Just like every time when i travel overseas, i did my homework. I researched a lot about Auckland and Wellington. Since May is Autumn in New Zealand where the outside temperature could drop to below 10 degrees celcius, i had to bring a couple of warm (woolen) clothes for my week stay there.
Okay fast forward, April 26,2014 (Saturday). I had to fly via Cathay Pacific which means that i still had to go to Hongkong then conect my flight to Auckland New Zealand (too bad no direct flight from PH). My flight was at 12:25 and i was in the Mactan International Airport as early as 09:30AM. I was traveling alone again!
TRAVEL TIPS:
Here are the steps you need to do when you are traveling overseas from Cebu Mactan International Airport:
1. Upon arrival, present your printed/online ticker along with your passport at the security check.
2. For Cathay Pacific Flights (codeshared with PAL), submit your luggage for weighing right before the check in counter.
3. Pay the travel tax (Ph1,650) at the MIA Tourism counter (left side when you get in the International terminal). In my case, skippd this step as my travel agency already paid my travel tax upon purchased of my ticket.
4. Proceedto check in counter. Airline ground crew will provide you a board pass and luggage claim stickers.
5. Procced to pay the termnal fee (Php.500). Take note you can't pay the terminal fee unless you've got your. oarding pass with you. Airportstaff will staple the terminal fee stub on your boarding pass.
6. You may now enter the pre-departures area leading to the Immigration Control. Upon entrance, the guard will tear half of your terminal fee stub. Then you may proceed to the Immigration booth.
7. Once you've got a stamp from the Immigration Officer, then you may now proceed to the pre departure gate. You still have to undergo another security check. Thrn wait for your boarding time. Boarding gates are printed on your boarding pass.
Cebu is roughly 3 hours flight to HongKong International Airport T2. It really am bored flying, there isn't much to do inside the plane :(. My travel agency booked me a window seat but since i boarded in the last group, there were families sitting in my row and that chinese kid took my window seat. Uughh! worse was they were asking me to exchange seats with a guy who is the father of that kid who was sitting few rows behind. No choice, i didn't want to be rude and besides, it was just for 3 hours and the flight attendant asked me nicely and even explained to me the situation. She even thank me again for exchanging seats when she handed my meal. So i transferred to the isle seat.
I did'nt have to fill out the arrival card since i didn't have to go to the immigrationa control as i had a connecting flight to Auckland. Only those passengers who finished their flight in Hong Kong were required to fill out theform.
I was onboard a very huge aircraft (Aribus). Entertainment ranging from Filipino music, hollywood movies, etc. were there by just simply a click on a touch screen.
And here i come Hong Kong Terminal 2. Offboard at around 03:30PM. My flight to Auckland was not until 09PM (which eventually got delayed for an hour), so imagine the luxury of time i had roaming the entire Terminal 2.
TRAVEL TIPS:
Here are the steps you need to do when connecting a flight in Hongkong International Airport:
1. After getting off the plane, immidiately proceed to Tranfer Gate. You need to present your onward boarding pass (which is normally given to you at your airport pf origin) and your passport. There is a designated gate for passengers getting a connecting flight, just follow the "trasfer" signs. Here, you don't need to pass through an Immigration Control, you only need to undergo a security check.
2. After the security check, you may now enter the pre-departure area. Do note that most of the airlines do not assignthe gate number speciallyif your flight is still 3 or more hours away. So please read the electronic screen in the airport to check your flight number and its assigned gate number.
At the Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 2 enjoying the free and unlimited wifi connection. No need to register. There are alsocomputer internet kiosks for free spread throught thr terminal.
It's time to board the Cathay Flight CX197 from Hong Kong to Auckland, New Zealand.
Once the plane had ascended, flight attendants began distributing the arrival cards and customs checklist that every one needs fill in. Kindly visit the NZ customs website to check the things and food you can and cannot bring into the country.
Since it was a long haul flight, they served 2 meals (Lunch and Breakfast) and one snacks.
I never had a good sleep during the flight since my excitement kept me awake! After flying for so long, i finally got a glimpse of the beautiful land of New Zealand. It was a perfect landscape that welcomes travellers to Auckland NZ.
I was greeted by a lovely Immigration lady whom i handed my passport. She was so welcoming and she started to chat with me and even advised me to extend some more days to tour New Zealand after my business meetings. Chadaaaaaaang! a stamp on my passport bearing thr seal of New Zealand.
I then proceed to the baggage claims counter. Remember to be alert and read on the flight number flashed on the electronic screen to see which conveyer carousel is assigned for your bag claims.
After i got my bag (by the way, the baggage claims stickers are not actually checked though), i then followed the queue for customs checks.
TRAVEL TIP:
Two things you may do here. You can either honestly declare all the contents of your bags as asked in the customs checklist or just don't declare anything. But be prepared if you get lucky as custom officers do random checks on passengers bags. If they catch you not declaring the contents of your bags, you'll be asked to pay a fine ($400) and a chance to be deported.
In my case, i declared everything asked in the customs checklist.I brought some chicharon (preserved fried pork) and dried mangoes. They asked me to open my luggage. When they saw the cooked meat pork, they advised me to throw it away on their yellow amnesty bin as they don't allow any meat to enter their country. Agriculture is the main industry of NZ that is why they are very strict in bringing food which may bring disease.
After i passed the customs checks, hellah New Zealand! It was just a few steps away towards the exit area. Before leaving the terminal, i quickly took advantage of the Airport's free wifi connection. I just had to register by giving out my email address (but i didn't want to receice any marketing mail so i just invented an email address hana). There i checked in my facebook, twitter, foursqaure, and instagram!
When i got off the terminal, geez! at the back of my mind i was asking, am i carrying an aircondition unit? no kidding it was really cold. Well, for someone who came from a tropical country (and it was summer) with a melting temperature of 33-35 degrees celcius in PH, the 18 degrees celcius in Auckland was a bit cold for me. Though the sune was up it was a little windy. A wind that carried most of thr cold.
I then hailed a cab, and there i off my Hotel. I've passed by some of thr familiar roads and sites in Auckland. I was booked in a 5-star hotel right in the heart of Auckland CBD. It was a lovely Sky City The Grand Hotel closed to casinos and besides Auckland's landmark, the Sky City Tower.
I didn't waste my time, after i got all my things in my room,i immediately roamed around the CBD. Lovely scnery indeed! My first timeto experience Autumn and its beauty both the colors and the cold.
Look at some of my pics with the red, maroon, green leaves.
I just love the colors of the leaves...
From Formal to Casual! OOTD when i was in Auckland.
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