Nathan's Insights

World Traveller: 7 Continents, 90 Countries, 871 Days Overseas

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Flight Reviews | Lounge Reviews | Destinations | Short Breaks | World Trip 1986 | World Trip 1998 | World Trip 1999-2000 | World Trip 2006 | World Trip 2009 | World Trip 2009-10 | World Trip 2010 | World Trip 2011 | World Trip 2012-13 | World Trip 2015 | World Trip 2016 | World Trip 2017 | World Trip 2017-18 | World Trip 2018 | World Trip 2019 | Australia 2022 | World Trip 2023 | World Trip 2024 | World Trip 2024-25 | World Trip 2026-27

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Days 117-118 – London to Los Angeles to Auckland to Melbourne, Australia

    Sunday 5 March and Monday 6 March 2000
    Highlights    :  Family hugs at the airport, Auckland Air New Zealand Lounge

    I guess plane trips like this make you miss home even more.  Three flights, 30 hours in the air with two 3 hour stopovers in between.

    I did learn something while at the Auckland Airport, my work Ansett Golden Wings let’s my an a guest into any Star Alliance airline lounge if I’m travelling with them which was all our flights, DOH!  At least both Jon and me got to use the Auckland lounge and take much needed showers.  Sitting in the lounge after enjoying free cereal and later free beer at 6 am local time I decided not to let Jon know we could have been doing this when stuck at all those airports 🙂

    At the airport both Jon and my families meet us. It seemed like another life the last time I had seen them (well for Kara is was only 100 days earlier!).  We looked like unkept, with beards and crazy hair and I much say hyper energy was about 30 minutes before the crash.

    This was my first trip outside the country without my family. I left as a 25 year old and return as a 26 year old who experienced the millennium party in Times Square, who visited the birthplaces and execution sites of Kings and Queens, who experienced the land of a Shakespeare, I fell in love with Ireland, I stood in awe of the Grand Canynon and Niagara Falls, I watched a drug deal go down on the Greyhound overnight bus, visited Elvis grave, saw Mt Rushmore, I stood inside the Alamo, walked down Bourbon street and experience soul lifting jazz at its finest.

    I think I have the travel bug.  I don’t know when I’ll be back on the road but it’s already calling despite the happy feelings seeing you family again bring and how tired 2 days of air travel bring.  I want to experience more.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 116 – London, England

    Saturday 4 March 2000
    Highlights    : The journey home via Los Angeles and Auckland begins.
    So finally on the 116th day I’m at my final day in the United Kingdom and the long journey to get home the long way via Los Angeles and Auckland on Air New Zealand.
    Both Jon and myself woke earlier than planned, it seems we are now looking forward to returning home.  With a quick stop to buy Lana’s gift of English Chocolate and then caught the train to Heathrow Airport.  Hopefully one day we will trains from the city to Melbourne International Airport.
    We decided to check in separately to increase our chances of getting a window seat and also maybe an empty seat next to us.  I guess after 5 months together some time apart might be a good idea.  Jon missed out on the desired window seat but I was luckier with both a window and a spare seat next to me.  I guess my Ansett Golden Wing Membership comes in handy.
    This will be a huge trip home taking over 30 hours in the air plus another 2.5 hours in transit at both the Los Angeles and Auckland airports.  I’ll take comfort wherever I can find it after 116.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 115 – London, England

    Friday 3 March 2000
    Highlights: Harrods, Hyde Park

    We again stayed in Notting Hill but in a different hotel with a higher price and worst quality but hey the trip is almost over and I’ve seen more than enough hostels.

    As today was somewhat of a rest day I tried to complete my shopping list.  This started with a visit to the expensive Harrods to buy the famous Harrod’s Bear as requested by my mum and a model English Bus for my nephew Andrew.

    We then visited Hyde Park which is the largest royal park in London.  The park was created by Henry VIII as a hunting ground.  It has been used for duels, executions and horse racing.  Today the general public get to enjoy the park.

    From here we walked up Oxford street looking for a soccer top for my brother in law Steve as per Lana’s request.  However we discovered later you can not get then in London 😦

    An hour walk back to our room to save the fare, we are very broke at this point, and a Chinese meal ended the day.

  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 114 – Oxford and Windsor to London, England

    Thursday 2 March 2000
    Highlights: Christ Church Cathedral & College, Windsor Castle

    In many ways this is the last day of the trip as tomorrow is a rest day in London with only shopping planned before flying out in two days.

    Most of the famous Colleges in Oxford are closed to the public.  We were however able to visit possibly the one Christ Church.  Christ Church was founded in 1525 by Cardinal Wolsey but after Henry VIII’s reformation of the church and murdering the Cardinal the King refunded it in 1546.

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  • World Trip 1999-2000: Day 113 – Stratford-upon-Avon to Oxford, England

    Wednesday 1 March 2000
    Highlights: Everything Shakespeare!

    Today we visited the William Shakespeare Properties.  The most interesting was Shakespeare’s Birthplace.  The cottage that he grow up in has been returned to how it looked in his day. 

    A museum detailing his life and events in is era bring visitors up to date.  At one stage the house was converted into a bar which seems appropriate given the reputation for playwrights and actors in Shakespeare’s time.  Visitors as far back as 1752 visited his birth room and signed there name on the room and windows. (more…)