Travel to New Zealand November 22-24, 2017

Our Friend Tina drove us to the airport Wednesday for our 6:55 pm flight to San Francisco with connection to Auckland. We left home pretty early (I was driving myself and Ruben crazy because I didn't know what to do with myself without starting some project that I wouldn't be able to finish) hoping to make room in our schedule for any day-before-Thanksgiving holiday traffic delays. We really didn't experience any major delays and even TSA at Denver International Airport wasn't obnoxious. Once again I was glad to have obtained TSA precheck and sailed through the checkpoint. Ruben took a little longer and had a little more inconvenience in the regular line with the unwashed masses.

Our flight to San Francisco was very full, but uneventful. After a short layover (maybe 2 hours) in San Francisco, we boarded for the 13-hour flight to Auckland. Our flight was operated by United and we were so thankful that the third seat in our row was empty. I was able to stretch out (a bit) for the first 4 hours or so for some sleep. Ruben took the next shift. We arrived in Auckland around 9 am a little stiff and disheveled, but excited to have arrived.