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  Monday 21st of September 2026 and I enjoy my morning tea before having a short power nap. Still a couple of hours to kill before GRAB come to pick me up. GRAB arrived at 11 thirty, I could follow the car on the GRAB app and I went down. We were  soon on our way to Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Light traffic and we made the trip in a jiff.
There was no line to the check-in. But the security, I noticed something I had not noticed before. Two x-ray and only one personal scanner between them, so it took a wee bit of waiting. Immigration was very quick and I could go to Singapore Airlines lounge at Gate D 7. Singapore Airlines is usually departure from gate D 6. Of course, today they depart from gate D 4. So, there will be a bit of trotting.  On my way to the security
Killing time in the Singapore Airlines lounge, enjoying some snacks and a couple of soda waters. Time did not turn very quick and the boredom was killing me. I decided to leave for gate D 4and I walked slowly killing as much time as I could. We started boarding two minutes after that I had arrived to the gate. I was among the first to board Singapore Airlines flight SQ 709 to Singapore. I find my seat at the back of the plane. Flight is full so, no empty seat next to me. But it is a short flight so it will be OK. We have to wait on the runway for 10 minutes or so before we can take off.  I am in my seat
I had had food in the lounge so no need for me to eat on the flight. I asked if they had Pepsi, but they only had Coke and I drank nothing on the flight to Singapore. Time turned quite quick and we are soon approaching Changi International Airport. We have to turn around because of congestions at Changi Airport and the Pilot inform us that we will have to wait for about 15 minutes before we can land. I will have more than 3 hours to kill at Changi, so I am not in a hurry. Well, I am in a hurry to get off the plane and it was nice when I could finally get off the plane.  Approaching Singapore
 Train to Terminal 3
SQ 285 to Auckland departs from Terminal 3 and I need to take the train from Terminal 2 to 3. Getting off the train and I trot around for some shopping before going to the lounge. Looking for a wrist watch and I cannot find anything I liked. Well, there was one Casio, but it was almost 7000 Dollars, for a Casio! Going back to the lounge and I enjoyed a couple of soda waters and some noodles in the lounge. Monday Aladdin Gym (มันเดย์ อะลาดินยิม) is at Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya. He will fight tonight and I am updated with pictures of Team Aladdin Gym (ทีมอะลาดินยิม).  Team Aladdin Gym (ทีมอะลาดินยิม) at Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya
 Team Aladdin Gym (ทีมอะลาดินยิม) at Max Muay Thai Stadium in Pattaya
Something was about to go seriously wrong and I was very lucky. Flight SQ 285 to Auckland and it said 22:50 on the monitors. I checked my boarding pass, boarding at 22:50, I thought it was strange to have the boarding time on the monitors. The boredom drives me out of the lounge 35 minutes before boarding. Now it says LAST CALL on the monitor. I have never seen LAST CALL for boarding before. Gate A 11 is close to the lounge, lucky again. Coming to the security check and the ask me to speed it up a bit, the plane is about to close the door. Departure in a couple of minutes. “Close the door? It says boarding 22:50 on my boarding pass” I show my boarding pass “It say 09:50” What the 
Must have been confusion with the Thai and Singapore time, but that is really no explanation. I just do not know what happened. But I understood that I had been very lucky to get my flight.  Finally in my seat at Premium Economy
 Finally in my seat at Premium Economy
 I will change seat after take-off
First time flying economy premium, the seat was not as wide as I had expected. Biz and the seat configuration are 1-2-1 and it is 3-3-3 in economy. In premium economy it was 2-4-2, one seat less than in monkey class. And my guess is that the extra space is lost with the armrests. There are leg room, but no extra space for the ass. And no way to lift the armrest as the table is stowed in the armrest. But the two middle seat have armrests that can be lifted. Lucky me, the two middle seats were empty and I moved after take-off. +++++++++++++++
Tuesday 22nd of September 2026 and I ask for a couple of bottles with water, nothing to eat after take-off. The middle seat was kind of OK when I lifted the armrest.
Reclining my seat and I kept the seat next to me upright and I could use the back of that seat to support my pillows.  I will change seat after take-off
It was not easy to fall asleep, but I managed to get 3 or 4 hours of sleep. I get my breakfast, it was OK, but tea from paper cups and I never asked for any refill. They showed an information video about arrival to New Zealand and we need to fill up a declaration before arrival. There was a QR code to scan on the video. I connected to internet, but there was no chance to see the QR code again, it was visible for a couple of seconds only. This was at least to say remarkable, and no chance to see it again. The QR code was not available onboard, but they managed to find me a paper form that I could fill up. Going through the trouble to connect to internet, I usually do not bother to use internet. And I have not watched any videos. Just staring out in the blue trying to sleep. I received two videos from The Red Devil (ปีศาจแดง ก.กุมานนท์) and Monday Aladdin Gym (มันเดย์  อะลาดินยิม) won his fight by knock out. One fight weekend and Aladdin Gym won both fights by knock out.
We are approaching Auckland and we are landing as per schedule, or maybe a few minutes early. And Sweet Lord, it was nice to get off the plane. There was a lot of trotting involved in getting to the luggage claim. But it was OK and OI made it to belt #3. Took a seat on the only bench I could see and my bag was soon coming on the belt. I choose green lane, NOTHING TO DECLARE and there was a lot of people. Walking down towards the custom inspection and one female officer came running towards me. What the is going on.
She opened the barrier and waved me in to the lane next to the lane I was using. One girl came after me and I heard the officer: “Continue, just for him”  Waiting for my bag
 I found myself in the lane for old people
Reaching the custom and I discovered that the female officer had put me in the ASSISTED  PASSENGERS lane, that means that I look very old. Anyway, I was ready with the custom in a jiff.
Coming out and I looked for the taxi sign. There was a supermarket and I went in for some refreshments, but they did not have Pepsi and I left again. Taxi, well, involved a lot of trotting to get to some kind of UBER, Taxi and shuttle station. Well, it was not too long to walk and it was not raining so it was OK.  Auckland Airport from the taxi station
I ask one of the staff at the taxi station and she told me that I could book UBER on the app or take a taxi. “Where are you going?” “Holiday Inn Express” “Then you can take the shuttle” she said pointing at a van with a trailer. I went over and the  driver put my bag in the trailer. There were 4 or 5 passengers in the van and I took the seat up front.
We took off and I was checking in at Holiday Inn Express 30 minutes later. The trip was 20 Dollars and I saved a lot of money. The driver gave me a card when I got off at Holiday Inn Express. To call when I go back to the airport.  On my way to Holiday Inn Express
 My room
 My room
 My room
Taking the elevator to the second floor to check-in. I will put my stuff in the room and I will go to buy some milk for my tea. The room is nice, I miss the desk and the wall sockets is New Zealand style, no option in my international plug adaptor. First time I am in a country and I cannot use it on New Zealand. I have stayed at safari tent in the Indian Jungle and they have had multinational sockets on the wall. 2026 and I had expected this at a Holiday Inn hotel. But there was a kettle and fridge, and I have brought my tea cup with me.  Walking to the super market
My first stop is at the vape shop to buy e-juice. If I like it, I will come back for 10 more bottles. Then I walk to the supermarket, and I find Pepsi. Not easy to find in Auckland. Buying milk, cheese and blueberries and I walk back to my room. There is an email, and it was not any good news.
Now I will have to find something else to do tomorrow. I was dead tired and even though I tried to avoid it I felt asleep and I woke up at 9 thirty in the evening. Good, now it will be impossible to fall asleep again. I will meet my nephew at 7 thirty tomorrow morning and we will have breakfast at the hotel. The plan was to go for a tour that is now cancelled. Click HERE to find out if we fins something else to do instead.  
    
  You are visitor no.
To www.aladdin.st since December 2005
Visitors from different countries since 26th of September 2011
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