Things have changed for international travel since BC (before covid). There are more hoops to jump through. Given the constant flux in rules, I didn't think there wasn't much point in booking too far ahead of travel dates. With an omicron outbreak more prevalent than any during the pandemic in New Zealand I was nervous taking the required pre-departure covid test. The day before I departed the result was negative. Next step was to complete the Australian digital passenger declaration. There is an app in which you supply passport details, flight details including length of stay, covid vaccination type and date for each dose, and test results. Various documents need to be uploaded as pdf or screenshot. It is a painful process and takes 30 minutes. I then took a screenshot of the summary to show check-in staff the next day (otherwise would need to open up the app which requires internet access).
This sounds truly awful. I don't really understand why anyone would subject themselves to these kind of pointless rules and procedures that are for the most part purely to show "that hey, we're doing something" and serve very little to "protect the people".
I wish sanity would finally prevail after two years of worldwide mass psychosis.