Arriving at the airport was a mix of emotions, I get myself a cup of tea and smashed Avo and salmon for breakfast at one of the airport cafe and then after being refueles, I proceed to check in. At this point I was pretty proud of myself, doing so well so far but low and behold I hit a bump in the road; my check in gets rejected due to esta visa issues. "Sorry Miss, your passport doesn't match the one on the visa and we don't have facilities at the airport to do it here", stupid me forgot to update the application after my new passport arrived. Lucky I reapplied for the visa in enough time to just check in (literally 5 minutes before cut off) and after calming myself down I get through customs a breeze and I order myself a coffee and waited patiently for my flight.
The first flight was breezy, mainly due to the epic movie selection and free alcohol, thank you air New Zealand! Pulp fiction and gin and apple juice are a great combination. It was smooth sailing after that UNTIL boarding my flight from Auckland to Los Angeles. Half way through boarding the vessel there was announced a "small technical issue on the plane" which "would be solved in around thirty minutes". No problem I thought. THEN thirty minutes turned into an hour and thats where I lost my chill and I started to panic. My connecting flight was too close to be having hefty delays. I go to the counter and ask about the delay and was told there was nothing they could do as I didn't book my itinerary through them for my connecting flight. I started tearing up and I start walking back to my chair, but I no joke broke down historically crying in front of the other passengers waiting in the lounge too, so I vouched for a quite corner to sook in. This was an opportune time to take a nap (I obviously needed one).
I woke up to another announcement apologising as the delay was now 3 hours. Yes. Excellent. I began trying to make arrangements for a flight change from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. Helpful hint; don't try and call the international number for Virgin America, the one that's on their website, it doesn't work. Also, don't try and call Virgin Australia to help, cause they won't transfer you through and when you ask for the manager they will put you on hold for 30 minutes before disconnecting you completely. FINALLY I just bit the bullet and called the American line and just prayed the fee wouldn't cost me my left kidney. The lady on the other line was very helpful and my flight got changed for only $25. Hallelujah.
At 12:00am, 3 hours and 10 minutes after orginal boarding time we were allowed to board the aircraft. I sat at my allocated seat (which was wrong, apparently I can't read, so I had to move) and the journey began. I actually sat with some really cool people (which never happens) and the air hostess was very accomodating with supplying me with wines and gins. Like no joke this legend suggested a mimosa with breakfast, like yes of course you beautiful soul, make it 5! Why not, let's make it a party.
Customs wasnt a hassle once arriving in the states, and my bags where collected swiftly. But it's me, of course it couldn't have gone 100% smoothly, that would be too easy. So I was in the exit line with my bags waiting to leave the customs area and my nose started bleeding like a tap. It's not a great time to have a nose explosion, the security probably thought I was bringing in Ebola or some other diseases. Lucky the lady next to me (I think she was French) had tissues (which by the way where scented like angels). I clean myself up, check in to my domestic flight and boarded, finally arriving in Vegas at 8:22pm still on the 9th may (bloody time difference) to my host grandpa, mother and sister from my American exchange year in 2012 picking me up!
29 hours travelling time in total and it's the most surreal feeling ever after being here again after being away 3 and a half years.
Excited for the month ahead of me. I'll keep in touch.
Stay fabulous,
Rachel 💋
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