Phil & Mary Clare's

Welcome to our travel blog.  I (Phil) had no idea when I started out that I’d be creating our own website.  But here we are. 

You’ll be watching my blundering attempts to create something watchable, as well as accompanying us on our travels.  When Digby said “use WordPress” I had no idea that meant “build your own website” but hey!  It’s got to be good for the dementia!

To begin, and to check if I have any idea to do this, a few observations and thoughts about modern international travel:

I remember transit lounges.  IF you were required to temporarily exit an aircraft that that would be taking you further onward – and that was by no means always compulsory – you’d be guided to a nearby secure “transit lounge” that was always airside of any security.  No need for any further security checks because you’d have had no opportunity to pick up anything dubious from anyone.

Not any more! Sydney epitomises the nonsense that is modern airport security.  We were required, after ‘deplaning’ to walk for about 45 minutes in one huge circle around the airport, back to the boarding gate and plane we had left, with a further long queue to proceed through a security check that was only necessary because we might have picked up something suspect on the superfluous long march the authorities required us to complete.  A complete farce!

There was a similar nonsensical requirement in Dubai – where we were actually changing planes – but at least we didn’t stray too far from the relevant boarding gates. And the pace at which we were rushed through security, complemented by what seemed to be only a passing interest in the contents of our carry-ons, suggested the Dubai security staff were completely with us in appreciating the futility of the whole exercise.

Entering the UK was a breeze. Efficient e-gates and no requirement to complete entry forms.  Are we to discover in a couple of months that New Zealand is the only country still requiring them? 

(Sweden was similar, though there was a lengthy queue to get passed the two immigration officers, at least until we were sufficiently forward to recognise that the queue bifurcated, and our Irish (ie European) passports, like maroon magic-wands, had us waved swiftly through the perfunctory one. 😊 We left in our dust the many Brits on our BA flight, ostensibly forlornly waiting but who were doubtless meditating on the brave new British world created by Brexit!!

We’d decided to take 24 hours in a Heathrow hotel to wind-down and refresh before heding to our first proper stop, in Sweden.  “Why don’t we jump out of the hotel, and go one tube-stop to get some fresh air and maybe a nice pub meal” thought Phil.  A notion quickly abandoned on discovering the nearest stop was a $30 return trip away; each!

But much (much…) sleep was had.  One great breakfast buffet later we headed back down the tunnel to swap Heathrow terminals and board our BA flight for Stockholm.

Not straightfoward.  Apparently our wheeled carry-on was too big and we were required to complete a quick re-pack in the security queue.  Why?  “Because it was a small plane”.  Ah well, do as you’re told!

But walking on, there were many bags the same size, somehow sanctdied, trundling alongside us,  and the tiny plane turned out to be an Airbus 380, in whose cavernous lockers, said enormous bag has happliy resided on uncountable domestic Air New Zealand trips.

Our guy must have had a rough night.

And then of course, one needs a post-grad degree in maths and loads of patience to pack for the widely differing baggage rules of the four different European carriers well be using.

‘Wise’ cards and e-sims were another story.  While managed to load his card with Westpac cash wth no real issues, Mary Clare following the identical process could not.  Apparently being the second name on a joint bank account is too much for the syatem to handle.  In 2023!

And as for the -esims, we finally got them operating only to discover that the fine print both shunned text/SMS caoablity and that the UK is, indeed, not in Europe 🙂  At kleast as far as phone calls on our e-sim are concerned.

Some real travel news in the next one.  Promise.