LAX - New Zealand 2007

LAX

I had a few hours to kill before my departing flight, so I took the opportunity to explore this city inside a city. LAX was larger than anything I had imagined. I cruised the duty free shops and purchased some food items for my next flight (I will explain the food situation later on). $25 USD got me a bag of crisps, an apple and a 1-liter jug of apple juice. I love getting gouged at the cash register.

I also donated my remaining $10 in odd change to some society that helps disadvantaged families in LA. I don’t usually donate money to charities that I am not associated with but the young lady taking the donations was so friendly and we started talking about her cousin she had in Toronto and how she loves Canada. I’m sure this was all just a tall tale, but the much-needed smile was well worth the weight of the spare change in my pocket.

I also purchased another book. This book that for some reason or another had eluded me over the years and I was only too happy to Wisk myself back to France during the 1700’s. The Three Musketeers by Alexander Dumas would be my traveling companion for the thirteen-hour flight to Auckland.

I took up residence at the departure lounge and starting my journey through the pages of my new book. I also snapped a few photos of the arriving and departing flights near my gate.

I struck up a conversation with an elderly couple from Melbourne who were also off to Auckland, and we traded stories of family, flights and life in general. I was also informed that I would not be able to bring my foodstuffs into NZ as per they have a very strict policy about such things. Silly country boy that I am, I did not realized and just think, I had spent $25 on items I didn’t really need.

I also met a young couple and their three-year-old son. In our conversation, I had mentioned that I would be traveling to Wellington as well and this couple was only to eager to help me out and advise me of the best things to see and do when I was in NZ’s political capitol.

Wow, Kiwis are so friendly. At that moment I realized that this trip was going to be the most wonderful of experiences.

Auckland, here I come.

In Flight Entertainment - New Zealand 2007

In Flight Entertainment

My flight to LA brought great wonder and amazement. I have never experienced the delight of free cable television en route. Yes I know, nothing that wondrous or even amazing, yet this was something to occupy my four hours of free time. I had finished my book. I was so screwed.

I watched many pilot episodes on TV. These shows, consisting mostly of new comedy works, were trying to claw their way into the stigma of the American public. I love pure good old-fashioned American Television. Within thirty minutes of subjecting my eyes to the polluted capitalist morals and US Army happy advertisements on NBC, I grew tired and wished to draw my head away from the box of obtuse. Still, with all the effort I possessed, I was unable to force my eyes to retreat. I was consumed with network entertainment.

I try to live in a harmony with the world around me and I try to subject my eyes to sources of nurturing information such as newspapers (ultra left wing to ultra right wing). I’ve had no use of a television for many months, but like a moth drawn to the flame, I could not overt my eyes. I was a deer in the headlights. The hours quickly followed and I was ready to order some in-flight gifts because TV told me to. TV tells me many things. TV tells me to buy things. TV tells me to join the US Army.

The rest of my flight was uneventful until our flight made its way to the outskirts of Los Angeles. As we flew overhead, I started picking out suburbs from Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and I spotted CJ’s hood (only people who played the game has any idea what I am talking about) Nobody really understood why I was laughing to myself as I traced routes of GTA missions.

My favorite moment was when I spied the HOLLYWOOD sign off in the distance. The white splendor of the letters, caressing the contours of the mountain. If I died at that very moment, I would have been a happy man. Sad huh?

We landed right on time and as I was making my way to the international terminal, I stopped to take a picture of the first palm tree I have ever seen.