Wrap up

Well the journey home with the kayaks turned in to yet another mission. We had to pay at every airline. Kelly, Marcus and Geoff spent the whole day in LA after getting an earlier flight. Thanks to them we managed to make our connection to the AirTahiti flight even though we were the last people to check in for the flight. Kelly also managed to talk them down on the price they charged us per boat. Finally back in NZ we ruched over to domestic transfer with Marcus and Geoff and paid to get their kayaks on. Lou then drove them to the domestic terminal , only to be confronted by yet another issue, the airNZ rep didn't believe I had paid for the boats so wouldn't allow them on the flight so the boys missed their flight and had to wait 2 more hours for the next after Lou paid extra and got a parking ticket too.
Thanks heaps to Jackie and the other lady at Virgin America and the guy at Air Tahiti as well as one person at AirNZ for being the only 4 airline people we met all trip who made any effort to help us.

The group that had stayed in Chicago got packed up and went back to the windy city to walk the 'Magnificent Mile'. Full of tops brand names.....sorry Jill, I couldn't really afford the beautiful rings at Cartier !!

Kelly had some fun on the flight home, passed out in a deep sleep she shouted "Dale" at the top of her voice and then kicked me hard enough to give me a dead leg. It bought a much needed smile to our faces!!

Well, that's about all from me folks, I'll post the last photos in a second.

Thanks kids for a great trip, you all were fantastic and your parents should be very proud of you.
Thanks again Dale and Wendy for organising such a great trip. I hope you're enjoying a much more relaxing time in Europe. Everyone is already looking forward to next year.......
I hope I helped you all have a fun trip and you think of great memories in a couple of years, the next time you hear "Party rock anthem" and you crank it up loud!!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIOOwhmkoLo

Andy Fuller, coach, mentor, driver, rule fracturer, ice cream container cleaner (I somehow lost 3 KGs on the trip anyway!!) and now I'm off for a nap.