So, after 39 hours’ travelling, we have arrived in New Zealand and are lodged in the hotel room that will be our sole living space for the next two weeks.
Getting here in these times of Covid has not been straightforward. Having avoided the worst of the pandemic, New Zealand Aotearoa is keen to stay that way, so is only allowing New Zealand citizens into the country – and, fortunately for me, their spouses. To board a flight you are required to have a managed isolation certificate from the NZ government specifying the date of arrival and flight number.
We set our dates, booked our quarantine and our flights – with Lufthansa, via Zurich and Hong Kong. Within 24 hours they’d cancelled the flight to Zurich, and with no alternative we had to rebook – this time with British Airways/Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong. Two weeks before we were due to travel, they, too, cancelled the first leg of the flight. So, after a bit more scrabbling around we found new flights with Emirates, via Dubai. The only problem being that our managed isolation certificate still showed the old Cathay Pacific flight number.
And there was a glitch in the system. New Zealand immigration told us they couldn’t change the flight number and that we just had to persuade the airline to let us on board and all would be well once we arrived on Kiwi soil. Emirates, meanwhile, were adamant they wouldn’t let us board without the correct flight number on the certificate.
Less than 24 hours before we were due to leave, the NZ authorities fixed the glitch and we got our updated certificate. So, armed with that, our passports and marriage certificate (which proved essential for proving my legitimacy to enter the country), we finally boarded our flight.
And here we are – tired, isolated, and very pleased to be here.
Good you’re on kiwi soil, Peter and Lois. You’re probably loaded with things go do during quarangine. Looking forward to seeing you.