It's a Drama Podcast · Liz Deacle and Brian Deacle

Tears in the Toilet. Returning to New Zealand

·39 min·3 clips

Kiwis storm the plane as it lands, ignoring safety rules in a frantic dash for their connecting flight.

Liz and Brian, hosts of the "It's a Drama" podcast, share stories from their return trip to New Zealand after a month-long dental holiday in Thailand. This conversational episode details their travel experiences, contrasting relaxation with sudden chaos. Their journey included a flight from Bangkok to China before connecting to New Zealand. They were unexpectedly upgraded to premium economy on their first flight, which Liz connects to a personal visualization technique she uses to fall asleep. Upon landing in China, numerous passengers, primarily Kiwis, rushed to the front of the plane while it was still taxiing at high speed to make a tight connection. A security officer on board shouted for people to return to their seats, but the passengers refused, arguing they had a plane to catch. Liz and Brian observed this smugly, believing they had a comfortable two-hour layover. They discovered their own connecting flight to Auckland was the same one the rushing passengers were trying to catch, having been delayed without their knowledge. An airport official slapped stickers on them and urgently directed them to run through the massive airport to the gate. Liz describes physically struggling with the sprint, noting her heavy backpack and the intense pressure from screaming staff. She recalls bursting into tears in the airplane bathroom from the adrenaline and stress. The hosts boarded to find the plane half-empty, and a compassionate flight attendant allowed Liz time to compose herself. They observed the same Kiwi passengers who had rushed earlier now sitting calmly on the flight, which then waited on the tarmac for 45 minutes for baggage. The episode concludes with them enjoying fish and chips back in New Zealand and discussing odd airport behaviors. The tone is informal, humorous, and anecdotal, featuring the hosts' playful banter and personal reflections. Listeners who enjoy relatable travel mishaps, lighthearted storytelling, and insights into expat life will appreciate this episode. Those seeking highly structured narratives or topic-driven interviews might find the casual, meandering style less engaging.

As heard by us

A homecoming episode that turns an unruly flight into an easy, very human laugh.

The episode follows Liz and Brian on the trip back from Thailand to New Zealand, and it makes the homecoming feel immediate rather than neatly packaged.

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Why you'd press play

Listen for the landing where a homecoming turns into cabin-crew chaos.

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