Up at 5 am, to the lobby by 6 for transfer to the airport. We arrive before 7 only to find out the flight that was supposed to leave at 10, has been cancelled. As someone said….. “it just keeps getting better”. Apparently they have us booked on for a flight at 7:15pm…fffffff!!! And so we all went by train back to the hotel we had just left, to leave our bags and for some, went and saw some other stuff. Now after getting through “checkpoint Charlie” at the airport and sitting at the gate…. On our second trip to the airport, we find that the damned flight been delayed…..AGAIN! This time it’s 8:55pm. Will we ever get to Auckland & our hotel? I am NOT get up early tomorrow.

We finally flew off into the “great blue yonder” arriving at Auckland airport 2 am local time on the next day. First we were not greeted by anyone with a sign saying they were picking our tour up…. That was supposed to happen, so someone thought that maybe….one of the vans across from us was our transfer. It was. Well when we arrived at our hotel…a homeless guy was on the outside so out of it he didn’t notice us. The front door was locked. One gal in our group kept phoning someone to open the doors…. Finally someone showed up…. After at least a half hour. Before we head to our room another questionable character came in, wanders & then goes up in the elevator…. To our floor. We go to our room, put the key in only to have the door having a chain across it. It was Grace and Chantelle from our group on the other side. Because there was a queen and 2 single beds, and it was so late, we decided to all crash together. It was 4:15 am when I sat down on the bed. Can you believe this.? And so it keeps on getting better.

8200 steps….