In partnership with Uber
Whether you're travelling for work or for pleasure, there's one thing that can be unanimously agreed on – the less stress, the better. And while the nature of globe trotting can be unpredictable, thankfully, there are some things that don't need to be left up to fate. Like, for example, (and arguably, most importantly), your transport arrangements, which, when considering all the challenges one might face while overseas, tend to be some of the most frustrating. So, in preparation for a recent trip across the pond for New Zealand Fashion Week 2023, my fellow RUSSH editor and I stumbled across Uber Reserve – the latest scheduling tool from Uber that will get you from A to B without a hitch.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Especially during one of the busiest weeks of the year in Auckland and at the peak of the international travel season. The magic of Uber's Reserve feature is that it's actually that simple (as Olivia, our Creative Studio and Campaigns Manager recently found out when booking her 3:45am trip to the airport). Uber Reserve allows you to schedule rides up to 90 days in advance – which is great for the organised Virgos among us – but works just as efficiently for anyone planning a couple of days out too (and up to 30 minutes before your scheduled leave time). There is also five minutes of wait time included in the fare, which means you can do your last-minute passport and luggage checks with ease.
Once on the ground, it was all systems go, with a quick bag drop off at our hotel before Liv and I both went our seperate ways for an afternoon of meetings. By the time we checked into our rooms, our Uber Reserves had pulled up out front – a booking I had made when I landed in Auckland, a mere two hours earlier. And when the final appointment for the day, (a quick visit to New Zealand brand Yu Mei to explore its one-of-a-kind 'lounge store'), came to a close, I jumped straight into a car to meet Olivia for dinner at the famed Ahi; arriving right on time. As someone who is normally chasing her tale on work trips, it was surprisingly refreshing to not feel the fear of running late pulsing through my veins!
The rest of the week unsurprisingly continued in very much the same way, diving into reserved Ubers straight after onsite shows to dash to appointments with some of RUSSH's favourite New Zealand designers and stores, from Wynn Hamlyn and Meadowlark to an unforgettable afternoon at luxury boutique Faradays. The convenience of having a car waiting not only meant getting to our next destination on time, but gave us the assurance that we could enjoy every experience along the way in its entirety. And similarly, ensured we got back to our hotel with plenty of time to rest and regenerate from the day that was. Add in the bonus of our Uber One membership, which offers a five per cent Uber credit on all rides, and there's no question that we had found the best mode of transport to get us through fashion week.
With the week coming to a close, we headed back to Sydney bright and early for a full day catching up on what was missed and preparing for the release of our latest issue, Intuition. Racing against the clock (and the Sydney traffic) once again to get to the office in time, Uber Reserve had one last trick up its sleeve – Uber Reserve Airport Pickups. The feature, which is one level up from the original Uber Reserve, incorporates flight tracking technology to help ensure that a ride is ready and waiting for you, regardless of whether our flight was early, on time or delayed.
Needless to say, both we, and the team, were relieved to see us at our desks in time to start the work day.
