Off to Vancouver

Don reporting

Booked a taxi for the airport early, as usual. Checked in and was offered an earlier flight to Auckland, which I took. Before leaving I took a some photos including ones of the snow capped hills and my plane.

Snow on the Ruahine Ranges

In Auckland I went straight through immigration. It is now self-service and not knowing what to do it took ages. First put your passport in to be scanned and once you position it correctly out pops a little ticket. Then onto the next stage, insert the little ticket and have your photo taken. That is, if you look a the camera, which I didn't until a nice man in a uniform came over and told me what to do. It was much easier the old way when you gave the officer behind the counter your passport.

Eventually we all boarded the plane and had a very pleasant trip. Landed in Vancouver to a warm sunny day. Picked up my cases, passed through customs, grabbed a taxi and got to my hotel. The taxi ride had its moments with the driver taken the inside lane at many controlled intersections, and taking off with a 'hiss and a roar', switching to the next lane in front the car in that lane. This worked a few times but was quite exciting when some of the cars decided to make a race of it. However I got to the hotel in one piece.

Tonight about 5.30 went down for something to eat only to find complimentary wine tasting in progress, so I stayed for a little while. Eventually I went down the road to Nandos to have barbecued chicken, hot sauce, a baked potato, and a Indian Pale Ale - which I need to cool my throat.

Well that's about all except going back to my room and writing this post.

Posted with Blogsy