New Zealand trip

---

We had a credit with Air NZ from 2020 which we needed to redeem so we decided to use it to visit friends for a couple of weeks. Today we flew from Adelaide direct to Auckland, leaving at 11-50 am. The flight was OK except we were told that our ticket did not entitle us to free food and drink of which we were unaware, and food and drink to buy was not available until after the free service. A very discriminatory practice I felt. We eventually were able to buy a sandwich and a glass of wine. The system was good for that though as we could order and pay through the screen and it came quickly.
We landed in Auckland after 4 hours of flying. The process of passport and customs was relatively smooth and we were soon out to the taxi rank. Our driver was from Ethiopia and chatted throughout the trip. However, it is a long way in and $121 later we were deposited at Barclay Suites in central Auckland, right near the Sky Tower. Our accommodation is comfortable, consisting of a bedroom, lounge room and bathroom with a washing machine. Under $NZ200 a night!!
We went looking for a restaurant and first walked in the wrong direction. There are extensive road works around us but eventually we found Tony's Lord Nelson Steak House. A quaint interior, looking like an English pub but well maintained. At first we were told they were not accepting any more walk-ins. It was 8-30 local time and they were understaffed. We were desperate for sustenance so in the end they allowed us to stay.We had a great meal there washed down with a couple of bottles of good wine, a local pinot gris and a French rose. Our waitress was French and we had a lovely chat. We returned to the rooms to watch the cricket after an up and down first day. Lots more to do in the next couple o f weeks.

---