From Sydney to Christchurch: New Zealand here I come!

23.1.2014 from Sydney to New Zealand

I wake up at 8.00 and first sort out my luggage. Downstairs, I treat myself to porridge and raisin toast with a giant coffee. Then I walk to the adjacent Hyde Park, where I saw cockatoos yesterday from the tour bus. But they don't show up. Only ibises, which you can see everywhere.

Long black curved beaks and they peck in the grass and in puddles. I stroll through the park and the adjoining park, which has a nice central fountain and is bustling with activity.

I walk along Elizabeth Street and Castlereagh Street, lined with the most expensive luxury boutiques and brands in the world. I stumble upon a jeweler Hardy Brothers and finally buy an Ebel watch that I've always wanted and is discounted by 50% here. I continue walking towards the Opera House. It's cloudy, but the sun is trying its best and it's quite humid. I walk along the posh Kent Street and arrive at the Opera House. It's lunchtime and the many restaurants around are packed. I walk around the Opera House and take another 20 photos of the Opera House and the Bridge, buy two bottles of mineral water for lunch, and then head back towards the hotel.

I check at Town Hall Station how to get down there with my luggage, etc. The elevator works and I buy a ticket for $ 17.20. At the hotel, I pick up my bag, then decide not to wear any of the jackets, and drag my bag to the subway. I arrive at the airport around 5:00 pm. The check-in counter for Virgin Australia is the furthest one in a huge terminal. My luggage goes without a problem, strangely enough it is now 22.2 kilos. There's only one fleece jacket more than in Frankfurt.

I manage to have a coffee and eat a sandwich, fill out the departure card for Australia, and then make my way through endless duty-free temples to immigration. After that, I get about 10% of my new watch back as a tax refund, and then I wait briefly at the gate.

The flight to Christchurch lasts 2:40 hours and we arrive in Christchurch shortly after midnight. Within 20 minutes, another 6 planes arrive, but no one is bothered and there are only two immigration counters. I'm through by shortly after 1 am. My bag goes around the carousel for the 100th time and then we stand together in the next control, for customs. My shoe soles are checked to make sure I don't bring in any contaminated soil to New Zealand, and my declared gummy bears are okay and can enter with me.