Anthony's Travel Adventures

November 7th – 27th

New Zealand, a trip of a lifetime!

Trip Report: Minneapolis (MSP) → Christchurch (CHC)

Travel Dates: Departed November 7, 2025 | Arrived November 9, 2025
(We “lost” a day crossing the International Date Line — time travel, sort of!)

Our New Zealand adventure began at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International (MSP) with an easy check-in on United Airlines. Security was a breeze, and we had time to relax in the small United Club lounge. It wasn’t fancy, but it did the job — good snacks, a few light bites, and a bar, conveniently located just two gates from our departure.

Boarding went smoothly enough, though overhead bin space filled up fast, even in First Class. Unfortunately, we had a rather unpleasant seatmate behind us — the kind of traveler who complains about everything. From his carry-on situation to the number of walnuts in the snack mix (“too many,” apparently), nothing seemed to please him. He even mentioned voting for Trump, which explained a lot.

MSP → SFO (United Airlines – Airbus A320)

The flight attendants were friendly, but the food missed the mark. The tortellini came with peas (a curious choice) and was mostly cold. The salad was good, and the roll arrived fashionably late. I grabbed the “banana pudding in a cup” for later, but when I noticed the seal had popped, I decided to pass.

SFO → AKL (Air New Zealand – Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner)

Our long-haul flight from San Francisco to Auckland was a completely different story. Air New Zealand delivered a fantastic experience — comfortable seats, warm service, and food that was actually enjoyable. After a couple of glasses of Prosecco, I managed to sleep for most of the flight, which made the journey feel much shorter.

Arriving in Auckland (AKL)

We landed slightly early, but our “early arrival” disappeared when we learned the jet bridge was broken. So, we deplaned via the stairs — something I haven’t done in ages, and oddly enough, it added a bit of charm to the experience.

Immigration was straightforward, but connecting to a domestic flight was confusing. After clearing customs, we had to go through multiple checkpoints, retrieve our bags, and then take a shuttle bus from the international terminal to the domestic one. It wasn’t difficult, just poorly explained — and it would’ve been nice if the flight crew had given some guidance before landing.

AKL → CHC (Air New Zealand – Airbus A320neo)

The short flight from Auckland to Christchurch was smooth and surprisingly full. The boarding area didn’t seem crowded, so I was caught off guard to see every seat occupied. We had been assigned separate seats near the front, but Stephen managed to switch us to the last row so we could sit together. Normally, that’s not ideal for boarding or deplaning — but in New Zealand, they use both the front and rear doors, which makes it much quicker (except when the jet bridge is broken, of course).

Arrival and Stay in Christchurch

Once in Christchurch, we took the free hotel shuttle from the airport. Again, signage could have been clearer — the pickup area for hotel shuttles wasn’t well marked — but luckily, we spotted our van just as it arrived.

Check-in at the Sudima Hotel Christchurch Airport (a 4.5-star property) was smooth, and the staff couldn’t have been nicer. My room exceeded expectations — clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed. Upon check-in, I was handed a small bottle of milk for my morning coffee, presented in a miniature old-style glass bottle — a charming touch and definitely a keeper.

Later that evening, I mentioned to the front desk that my toilet was running. Impressively, the manager personally came to check it out. After confirming the issue, he offered to move me to another room, but since I was already settled, I declined and said I’d just keep the bathroom door closed. He assured me maintenance would fix it the next day and gave me a free drink coupon for the inconvenience.

I used the coupon for a nice tequila on the rocks while writing this very post — the perfect way to wrap up a long but memorable first leg of our 20-day New Zealand journey.

After settling into our rooms for a couple of hours, we met in the hotel bar for a drink, then moved outside to the patio to enjoy the late afternoon sun. Dinner in the hotel restaurant did not disappoint—delicious food, relaxed atmosphere, and excellent service. Despite having slept on the planes, we were both exhausted and decided to make it an early night.

Monday November 10, 2022 Christchurch

The next morning, we enjoyed a buffet breakfast, which was awesome! Afterward, we decided to head into town to visit the arts district. After comparing transportation options, we chose to take an Uber—it was only a couple of dollars more than the bus and would get us there much faster. Despite the overcast weather, we were full of excitement about venturing out. We just needed to be back by 2:00 PM for the 2:30 tour registration and orientation.

Our drop off would be The Arts Cente Te Matatiki Toi Ora,

From there we would find our way to the botanical gardens. This great expanse is reminiscent of the great public gardens we visited in Spain. Absolutely amazing!

We decided to stop for a coffee and juice at the visitor’s center and were entertained by the small birds that had managed to find their way inside. We were amazed at the variety of birds we saw in the gardens from small brown birds to large white ones.

From there it was back to where we were dropped off by Uber. While it was only a couple of hours, we will be back to Christchurch later in our journey staying at another property in the heart of the city. For now, it was back to the hotel for the pre-tour registration.

NEXT: THE SIR EDMUND HILLARY EXPLORER TOUR