

Here's something to bring joy to your heart.
Four members of he Philadelphia Orchestra play for passengers grounded on a plane in China. 

Munich Ostbahnhof

On the long hours of the flights from Sydney to Munich I thought, 'This is too far - I must be crazy.'  Once I got here it didn't seem too far at all. Our bodies are programmed to forget the bad bits which is probably just as well.

Munich was 14C and very wet.  I took the S-Bahn to Munich Ostbahnhof where the coffeeshops were just opening. There were very few patrons at 6am when I got there but lots of people pausing in their rush to work when I left at 8am to catch my train to Graz.