air new zealand - ilivetotravel's travel log

Boarding Pass Stories: Christchurch, New Zealand

The destination, the when(s), and the reason(s)

After spending two weeks there, I flew from Melbourne, Australia to New Zealand. My entry point: the very livable and lovely town of Christchurch. This was in 2009, so before the large earthquake that did so much damage to this beautiful town. I got to see it before it suffered such destruction.

The airline

Air New Zealand. The carrier that I chose to fly me from Los Angeles to Australia/New Zealand. I landed in Auckland where I connected with a flight to Sydney. After spending two weeks in Australia, I returned to NZ to explore it.

What fascinated me about this experience

Christchurch was a place I could actually live in. The neighborhoods, the city center – it all fit my likes. I found good restaurants and a charming bed and breakfast. It was a great launching point too to explore the south island of New Zealand and I sure hope to return some day!

Christchurch, New Zealand, cathedral, earthquake, destruction

Indoors at the main cathedral that, unfortunately, had to be condemned after the damage it suffered during the earthquake

I sure hope to return to Christchurch and explore it and the area more!

My Boarding Pass Collection – The Log of My Travels

I have been flying since I was a pup and that is when I first got a boarding pass. However, my first time on a plane was around 3 months old though I do not remember it – or the boarding pass 🙂 Thankfully, that will not happen against thanks to my boarding pass collection!

My earliest travels

My first destination was San Juan, Puerto Rico. I flew again when I was 6 but I do not remember the plane part though I am sure it was exciting for a 6-year old boy to get on a plane (on the flip side, I remember a lot about visiting Disney!). The first flight I actually remember was when I was 8 years old when I flew alone from San Juan, PR to Miami, FL. I remember getting on the plane and running into someone who worked with my Mom. I remember the flight attendant taking care of me. It was an ADVENTURE!!!!!

Eastern Airlines plane ticket cover circa 1982 travel nostalgia flight — Bring any memories?? I flew Eastern almost exclusively for over 15 years as they dominated the SJU-MIA route. Loved their L-1011s!

Since then I have flown countless airlines (over 50), to go a multitude of airports (maybe a hundred or so?), and had my fair share of the good, the bad, and the ugly in terms of inflight experience (talking about both airlines AND fellow passengers…). I have been on airlines that have lasted decades (Delta, Lufthansa, Air France) and on others that disappeared (PanAm, TWA) and on others that are barely a blip in airline history (Kiwi).

Flying has been a part of my life all along and I have the evidence to prove it… A couple of years after traveling weekly for work, I opened a drawer at home and realized I had been dumping boarding passes in it – and had a good collection. So I found a box and continued the habit. To this day. Here is how a sample of my flights looks like – in boarding passes!

Airline, boarding pass, Alitalia, TWA, Lufthansa, Aerolineas Argentinas, boarding pass collection

Airline, boarding pass, flight, Varig, Emirates, Jet, Kiwi, Lufthansa, Delta, British Airways, Austrian Airlines, Air New Zealand, boarding pass collection — Lots of cool airlines traveled. Notice Kiwi on the top left? No, not in New Zealand – I flew it between Newark and Atlanta.

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——————————————————————————————————————-Some of the boarding pass series:

– Christchurch

– Dar es Salaam

– Delta drinks menu

– Denver

– Flying TWA

– Istanbul

– Las Vegas

– Little Rock

Do you have any cool boarding passes? Leave a comment with any that are especially priceless for you! I especially like those from now-defunct airlines. I also like them when they are/were colorful. The boring plain black & white en vogue these days in the name of costs savings really are a big downer for a boarding fan like me. And even the ink used wears out over time. While I appreciate technology innovation and what e-boarding passes allow, I still print mine at the airport to keep adding to my collection. Yep, I live to travel as you have noticed 🙂

I keep mine in wooden boxes that I have bought during my travels or have been given by my Mom from her travels. Once in a blue moon, it’s fun to open one of those small boxes and remember trips from near and far trips!

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