21st-Feb-2007: I decide to check-out a couple more ferry routes, so I buy another day ticket and catch the service to Stanley Bay - lovely little bathing beach with a residential area behind. I meet a nonogenerian ex-serviceman who is keen to talk. It appears that he's going into Auckland by ferry this morning to attend a funeral. I accompany him back to Auckland, and then continue.
So, now it's time to leave New Zealand and fly to Australia. I get the Quantas 767 flight from Auckland to Melbourne, with a connecting flight to Perth. The Quantas staff are top-notch, very friendly and attentive. But I'm not a great fan of the 767 - seats and entertainment are primitive compared with what I'm now used to on long legs. But this leg is, I think, less than four hours.
We arrive in Melbourne where I have to go through immigration (a breeze) collect my big bag and then go through Customs. They decide on a bag inspection, so we spend 20 minutes going through my personal possessions (fortunately stopping short of the dirty laundry, of which there's plenty). And although we part on friendly terms, I don't react too well to people asking me why I stay such short periods in each place. When I ask them, they claim it's the complex itinerary and short stop-offs which triggered their interest. That's probably true but, of course, they're not bound to tell me the truth.
Ah well, I make it to the Quantas lounge, from where I'm doing this work. Tell you more when I can.
