Friday 04/10/20, day 145

AirBnb in Quadrant Hotel, Auckland CBD

We are up and about a little earlier than usual today and want to have breakfast around 9am. But before we can start, we receive a surprising email from an embassy staff member at 9:08am. They say we have a 99% chance of getting on the Air New Zealand flight via Vancouver to Frankfurt at 3:30pm today, as long as we can be at the airport by 12pm. We don't wait long, spontaneously book a shuttle for 10:45am, and confirm that we'll be coming to the airport and taking the flight. From that moment on, everything happens quickly: Arnd sprints to the ATM because we still need cash, while Nicola and Eileen finish packing their bags, cook noodles, and make sandwiches. We all quickly take a shower, tidy up the apartment, completely forgetting how abruptly our time in New Zealand is ending. We realize this as we board the shuttle at 10:47am, which is already waiting for us. But we made it and arrived at the airport on time. Once we're here, we have to stand in an area with many other standbys waiting. We hope we can still get on the flight. And indeed: a short time later, the woman we had been in contact with via email comes up to us. She remembered our names, so we immediately get a ticket and can check in our luggage - we finally have a confirmed flight ticket to Germany. At that moment, a great burden is lifted off us, we're relieved, and we stand in line at the check-in counter, grinning and overjoyed. We did it! After the check-in, we go through security and make our way to the gate. Boarding begins after about two hours, and our flight NZ1950 departs from New Zealand with a slight delay, heading towards Vancouver, Canada. After 12 hours, we land in Vancouver because the plane needs to refuel, be cleaned, and restocked with food. We're not allowed to leave the plane during this 1.5 hours, so we have to stay on board before the final leg of 9.5 hours to Germany. Now, 25 hours on the plane are behind us, and the New Zealand pilot welcomes us to Frankfurt with the words "Welcome home!" We have no problems getting from the airport to the long-distance train station, where we wait for the ICE to Hamburg with our seven bags and surfboard. We board shortly after and the four hours pass quickly. At the train station in Hamburg, we get off and are welcomed by our families - what a beautiful moment to see each other again after such a long time. But the three of us also have to say goodbye to each other, which leads to some tears. After a short car ride, we all arrive home and enjoy our time with our families.