Coolest little capital in the world
Wellington, New Zealand was named “the coolest little capital in the world” by Lonely Planet in 2011. I was just in Wellington for a conference last week, and wanted to echo those sentiments.
A mix of old and new downtown
The city is nestled tightly together on the narrow shoreline, although the city has long since overflowed into the hills and valleys around the central business district. You can easily walk around central city, now repleat with a vibrant cafe culture and dynamic streets that ebb and flow with life.
Wellington CBD nestled around the harbour
While oft known as the Windy City due to the wicked winds that can blow up the harbour from Cook Straight, it’s more recently been given the moniker of ‘Wellywood’ for its central role as a technical powerhouse behind some of Hollywoods biggest hits. However, the proposed copycat white sign on the airport hill has been controversial amongst residents (so is unlikely to proceed). The picture on left was taken on a rainy day, although the sun came out on the third day of my visit – and provided a lovely blue sky which would have been a much better backdrop. As with any photo, it’s difficult to capture the 3D view from a spot such as this, let along the 4D atmosphere provided by the chattering people strolling past.
Dad’s Recommendation:
Take more time away from work to enjoy the sights and sounds at towns, cities, and countries where you visit. Some short breaks away from work will likely make you more productive, and also will help provide a little balance in your life. Take time to stroll the Golden Mile (Lambton Quay and adjacent streets) … and try to find Plimmer’s Ark (John Plimmer is considered the father of Wellington, and remnants of his boat were discovered under a bank during structural strengthening.)
First Week On The Job
As you may know, I have just taken a new seconded role as Technical Manager for Infrastructure with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. Their website with additional information is given in the attached link for those who are interested: http://cera.govt.nz/
However, I wanted to simply write a few observations about the first week on a job. Having spent several years in my previous role, I had learned most of the secrets about how to get things done, who to call for what, who not to contact, where to find this or that, and a myriad of other little tidbits of information which make company life a lot easier. When making the move to a new employer however, it’s a challenge to find the right building, floor, bathroom, coffee, printer, etc, etc … and who do you ask other than the small handful of people whose names you actually remember from the obligatory introduction tour to meet “everyone”.
While I’m clearly not the best at this, it does seems that it’s generally a good idea to speak as little as necessary, nod your head a great deal during all the many introductions, maintain eye contact as much as possible (and pray that nobody detects the glazed over appearance), and actively listen to as much as possible. While the information overload can be overwhelming the first week, and it may feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose, at least other people will start to recognize that you’re part of the team. Most places expect you to take a little time to acclimatize to the new environment, depending on your role, so it’s quite likely that you can soak it all in during that first week when expectations are the lowest … and then start your assent to superstar status on week two. While an invitation to be on the Board may take more than a month or two, it’s handy to make a point of learning who the CEO is … and not flipping him off in the car park by accident.
And, for those who were in the pool for the bounty on a photo of me wearing a jacket and tie … here is The Traveling Dad together with my two boys in their new school uniforms:
The boys in their new uniforms
Cuddle Class Travel
For those who can’t sleep on long airline flights, there is a solution. Many of us have wished for a chance to lay down for a nap without having to pay 2-3 times the economy fare for one of those business class seat. It used to be possible back in the old days when flights were not jam-packed full – I can vividly remember the pleasure and comfort of having a whole row to myself (or the envy towards anyone else who won the gate agent lottery for a seat assignment like that). Now, Air New Zealand offers ‘Sky Couch’ options (aka Cuddle Class), and this provides an opportunity for various seating configurations – all of which are more comfortable than a standard seat assignment. On the 13 hour flight from LAX to AKL, my wife slept for the first seven hours … which is simply amazing since she can seldom sleep on a long flight. She would have enjoyed stretching out for longer, except made the mistake of looking at our daughter and subsequently swapping seats with her.
Photo from: http://www.airnewzealand.com/upgrade-to-skycouch
The Sky Couch is a configuration whereby the seats are similar to Lazy-boy chairs, with footrests that come up to seat level (and fill the space where your legs would normally go). When you do this for 2-3 of the seats, you have a nice wide flat surface where you can stretch out. Each such row was provided two fluffy pillows and a duvet, so made for a significant improvement over the standard thin pillow and blanket. Additional seat belt components were provided for use in any of the various seating configurations (all very self explanatory once you got used to the idea).
On our flight, I remained seated on the aisle while my wife stretched out with her feet resting in my lap. She also tried lying the other way, and said that both were quite comfortable. Many other passengers on our flight seemed to follow this seating configuration, although several other options were clearly possible. I stayed awake long enough to watch a few movies on what I would consider the most advanced entertainment system I’ve seen on any airplane flight (and I’ve flown extensively on several airlines in the past).
The following link takes you to the Air New Zealand site which further describes the Sky Couch concept:
http://www.airnewzealand.com/economy-skycouch
In addition, here is an external and independent link to the Airline Reporter.com article which gave this revolutionary seat concept an “Awesome Medal”: http://www.airlinereporter.com/tag/sky-couch/
Dad’s Recommendation:
Take a long trip to the homeland of Air New Zealand, and pay the extra to travel in cuddle class … you’ll arrive more rested than otherwise, for a fraction of the cost of business class. However, do stay awake long enough to enjoy at least one movie on the high-tech entertainment system. This seating option is presently available between Auckland, Los Angeles and London.
Disneyland in one day
When you’re making an international move, a great way to get the kids excited about the adventure is to spend a day at Disneyland. However, a much longer visit is needed to truly experience the many facets of the park and surrounding attractions.
Walt Disney’s creativity was simply magical
It’s impossible to see and do everything in one day, so for us it was easier to simply have each of the kids identify the 3-4 things that they most wanted to do, and then focus on those few things … although some flexibility is required when faced with an enormous line of people waiting for certain rides. A Fast-Pass helps by getting you to the front of the line, but you can only hold one pass at a time for each ticket.
Our kids have quite different interests, but we elected to keep the family together most of the time – and made a particular meeting place for the few times that we divided up to pursue specific interests (the pizza place in tomorrowland). While the teenage boys were not that interested in the spinning teacups, and our daughter wasn’t that excited about the ‘Star Tours’, they did find out that most things were fun for almost anyone.
Spinning teacups are fun, no matter your age
Downtown Disney doesn’t require a park pass, but certainly helps prolong the experience from the previous day. It was a great way to fill our day before an evening international flight. There are certainly lots of shopping and dining options for almost any taste or interest. I would recommend the Rainforest Cafe if you have not been to one before, and most kids would think the Lego store was a pretty cool place (they’re in process of building a new place a few doors down the road)
Dad’s Recommendation:
Plan a few days at Disneyland if possible, but don’t underestimate the benefit of just a single day to break up a long journey.
Use the Fast-Pass system with care. We would get Fast-Passes for the parents, then use those for the teenage boys in the family – so was one way to maximize the use of these passes.
Travel Tips when Moving
We are traveling across country as part of a move to New Zealand. This type of travel is much different to the business trip where it’s all about the art of the carry-on, with micro-computers/media devices, ensuring no liquids, metal belts or lace-up shoes. Our trip is more about maximizing the checked luggage (reference my previous review post about the luggage scale) … so we ended up with 11 checked bags for the five of us (plus 5 carry-on’s and 5 personal items – making 21 articles to keep track of). The first rule when traveling with lots of people and bags, is that it’s important to keep a good count on everyone and everything – and avoid the ‘Home Alone’ possibilities.
The kids enjoying the Sky Club before departing home in Atlanta
I’ve often wondered what the absolutely most important item is for keeping in your hands for use during the flight. I’ve tried many things over the years, and often find my iPod is the best since I can listen to some tunes during the long hours on a plane. My son just bought a Nook colour and I really liked using that as an e-reader – even if it doesn’t provide the same texture, feel and smell of a good book.
Comfy sleep is possible on a plane
However, it’s hard to overlook a comfy eye-shade, blanket and neck cushion as my daughter demonstrates. It reminded me that we need to consider the different needs of everyone in the family when we’re helping prepare for a long trip. We made a point of stopping in Dallas Forth Worth (DFW) on our trip since she was born nearby. There’s not much that compares with the contagious excitement of a young child about the simple pleasures of life – such as visiting the city of her birth. Sometimes it’s worth making an extra layover instead of simply taking the direct flight. Not only does an extra layover break up a long flight into smaller segments, but it allows you to experience the culture and atmosphere of a different place. Each airport seems to incorporate the character of the city it serves, and DFW isn’t an exception – and truly feels like you have landed in Texas.
The boys with a Yukon full of luggage.
Getting a large group of people and bags to and from an airport isn’t a small challenge either. Using a shuttle is usually the best option, whether a free service or on a cost per person basis. We’ve used taxi’s and limo’s before, but there are limits about how many people and bags can be moved at one time. When we landed in LA, we were able to get a GMC Yukon XL, and it was an ideal size for our family of five with all our stuff. I shudder to think of how we would have managed with a smaller vehicle. Of course, moving house and home is a much more challenging movement than a holiday, but it’s important to consider these things when planning out the trip. In addition, with a family of five it’s important to choose a hotel room carefully. In our case it made sense to get two rooms with a connecting door – the extra space goes a long way to avoiding the pressure cooking experience of sharing a room with a couple of teenage boys.
Dad’s Recommendation:
Plan your family trip so that there is adequate time to visit the Sky Club Lounge (or equivalent) at each of the airports you visit along the way. Allow an extra 30-60 minutes so that you can relax in comfort, and don’t need to rush between gates. It’s best to minimize anxiety and stress at every opportunity.
Also, make a point of visiting DFW – it’s also one of my favorite airports and is very well organized. The new SkyLink makes a fabulous way to see the airport from 50 ft above the ground, plus makes for a quick connection between terminals.