The first of my four alarms was set for 2.35am. Panicked I would oversleep and miss my flight, I added a fifth alarm at 3am just to be safe. How much time do I need to get to the airport? How long before a flight to Australia do I need
Transtasman bubble: What it's like to fly to Australia
While I was buzzing with sleep-deprived excitement, it wasn't lost on me that other passengers were heading to an emotional family reunion. Some were visiting sick family members, and for them their reunion would also be mixed with a heartbreaking farewell.
On board, there was a champagne run to celebrate the bubble popping before breakfast was served; standard airplane fare of scrambled eggs, baked beans and a lonely breakfast sausage. I think the last time I ate baked beans was the last international flight I did – and they've never tasted so good as they did on this flight to Sydney.
Before disembarking, an overhead announcement ran through Covid safety messages. Each passenger had their temperatures taken before proceeding further into the terminal, and about a dozen health staff went through questionnaires with passengers regarding the required New South Wales Covid declaration form.
It took less than five minutes to get through to the arrivals gate. Digital signs displayed the silver fern and words of welcome to Kiwis, but the majority of those waiting for passengers were Australian journalists. There was a brief flurry of activity as the Love Actually moment unfolded with tearful family reunions, but it was over quickly and after 20 minutes, the airport returned to a sleepy, empty space, still devoid of the pre-Covid number of tourists.