#11:
Precisely the last flight of the trip has a one-hour delay, just when I needed to get to Christchurch as soon as possible... I have no chance of arriving there while currency exchange is open, I’m not sure they will wait for me until so late at the residence reception, I can’t manage to call them, will need quick money for a taxi and don’t want to take unnecessary risks, so I decide to trade euros for NZ dollars while at Sydney airport. This is even more expensive because they have to convert the euros to Australian dollars and then those to NZ dollars, while my money keeps getting lost in translation...
#12:
I have no food waiting for me at the residence, but there’s no point in buying anything at the airport as they don’t let you get any sort of food into either Australia or New Zealand (I already had to throw out a lot of stuff on arrival at Sydney...) so I just decide to fill my stomach with whatever they give me for dinner on the plane. But crap: the last flight is apparently operated by a low-cost airline and there’s no complimentary food! So I had to buy an overpriced airplane sandwich. At least it was tasty! But there go my last Australian dollars...
#13:
On arrival at the airport I run past everyone to be among the first in passport control, as I need to get to the residence quickly before they give up waiting for me. I thank heavens for my wise option of travelling with hand baggage only, so I don’t have to wait for any bags. But... I made the mistake of indicating "biologist" as my profession in my passenger arrival card, so in customs they open my bags and take everything out, looking for samples that could put New Zealand’s fragile equilibrium in danger...
#14:
I run out to grab a taxi, put my bags in the car boot, get on the back seat, tell the driver the address but... he has never heard of Dovedale Avenue! He decides to head to the university area anyway, we drive around and eventually find the place... but the road to the reception is closed to vehicles at night. I ask the driver to walk with me until I find the reception and make sure there is someone still there to let me in, and he kindly does! And there was a guy still at the reception, so I get to FINALLY put my bags down, take a shower, text home and go lie down in a long-awaited bed. I fall asleep immediately. Here at last.
