Episode 1: In Which Jay Actually Manages to Eventually Get to New Zealand

Now this is a story all about how

My hemisphere flipped, turned upside down

I'd like to take a minute as words I will search 

I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Christchurch.

In Rochester, New York, stressed and crazed

In Rush Rhees where I spent most of my days

Chilling out, reading, and writing all cool

All watching some films and studying at school

When a couple of guys, on their way to Mordor

Showed me a landscape that I couldn't ignore

I saw three little films, pen flew from my hand

I said, 'I'm moving in with some sweetas kiwi's in New Zealand!'

I got pumped and excited day after day

Got me a pack and bag to help me on my way

Parents gave me a kiss and handed me my ticket

I put some tunes on and said, "I might as well kick it."

Flights delayed, yo I'm getting aches

Sleeping with the hobos there in LAX

But after twenty seven hours the end was in sight.

Hmmmmm, this might end alright.

First to Auckland then finally got near

After a flight or two I met up with a peer

We got us a cab, man those seats were fuzzy

But I thought 'Now forget it' - 'Yo homes to Canterbury!'

I pulled up to Ilam about 3 or 4

And I yelled to the cabbie 'Yo homes you hardcore'

I looked at my flat

I got to my perch

To sit on my throne as the prince of Christchurch.

(http://youtu.be/hBe0VCso0qs)

To explain: 

On my way to Christchurch everything that could go wrong…did. In beautiful flying colors to boot. My flight from BOS to LAX was delayed, because a flight attendant was a half hour late. LAX to AKL was delayed, because we went to the wrong runway. AKL to CHC was delayed, for no apparent reason. In all the confusion my cab didn't show up. Oh, and my luggage was delayed by 3 days because LAX never got the message to transfer my bag. Lesson: never travel United Airlines. Although I guess they are pros at rebooking flights, so I suppose that is a plus.

After realizing I missed the flight in LAX I got pretty pissed since I have notoriously terrible luck traveling - but I got over myself pretty quick. I ended up sleeping in the B terminal of LAX outside of security next to a few other defeated looking soon-to-be passengers and a couple of hobos who got kicked out in the morning by the cops. I was stuck there for a total of 27 hours because my next flight to Aukland was also delayed, by about an hour. Since the flight from Aukland to Christchurch was delayed I had to rebook once again. I also learnt at that point that my luggage had never made it out of LAX. Of course. So, I laughed, figuring that I shouldn't expect any less at this point and I genuinely stopped worrying. After all, I had at least gotten to New Zealand and that was the important bit. I met two other american students also en route to the University of Canterbury and we hung out a bit, finally got to Christchurch, and I ninja'd my way into their cab. Why? Because my cab never showed up. Naturally. It worked out though: the driver was nice, the seats were furry, and I flipped out over the roads being opposite from as they are in the states. I finally got to Ilam apartments and moved into my flat. Well, I moved my backpack into the flat anyways. Total travel time: 51 hours.

-Jay