Yesterday we re re booked our flights to evacuate New Zealand and started making our way back to Christchurch via a scenic route. Pulled up in Hokitika this afternoon and met a nice German family at their wits end. All flights to Germany cancelled and they were shopping for winter clothes for their children, clearly expecting a long stay. Hasty on-line enquiries showed nothing to be concerned about so we went shopping to find long queues and the shelves stripped bare - NZ Government had announced 'Level 3'. Asked a couple of locals what was going on to learn that Level 3 comes 24 hours before Level 4; Level 4 seems to mean full stop on everything other than essentials. No more campsites, cafes, pubs, transport. Life basically. And importantly for us no flights home.
So we did what all Brits do in a crisis, bought some loo rolls, put the kettle on, poured wine and started making calls....
- Emirates cut the call off after 1 hour in the queue
- UK High Commission didn't answer the phone
- Christchurch Airport referred us to Emirates
- Repeat ad nauseum
Bottom line is that Emirates have cancelled our flights and we are now stranded, probably for at least 4 weeks. So, our trip is going to be extended after all, albeit in isolation in a shutdown country. Really not what we had planned at all!
See you all sometime, keep reading for the next exciting installment.