Nearly didn't make it home!

Hei kona ra!!!

Travel Day
Nelson - Auckland - Sydney - Adelaide
Stocked up with duty free alcohol and perfume in Auckland

Secretly, I've always wanted to be one of those people whose name you hear over the airport loudspeaker being requested to board the airplane - I think the call goes something like this:
"Paging Mrs Vicki Cox - This is your final call for Flight number QF?? please make your way to Gate number 2. Your plane is fully boarded and is waiting for you!"
Well if I'd only heard the call, I would have made my way to the Gate!
We were seated in an adjoining departure lounge, next to Gate 3 as the lounge for Gate 2 was full. Neither Jack or I heard any of the boarding calls. It was only when we checked our watches, looked up at the signs and saw FLIGHT CLOSED that we got a little panicked. We approached the gate, to be berated by the aircraft ground staff that the flight was closed. We explained that we had not heard the calls to board, and only after arguing the point with ever increasing vocal volume, were we granted entry through the gate.
Walking down the aisle to our seats, I felt I was being scrutinised by one hundred pairs of eyes!!!!
Jack was fuming about the attitude of the staff, and they only added fuel to the fire when, as we were sitting down in our allocated seats on the aircraft, there was an announcement over the speakers by the flight crew that the flight departure was stalled due to late customers and the subsequent queue of aircraft on the runway for take-off.

Oh well, makes for a good story!

Fabulous time exploring some of the South Island - Routeburn Track, Fox Glacier and Nelson Lakes my highlights!