On our way home...we're going home.

So, this is it. Our last day, our last blog. My friend S recently commented that, as much as she loved me, she didn't want me to come home, as she has so enjoyed reading the blog. Jokingly of course, but I understand where she's coming from.I have to say it's been so much fun writing about our travels and  experiences, connecting with you whether we have known each other forever, met briefly or never even met, I have thought about you when I write. We have been very aware that whilst we've been swanning around without a care in the world, real life has been going on for you.  Sometimes too real, but I hope this blog has bought some light relief. 
I hope also that you noticed the music references in the blog title.  I  like to think you have   listened to them and enjoyed them,  as much as we did trying to find the right one. In light of S’s comments, and for ourselves,  perhaps a fitting song for this last blog would be from The Specials “You're wondering now, what to do, now you know this is the end”. However, there was always only one song that could sum up so perfectly the end of our travels; The Beatles – Two of Us. So many of the lyrics resinate with us. 
Our last day was mostly taken up with travelling. We checked out of the Ryokan, with stooped backs from the roll mat bed, and headed to the train station a 20 minute walk away. The train to the  airport was, as you would expect with Japan exactly on time & arrived precisely 40mins later. Unlike many other connecting trains & buses we have taken, it delivered us right into the departure terminal where check in with Air France was reasonably smooth save for having to pay an extra charge to sit together, which irritated me. This was our longest flight yet – more than 12 hours, but we managed to sleep a little & there were plenty of films to enjoy. We arrived in Paris with quite a tight time gap between connecting flights but we made it with 15 mins to spare – enough time for Mr L to check the football scores & send messages, before we boarded. 
We arrived at Heathrow on time & moved through quickly, although a last minute selfie by Mr L near customs nearly got us into deep water, then  through the exit. There we were greeted by a wonderful sight. Our family. H&M, A&G and of course G-R. All holding up a welcome home banner. Hugs and tears all round, it was so lovely to see them all again.  We blocked the exit and took up far too much space, but we didn't care, we were back with our family. 
We've visited some stunning places and met some great people. Huge thanks to -  B’s mum & dad, J&P in Brisbane for putting us up & showing us around, even though they had never met us; my rediscovered cousin P  for  great hospitality and to M&E for putting us up & making our visit to Sydney so special. Also thanks to D & S from Ireland who were not only great company in HCMC, but provided us with some of  the itinerary for Japan  &  to the lovely people we met along the way, from Sergi  in Russia, to the young German doctors, who we met on our last night;  many friendships made that we  hope will  continue.
Throughout our travels we have been embarrassed by how well people from other countries speak English whilst we have barely managed to learn more than a few words of their language. It's been humbling,  but also hugely helpful! 
A big thanks too,  to our family and friends for supporting us on this adventure & providing travel tips! 
We didn't find ourselves because we weren't lost and we aren't going to come back changed but we've enjoyed each other's company for the past 252 days with barely a moment apart its cross words (except when directions are involved)  &  we have had a bloody brilliant time. 
Thanks for reading. Mr & Mrs L X 

Yes, it looks like we've made it to the end...

As we said goodbye to Aka and the sunshine &  headed back to Tokyo for our last few days, it's fair to say we weren't hugely enthusiastic, but then, after we had booked into our accommodation – more on that in  a moment – we went out for a walk &  found we had put ourselves in a great little area we didn't really explore on our first visit, with plenty of places to eat & drink, shopping arcades & a nice little vibe. We had something to eat & then found  ‘Don Quixote’s 24hr store’. Mr L was lured  by the flashing lights &  expectations of finding random,  obscure things for sale. Whilst he mooched I spotted 2 sumo wrestlers  shopping. I tried to get a sneaky pic but without success. Then as we left  the store I spotted them & grabbed my chance. They weren't keen I have to say, well that's what their faces said, but I snapped them anyway! Then we headed back to  our accommodation. A popular place to stay is Japan is a Ryokan – a traditional Japanese inn. As we hadn't stayed in one I thought it would be a good idea  for our last few days. The room is very basic. No furniture but some shelves, a tiny toilet & bathroom, two roll mats for beds, a quilt & pillow & that’s pretty much it. I think perhaps this level of minimal living is a step too far for us and I'm not sure Mr L's back will ever forgive me, but at least we've had the ‘experience’!
We spent the next day visiting the skyline Tokyo Tower and shopping, looking for a few gifts to bring home. We haven't been able to buy anything along the way as we couldn't fit it into our bags so this was a real treat. In the evening we went to a local Jazz club (I know – what has become of us) to find it was ‘Dixie Night’. It was great fun & being the only westerners we attracted a bit of attention & even got a request played. The music was good and we admired their spirit as they attempted to sing ‘it's a long way to Tipperary’ which is quite challenging with a  Japanese accent.
Our last full day we finished our shopping, sorted our bags  & found a bar, where we sat talking through our experiences. For those of you who like lists and numbers, we put together some statistics for you to enjoy.By the time we land at Heathrow tomorrow we will have:
Been way for 252 days,in 15 different countries and transited through 2 other countries
Stayed in 55 different hostels/hotels
Flown 25 times (plus 1 paragliding experience)
Been on 16 long train journeys (many short ones)
Taken 27 different ferry/boat trips (not including kayaking which of course I am now brilliant at)
Taken long 10 trips by bus (far too many short/local trips to count)
Hired/slept in 3 Camper vans
Rented 2 cars
Stayed in 6 homes/homestays/ friends houses
Been on 5 motorbike/scooter trips – on the back of course - & all hair raising for me at least!
Stayed in 4 Airbnb properties
Seen countless temples and Walked thousands of kms
In my backpack, I am only going back with 7 of the original items that I took with me. I have discarded at least 22 of the original items and even thrown out some  replacements.
These 7  are a pair of jeans, 2 shirts, - pair of trousers/joggers, a jacket, hoodie & a top.
Mr L However goes back with about 90% of the clothes he originally set out with.
The backpacks have been amazing – I would highly recommend Opsrey travel packs.
The washing line and the bag locks have also  been great. If we had our time again we would invest in a GoPro camera but my iPhone 6 did a sterling job. We relied on wifi and FaceTime for communication & apart from a few occasions where signal strength let us down, we managed to keep contact with our children  as we travelled around.
At no time did we ever feel threatened or in danger. I can recall an encounter in a bar In Russia where I was a little concerned  but nothing happened. I've been scared on a number of occasions but as you will know by now that geckos are in my opinion, a  danger to mankind.  So, on reflection, despite our lack of planning it's turned out alright in the end.
Tomorrow we head to the airport.

Sitting on the dock of the bay, wasting time...

As we set off on the ferry from Okinawa to Aka Island the sky was still recovering from 2 days of heavy rain but as we got closer, the sun appeared. Our plan was to relax & refresh,  ready for our return home. I had been trying to find a small, quiet hotel, away from it all but had struggled. Japan isn't particularly well known for beach getaways.  Okinawa itself has plenty of beaches but its a large island & didn't quite fit the bill. However the Okinawa prefecture is made up of thousands of little islands a few of which are inhabited so I was excited when I discovered this small hotel on Aka Island.
Aka is home to approx 220 people, all living in a cluster of little houses, most of concrete construction(concrete is very popular here), set near/around the harbour. We got off the ferry & made our way through the narrow streets that run between the houses, to our hotel. Not an attractive building. Concrete construction of course, where the first 2 floors seem to have something to do with marine biology as there were lots of different types of tanks & water pumps. However once we reached the hotel reception the walls were freshly painted & we were warmly greeted & shown around. Our booking included breakfast & evening meal which was perfect given that there were only 2 places to eat on the island & 1 of them never seemed to be open. Our room was large & functional rather than luxurious,  with a balcony & a view of the ‘town’, port & the sea.
As soon as we were unpacked we headed to the main beach, which was initially overrun with 8 other people but v soon we were on our own.  However, you don't really want to read about how we spent every day, save for one cloudy day, on a beach – one of which we had completely to ourselves, with  bright, clear, calm, blue waters; Or that the place was alive with beautiful butterflies of all colours & sizes that danced around us as we walked; or that cute little Keruma deer seemed to appear in front of us every time  we went walking. So, instead I will tell you a bit more about the island. Next to our hotel was a school with  sports hall, running track, classrooms etc. All those facilities for just 20 pupils. Next to our island was Geruma island, connected by a road bridge that wouldn't look out of place over the river Severn despite the fact that the gap between the 2 islands is a couple of hundred meters. On the cloudy day we hired bikes and cycled across the bridge to Geruma which is home to approx 60 people &, we discovered, another school, for approx 10 pupils! The third island, connected  by another unnecessarily huge bridge, concrete of course, has no inhabitants but houses an airport, used only in an emergency or when the boat can't run. It is a proper functioning airport, with a seating area & departure lounge that looks out onto the runway.  We know because when we found it was open we went  inside, but it's barely used. Quite surreal.
Back on Aka, there were so many odd/quirky things we enjoyed about the place; every hour between 12-9pm, a tinny sounding tannoy system played a catchy tune & at 6pm the tune was accompanied by an announcement, apparently directed at the children telling them, 'it's getting late & they should be heading my home'. So sweet. We seemed to pass the same 10-20 people & quickly started to notice their routines – the man on the pink motor bike, the old lady with the Zimmer frame, at times I wondered if we were in the film ‘The Truman Show’ ! We managed to find the one bar in town on our first night but, after the most fantastic, delicious 6 course dinner every evening we were more comfortable with a stroll along the beach, before heading back to our room to read.
Our main quest whilst on the island was to spot a sea turtle. Every day at various times, we went down to the port & sat on the wall overlooking the Bay trying to spot a turtle, without success. We spent hours there, making up songs about turtles. On our last day we decided to get in with snorkels, even though the water was deeper & the current strong. After about 15 mins Mr L spotted one below us. About 2 feet across it was bigger than I'd expected & so majestic. We followed it without disturbing it for about 15 mins. It was lovely. As a old friend used to say, I had a happy attack!
When someone says Island you conjure up an image of a perfect,  idyllic setting. Aka Island is not that but it is a place you can go to stop for a moment. In the words of my favourite poem by W.H.Davies “what is this life so full of care, there is no time to stand and stare”…. And that's exactly what we did.

S(e)oul City walking....

We were v excited to be going to Seoul. We had no idea what to expect & no guidebook so we took to the internet to find out the ‘must see places’. Then Mr L stumbled upon ‘80 facts about S. Korea’ & I drowned in a sea of information. He has retained many of these facts to throw out when you least expect it. You have been warned!  The flight there was just over 1hr, however we hit turbulence that actually lifted us out of our seats  & caused people to scream but it settled down & we landed safely. We had opted to stay in Myeong Dong which seemed like the best place to base ourselves to explore. We checked into our hostel & by the time we headed out it was early evening & the streets were alight with neon signs, lots of music & plenty of people. One street was lined with  food vendors, serving a great selection of delicious food – we know because we had plenty of it! The following day we explored a nearby market where you could buy pretty much anything. Mr L got some reading glasses made up whilst we waited. It was  amusing watching him being asked to read Korean to see if the words were in focus! We also explored one of the recently restored historical entrance gates to the City. Most of Seoul was destroyed in the Korean War so there are v few original buildings left. In the afternoon we met up for lunch with a friends son & his girlfriend who have been living & working in Seoul for a year. It was interesting to hear their experiences.
The next day we headed to the war museum, a huge building with statues outside depicting the struggle of war. However they weren't the focus of our attention – it was the sea of tents –  hundreds of them set up in front of the building with families, sheltering from the sun, drawing. It seems we had arrived on a children's drawing competition day & we could see it was being taken v seriously. We headed into the museum & followed the arrows (at one point we didn't & were v quickly sent in the ‘right’ direction). The displays were interesting but we found the videos more useful in providing a  plotted history of the war. I was impressed to see many exhibits dedicated to role of the UN &  recognition of the contribution other countries made. One particular presentation, called ‘the drop’ used unusual graphics to deliver a very powerful  dedication to those from all around the world who lost their lives.  We were less impressed with the 4-D presentation which showered us in fake snow & pumped the room full of freezing cold air to illustrate just how cold the conditions were.
In the evening we headed to Hong-Dae an area described as ‘lively’ & it was. Along the Main Street every few feet was someone singing or a group  doing synchronised dancing – strangely this seemed to attract the biggest crowd.  We had hoped to take a trip to the border or as close as we could get to the 38th parallel,  but we couldn't arrange it in time. We will have to save that until our next trip.On our last day we visited the Gyeongbok-Gung Palace & joined a free guided tour of the buildings, most of which have been rebuilt in the past 20yrs. Still worth a visit though,  if only to admire the chimneys which the guide seemed obsessed about! From there we headed to the Cheonggyecheon steam – 11km long,  running through the centre of Seoul, which  had been covered up by road but, in recent years the road has been removed & the stream & footpaths either side have been rebuilt making  it a lovely walk. We didn't of course walk the whole of the river but we did  do plenty of walking during our time in Seoul – over 50km which we added to when, on our final evening we decided to forego the cablecar option & walk up the steep steps to Seoul Tower that stands on a hill overlooking the city. We got into the tower  just as the sun was setting, giving us great views. However what caught our eye as we entered the observation deck wasn't the view,  but what was on the windows. All around were the names of cities & their distance from the tower – cities we had visited on our travels – Sydney, Auckland, Singapore, Kuala Lumpar, Hong Kong, Ulaanbaatar, Novosibirsk, Moscow, Amsterdam & of course our start & end point – London. Still some 9,000 Kms away but getting closer every day.
 Our flight from Seoul to Okinawa was uneventful & we managed to get back into Japan without a hitch, which was a relief. Tomorrow we catch the ferry to a small island called Aka,  for a holiday, where we hope to spend our 6 days  doing very little but lay in the sun (if it decides to come out), swim, kayak, snorkel & sleep.

Thank you driver for getting me here....

Kagoshima is famous for having three things: 1. An active volcano, 2. The worlds smallest satsuma (as verified by the Guinness Book of Records) & 3. The worlds heaviest radishes.
Our mission to see all three was, sadly incomplete. As we arrived in town the clouds had moved in, as had the rain so we abandoned our usual walk about familiarisation tour of the town & opted instead to explore it on a local bus.We were the only ones on it for most of the 1 hr journey & I think the driver took pity on us, as he plied Mr L with mints & cigarettes (which he declined) & as we got off he refused to take our money. How v kind of him. We headed back to the hotel for another layer of clothing before going out to eat. We found a place nearby that did the most amazing/delicious Japanese curry (beef-me, chicken Mr L) , rice, pickles, salad & a cheeky scoop of ice cream to wash it down – all for under £5 each.. 
Our hotel was slightly larger than the last few but with exactly the same layout – small double bed (actually it's a large single) up against one wall, a desk with small fridge under it, tv, chair &  some coat hangers. The bathrooms are all pretty much  the same - a tiny bath you can just about sit in with shower overhead, sink & a loo, with just about enough space for you to close the door without it touching your knees, but plenty of gadgets for you to wash/dry your bits if so inclined. When we had a FaceTime call with G-R recently we moved the phone around so she could see our room. She was fascinated & quite amused by the bathroom. So Now when we ring her first request is  “show me your toilet” ! We duly oblige.

The following day we were hoping the clouds would lift enough for us to see Sakurajima volcano. As we peeped out of the curtain it didn't look very hopeful but we decided to head out anyway. We caught the ferry across to Sakurajima – a 15 min trip & then, for reasons too dull to explain, instead of getting  the tourist bus to the observatory viewing point, we ended up  travelling around on 3 local buses touring the other side of the island, eventually ending  up  back at the ferry terminal 1 ½ hrs later without having seen the volcano. Eventually we got on the right bus & finally got to see the volcano, well enough of it as the clouds would allow. It wasn't erupting, but there was plenty of volcanic ash around as evidence of its activity & that was good enough for me. One part of our mission was complete.  Well one out of three isn't bad, as Meatloaf didn't say. Back in the town we finished our afternoon off with a stroll around the Japanese Gardens – at full speed as it was about to close. 
Our next stop was Fukuoka however, we still had our Japan Rail passes & so decided to divert to Nagasaki to spend the day there before going on to Fukuoka. If you look at the map that's quite a journey, but the trains are fast & we felt we had to. It was ridiculously hot when we arrived & checked our bags into a locker at the station. We got the tram to the memorial park & enjoyed the beautiful sculptures dedicated to peace from many different countries. Like Hiroshima there were many school groups visiting the park & paying tributes to those who lost their lives. The images in the  museum were very graphic & moving and some of the displays made it feel very real, but having already been to Hiroshima we had read a lot of the same information. The memorial hall was however an excellent dedication space, architecturally & spiritually. As many of those who initially survived the A-bomb subsequently perished due to lack of water, water features heavily in the design. As you entered the hall it had a really calming, contemplative feel to it and I was v pleased we had gone there to experience it
Before we knew it, it was time to get back on the train and off to Fukuoka. Our next stop – Seoul, South Korea.

It shouldn't ever have to end this way,

Our decision to head to Osaka for 4 days was driven partly by the lack of available accommodation anywhere else as a result of golden week in Japan & partly because we wanted to put our feet up. Osaka was more about the things we didn't do rather than the things we did. We had picked a hotel with a pool & gym so we could get ourselves moving,  however not only did we find there was a charge for each visit the pool & gym, the pool wasn't even open but it was the same price. We didn't bother.  We also didn't make it to the castle which looked & sounded very much like a place to visit. We had talked about a day trip to Naoshima, a whole island that has been turned into an art museum, but we didn't go. There are lots of great museums there, but we didn't go to any. So what did we do? Well not much. I had my hair done, we read, watched English films on TV, got my diary up to date, blogged, had picnics by the river  & finalised plans for the last few weeks of our trip. A successful 4  days I'd say. Of course we had the usual “we happened upon this bar” moments, where we got chatting to a group of locals who, we were surprised to discover, were huge Paul Weller/Jam fans. One even declared, rather obscurely, that he was a big fan of Stevie Marriott.
We also had a near death experience when we found ourselves in a restaurant that served raw chicken. I was in trauma. I normally cook my chicken to death for fear of getting food poisoning but here “well done” meant if was lightly seared on the outside but totally raw on the inside. Our waitress was so sweet though I felt compelled to eat it, plus we were starving. Afterwards she gave us a gelatine treat on a plate she had engraved with chocolate & caramel with the message “ thank you for coming Japan”. Thank you for letting me poison you it should have said. I took a photo with her in it, to help police with their enquiries if we were  found dead in our hotel. Thankfully We didn't die & We didn't have any side effects – physically anyway. I am still traumatised by the experience even now though.
So after our four days in Osaka it was time to shift gears & move on to our next destination Hiroshima. It felt odd wanting to go to a place where such an awful thing happened but We wanted to know more.
We arrived in Hiroshima to bright sunshine  & set off  to explore the castle & grounds,  before heading to the Peace Memorial Park. It was late in the afternoon when we arrived & the sun was starting to going down behind what  remains of the dome building, where,  at 8.15am on 6 August 1945, 600 meters above it the atomic bomb exploded. As tourists & locals studied the remains that have been preserved as a memorial in a respectful silence, it was impossible to try to comprehend such destruction.   The following day we visited the peace museum where we were overwhelmed by  the facts &  pictures of what happened that day & the awful aftermath , particularly the video accounts of survivors. Then we returned to the  peace park to visit  the gardens, memorials & monuments. The most moving moment for us came when we watched a group of Japanese school children stand in front of the children's monument & sing. Then, in pairs, they all read out what we guessed were prayers or dedications. It was beautiful & very emotional.

As we leave Hiroshima, we only have a few more days left on our Japan Rail pass & there are still so many places to see. However our choices have been made & I have a small confession to make. We said that Japan was to be our final country however, when we looked at how close we are to South Korea we decided it would be a missed  opportunity if we didn't  pop over for a few days. So that's what we shall do. Not quite yet though. Our next town Kagoshima with its active volcano awaits.

It's getting hot in here......

The guidebook  advised us that we must visit an onsen when in Japan. An onsen is a natural hot spring bath & it's something the Japanese have turned into almost a  religion.  The town of Kinosaki is famous for its classic onsen experience,  so we headed there. .
We struggled to find somewhere to stay in Kinosaki. There was only 1 hotel that still had vacancies & by the reviews I could see why. Normally I only book places with a minimum 8 pt review score – although you may recall one of the places we stayed in in Russia scored 9.4 despite looking like a place the police visited more often than the postman. Anyway this hotel scored 6.5 but we wanted to go badly enough that we were willing to take a chance.
When we arrived in Kinosaki we were met by an over-zealous tourist info lady who 'instructed’ us to fill out a questionnaire on departure about how we found the town.  It's quite a compact place with 2 main streets, a river, a canal & of course  onsen.  We arrived at what we guessed was the hotel but there was no sign & when we entered it was like the Mary Celeste – a vacant discarded reception & still no clue as to whether this was our hotel. Eventually I spotted a small sign pointing to the next floor so we went up & found reception with a man who, through the foggy haze of his cigarette smoke, confirmed it was our hotel. Using as few words as possible he checked us in & gave us & our room key - 309. I hadn't clicked the relevance of the room number until we were in it & I saw the stains on the carpet - that's when I recalled a review saying whatever you do don't stay in room 309, the carpet is awful. Well it was awful. The room,  in fact the whole hotel was tired, neglected & grubby. However we knew it wouldn't be good, we had already paid (cash up front) & we suspected no rooms were any better. Tracking the positives, the bed was clean & surprisingly comfortable.It was early evening when we left our hovel, sorry hotel to explore town. The first thing we noticed was the large number of people walking around dressed in Yukata’s (a light cotton kimono) with traditional geta (sandals), strolling along  heading to/ from an onsen. The tourist map indicated lots of bars & restaurants dotted all around town but, whether it was because of golden week, we struggled to find much open. Eventually we found a restaurant that screamed 1970’s. Every chair/barstool/sofa was covered in grey crushed velvet & the walls decorated with gold crushed velvet. We were the only people in there, I think – it was hard to see anything but crushed velvet. The food was fine but I needed to get out & back to 2017.
The following day it was our turn to don our Yukata’s. Mr L was v uncomfortable walking the streets wearing what he described as a ‘dressing gown’ & badly fitting geta but I assured him we would blend in once we got into the Main Street. However, it seemed the other yukata wearers were having a lie-in & the only other people out & about were locals. We felt v conspicuous. There were no instructions about what to do when we arrived at our first onsen so we just headed off behind our respective blue/red curtains. There is a huge amount of etiquette to be observed when visiting an onsen, most of which I breached on my first visit.  The first problem I encountered was with the towel. No clothes are worn in the bath area but you should hold your handkerchief sized towel in front of you, however you can't leave the towel  into the bath area. Where was I meant to put it?  On your head I later discovered. When I was reunited with Mr L he had had the same dilemma but he had also nearly blacked out from the heat. We decided to adjourn to a restaurant for brunch, a regroup & plenty of water before our next onsen. This one had an outside cave area to bathe in which was quite relaxing & despite the water temperature it felt cooler so no overheating. After that we went back to the hotel for a lie down – it was exhausting jumping in and out of hot water – before heading back out to our final onsen. This one had a bath on the roof where you got a lovely cool breeze as you slowly boiled in the water.
The next day we checked out of our hotel &  handed our completed questionnaire in at the tourist information as ordered. I'm not sure my request for more bars & less velvet will be heeded. Next stop Osaka.

Enlightenment, don't know what it is...

It took us three trains to get to our next destination- Nara. Those of you who have been to Japan or who are tracking our movements on a map will be thinking what the heck are these people doing weaving up & down the country like this - it's crazy!  Well the answer is ‘golden week’. Starting at the end of April for one week, most of the good people of Japan go on holiday, so anyone thinking of visiting Japan during this week needs to book accommodation far in advance – something you will know by now that we haven't been very good at. The result is we are having to zig-zag across the country to get accommodation at the places we want to visit. 
Nara was on our list of ‘must see’ places because it has a giant Buddha -  who doesn't want to see that! To illustrate just how big it is the guidebook tells us that the nostrils are 50cm wide. It's facts like this that draw me in or maybe I'm just a sucker for a big nostril! In any event I'm very pleased we visited Nara. It's not just about the Buddha which is impressive, as is the building it is sited in – purportedly one of the biggest wooden structures in Japan, but the entrance to the temple is stunning & the huge park land & hills that surround the temple are a real draw for locals & visitors alike.

Inside the Buddha temple,  in one of the supporting wooden clad beams,  there is a gap the size of Buddha’s nostril, where it's said that those who crawl through it will be assured enlightenment.  Unsurprisingly,  there was long queue of families waiting for their children to crawl through the hole. Not everyone was keen though & we watched as a small girl  & her baby brother, were pushed through both crying hysterically. Then a large boy about 11, who tried v hard to get through but got stuck halfway & had to be pulled out.  I'm not sure about enlightenment - it's more likely they will all suffer some sort of trauma after those experiences.

We visited many of the temples and pagoda’s dotted around the park, escorted much of the time by several of 1200 deer that roam freely & who will be your best friend for a deer biscuit.  We didn't have any so our friendship with them was short lived. As if we hadn't done enough walking we decided to scale Wakakusayama hill, at times a pretty steep ascent but with great views of the city to enjoy when we reached the top, as we tucked into our picnic, sitting in the hot, bright sunshine.  Back in the town Mr L decided it was time for a haircut & the result was impressive. Then we discovered the local Catholic Church was just across from our hostel so popped in & were surprised to find that the design was very similar to the church where we were got married, with some lovely stained glass windows. A few words said for family & friends then a stroll around town before finding somewhere to eat. The place we chose had great reviews although one said it looked like it had been frozen in time whilst another said it looked like the pots &  pans hadn't been washed for thirty years. They were both right - this place certainly wasn’t selling itself but the owner was friendly & food was good (& cheap)!

The following morning we went for a last stroll around before getting back on the train. As we headed out we passed three separate groups of protestors walking behind each other along the road, under police escort. It wasn't clear what they were protesting about but we saw banners that said ‘no’ &  ‘stop’ which for some reason reminded me of an episode of Father Ted. One group was followed by a vehicle with v tinny sounding speakers playing ‘we shall overcome’. It was all very ordered & civilised & not a riot shield or water canon in sight. 

Float, float on....

We arrived in Takayama late afternoon to the rain & cold. Our accommodation was the Country Hotel, an oddly chosen name, given that it was right in the centre of town.  The only room we could get was a smoking one. It smelt ok, however smoke seemed to permeate throughout the rest of the hotel , giving the impression that every other guest was a chain smoker.  We had a walk around the narrow streets but the weather meant our hearts weren't in it so we sought relief in ‘YU Japanese Bar’ where we were greeted like old friends by the owner & his wife who spoke excellent English. Mr L enjoyed what he declared to be the best pale ale yet, whilst I sampled the local sake served in a wooden square cup on a dish. They were excellent hosts & generously plied us with delicacies & nibbles to accompany our drinks whilst sharing information on the different types of saki.
Fortunately the weather improved the next day so we were able to explore this relaxed  town with its very traditional styled buildings & then climb the hills that surround it, from which we could see the snow topped mountains of the northern alps. Then rather randomly we decided to go bowling. Well why not. We caused a little stir but with plenty of pointing & nodding we were ready to go. Unsurprisingly Mr L beat me by a hefty margin but it was good fun & we finished the evening off with an Indian meal - for a change. The real purpose of our visit to Takayama though was to go hiking in Kamikochi, in the northern Japan Alps. The area is closed during winter & had only opened up a week prior our arrival, but there was still plenty of snow around. In fact a number of the trails were still closed. As a consequence it was v v cold. Two coats worth of cold. But the sun was blue & the views (sorry I'm talking about views again) were lovely & the glaciers very impressive. Frank Josef glacier eat your heart out!  We spent a lovely day there & it was good to fill our lungs with some clean fresh air before we returned to smokers paradise hotel. 
We were delighted to learn that by complete fluke our visit coincided with the Takayama Festival of Floats. There are normally 2 festivals each year where one half then the other half of the 23 floats from this town, are paraded but it seemed they were having an additional ‘super’ festival where all the floats were to be paraded at the same time. It started early so we were able to watch some of the 2 day event before getting back on the train.  The floats are huge wooden ornamental structures on wheels, highly decorated with carved wood, gold embellishments & tapestries. On the top of the floats children played drums or recorders.  They are stored in huge garages & to pull them onto the street takes a team of 12-20 men. Each float is supported by a different group of men in different traditional costumes. We watched several being pulled into position then, when they were out all the men from each group gathered around their float & drank beer or sake to celebrate their achievement. It was approx 10am. Well deserved I'd say. It wasn't really clear to us what was happening as some floats were left on the street & others were pulled through the street in a parade, alongside groups of drummers, men dressed as dragons & local dignitaries, but whatever was going on it was an impressive colourful sight & we were glad to have been there to see it before heading to the train station.

After more than 7 months away & our flight home now booked, we are both excited & sad that our travels are coming to an end. Too soon for reflections – there are still a few weeks left – but wanted to say thanks for following us. Each blog has attracted over 90 hits & with this being the 63rd It's amazing you have stuck with us for so long. We haven't had any comments for a while so hope you are still enjoying these ramblings & the song titles too. 

With every step we take, Kyoto to the bay strolling so casually

The bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto took  2hours 40mins to complete the 500 km journey – pretty impressive.  Our accommodation was a hostel about 12 mins from the station with a large room, kitchen (with no utensils which made it pretty pointless) but more importantly a washing machine. Exactly what we needed. It also had a bathroom that turned into a drying room at the flick of a switch – now that was impressive. Mr L a big fan of that.
Thankfully the sun shone throughout our time in Kyoto which meant the cherry blossom looked fabulous & as we walked along the Path of Philosophy we were surrounded by it. And of course there were plenty of temples to explore & the grounds of the palace where, after much walking we found ourselves a nice spot to lay down in the sunshine & have a cheeky snooze. Nice.
One evening we went to  Ponto-cho a street of traditional buildings with lots of restaurants – so many it was hard to chose but we eventually committed ourselves. Over the doorway of restaurants they have material so that you have to bow down to enter. Unsurprisingly queuing is very organised. The restaurant was full as were the two ‘waiting chairs’ just inside the door so we had to stand outside. Then when a table became free we were moved inside to the ‘waiting chairs’ & then when another table became free, to our table. A great system. All the tables had hot plates for warming your food. We ordered our food and Sake. I've never been too sure about sake. I had some in London last year which was nice but it was £11 a glass. This was £4 for a small bottle & it was delicious - I'm hooked! Some Japanese ladies arrived at the next table  & through the international language of pointing I was able to confirm that the sake was a good option so they got some too. After we had eaten our food we were still peckish & liked the look of the food the ladies had,  so we ordered that. They helpfully told us what order to put the toppings on & what condiments to have. Another v tasty dish.
On our way back to the hotel we called into a huge department store – open until 11pm – to look around. On one floor they had a  display of relaxing armchairs that did all sorts of massaging things and lots of people were sitting in them trying them out. As we looked about we noticed that several  were asleep & one person had even got  an eye mask on & was fast asleep in a chair laid flat out. In the TV  department we saw the best sight – a man sitting on a sofa watching one of the display TV’s with a beer in his hand. Brilliant. And it was all perfectly normal & the staff didn't seem bothered by to at all.
Another day trip took us out of the centre by bus to a place called Arashiyama to visit a temple, some beautiful gardens & the amazing bamboo grove – a walk that takes you through the middle of a small forest where giant bamboo trees tower over you and almost every where we went we saw young couples dressed in traditional costumes or in wedding dresses & suits, being photographed.  It was so lovely to stroll around and soak up the views & the tradition of these places. I have to admit that we have, very quickly,  fallen head over heels in love with Japan.
Our last day in Kyoto we hired bicycles & had  great fun exploring the side streets, the market and of course some more temples.  Making sure not to speed, as I cannot afford another fine, it made a nice change from walking & we needed to give our feet a rest as we had plenty more walking ahead of us at our next stop – Takayama – gateway to the Northern Japan Alps. 

Bright lights, big city, gone to my baby's head

Our journey from Christchurch to Tokyo was a long one - the longest  flight we have taken so far on our travels. We have never flown with New Zealand Airlines before & were impressed. Excellent service, good food, a cheeky ice cream treat halfway through the flight & some delicious fizz, which you can order at the touch of a button throughout your flight if you so wish! On arrival at Tokyo airport it was as efficient as I expected then once through, we caught the limousine bus to the central terminal a 15min walk from our hotel.  All straight forward &  all very easy - once we went in the right direction!
We had 3 nights and 2 full days in Tokyo.  We knew that wasn't enough but we had decided to use the time to acclimatise & will return  at the end of our trip to explore further. Tokyo is huge so you have to be realistic about what you can achieve. 
Our first morning we set off on foot,  armed with map & guidebook to explore. we've experienced incredible sights & scenery in the last few weeks but it's so good to be back in a noisy, busy, crowded city. We are clearly city types & our energy levels thrived on it. 

Tokyo is a city of contrasts – they have incredible toilets that warm, wash & dry you from every angle – even playing music if you need to hide any noises but the  public toilets do not have any soap or hand dryers. Outside on the street you can only smoke in designated areas but you can still smoke in restaurants, bars & hotels.  All road junctions, even the tiniest of turnings, are controlled by pedestrian lights & everyone complies – even if there isn't a car for miles. However If you are on a bicycle you can do what you like it seems. On the streets screens & bright lights are flashy & loud, a complete sensory overload at times, yet they play jazz – cool chilled jazz, almost everywhere you go. During the working week all the men & most of the women wear suits & white shirts & look very business like, late in the evening however, they let their hair down & get completely wasted - we saw a number of them staggering along! 
As usual we covered a ridiculous number of kms & visited lots of  must see places. Our highlights – seeing the cherry blossom – about a week from full bloom,  finding the JBS (jazz blues soul) bar up with an enviable vinyl collection. Smoky? Yes but it seemed acceptable there.  Shibuya a vibrant area with bright lights, shops & lots of people; Senso-ji temple & the area around it was well worth a visit. We also found a great bar that sold herbal liquor & a shop that sold dog clothes including a samurai warrior outfit – sadly all too small for A&Gs dog. Food wise, everything we have eaten so far has been fabulous. Ordering it is easy once you work out how. In some places you need to order from vending machines. You simply press the picture of the dishes you want, insert money, get a ticket, put it on your table,  then someone takes it off you & shortly after the food arrives. Easy. 
On our second day we exchanged the vouchers we had purchased previously for  our JR passes (Japan Rail. It cost us £400 each for a 3 week pass & will save us heaps. 

So on our third day we boarded the bullet train to Kyoto & boy was it fast. Mr L clocked the speed on his gps app at 270km per hour. Very impressive & you can hardly feel it. But speed isn't always a good thing as I was reminded by the NSW police this week – I have apparently been summonsed for speeding whilst in Sydney. My first speeding ticket in all my years of driving. So, not only am I a thrill seeking adrenaline junky, it seems I'm now a lawless speed freak. What has become of me. 

Chillin' out, maxin', relaxin' all cool

We had initially planned just one night at the grandly named  Highfield View Lodge Motel in Oamaru, but  less than 15 minutes after we walked into our modern, clean, warm, spacious room with king sized bed,  kitchenette, huge spa bath & giant tv we decided to book a second night. Can’t think what made us do that! After a nap, a luxurious bath & some mind numbing tv  we walked into town to eat, then hurried back to our respite care home, shut the rain out & turned the heating up. We were woken by the cleaner the following morning , but we declined her services as we continued to stage our own bed-in. However by 2pm we both knew we had to get some fresh air so reluctantly we ventured out to explore Oamaru. Mindful that it was Good Friday, Our  first stop was the local Catholic Church, then into town, where we discovered a cluster of streets with Victorian buildings that have been preserved, not gentrified, that seem to have  been taken over  by local artists & bohemians, the centre piece of which was the Steampunk Gallery.  The gallery is home to mechanical art pieces made out of old Victorian steam engines & components. Not what we had expected at all in this town. It was intriguing to discover & we enjoyed exploring it all. 

The following morning, reluctantly, we checked out of the respite accommodation & despite the  promise of good weather, for the first hour of our journey we were battling rain storms but then suddenly they were gone & we felt our energy levels return. We diverted ourselves off the highway to a small town called Geraldine – Mr L had been reading the guidebook & thought it worth a visit. We were excited to see a craft market as we pulled in but even more excited to see the blue skies that had begun to appear. We walked around & sampled some cheese before stopping for tea & cake – planning time! We decided to head north  to  chase the sunshine to a town called Ashburton, which turned out to be a v good decision. As we arrived the sky was blue & the sun was hot,  we spent the afternoon with our feet up reading. 
The next day we drove to Christchurch; our last stop, our last few days in the van, our last few days in NZ. We found a campsite on the edge of town to base ourselves & spent the time exploring the city's museums, parks, art galleries & tourist spots. There is still a huge amount to do to rebuild the town following the earthquakes in 2010 & 2011 but there is still plenty to see & enjoy & lots of art pieces dotted around town to keep it interesting. In between exploring we attempted to plan our itinerary for our next stop, Japan & we are so looking forward to it.
We weren't sad to say goodbye to the spaceship- just relieved they didn't spot the mark where I reversed it into another car whilst parking (it was only a bump!)

New Zealand, particularly the South Island is stunning ( I may have mentioned this in previous blogs)  however we spent just a little too long here, particularly as we were here as  autumn ended & the rain set in. It's a country of great scenery & outdoor pursuits & needs good weather to make the best of it. So tomorrow we fly to our fourteenth & final country where we jump from autumn to spring. Our flight home has been booked & the end of our travels is rushing towards us at speed. But for now our focus is on Japan & all it has to offer.

Am I sitting in a tin can, far above the world....

We left Queenstown and headed down south which promised different scenery and sightings of sea life. The  last big town on the West coast is Invercargill, where we arrived  & headed straight to the tourist information (i-site) to pick up a map,  grab some free wifi & get some recommendations. We walked around the big park & gardens then visited the museum but for some reason they had the air con on max – quite unnecessary Given that the temperature was decidedly chilly. Perhaps it was to preserve the fossils & bones but it wasn't doing much good for our bones so we virtually ran  around the place before heading outside to warm up. I-site had recommended we visit a few places in town – one of which was the sheep cheese factory where we could sample the goods. Free cheese? We were there! Only they didn't have any. A whole factory of cheese,  whole cool cabinets of cheese, but the lady in the shop couldn't find her tray of cheese samples so we didn't get any. I will bear a grudge forever more against the blue cheese factory In Invercargill.  Another place recommended was also food related – the delightfully named “fat b**t**d pies”. Both Australia and NZ are very partial to a pie. I'm not but we hadn't eaten breakfast, so gave it a go. It was indeed fat and certainly made me feel that way, when I was gorging on it, before I admitted defeat. I think my pie eating days are over. 

We drove around Town but not much else caught our eye so we got back on SH1 & headed to the Catlin scenic route. The route takes you along the Bottom of the South Island where there is really only one road - a bit like Norfolk - so to get to the beaches & inlets we had to drive along  some very bumpy & dirty unmade tracks. It was worth it though. At a place called Otara  a dozen or so people were gathered in the sand dunes, watching a lone sea lion bobbing about in the sea. We watched for a bit but then walked off along the beach for some distance. When we returned everyone had gone so we sat on the dunes,  as the sea lion reappeared coming out of the sea & rolling on the sand. It was lovely to watch. I was amazed how fast they can move as it started climbing the sand dunes next to us. I was so amazed in fact I forgot to get out of the way & suddenly it was there in front of me, right in front of me & let me tell you they are very very big! Mr L shouted at me to move which I v quickly did & for a few moments it started to follow us before heading into the dunes. As we walked back to the car park we stopped to tell others  & to point out where the sea lion was, only to discover we had met the most miserable man ever! We didn't let it spoil our moment though & (randomly) started shouting ‘sea lion’ all the way back to the car to amuse ourselves . Our next stop was Slope Point, the southern most point of the South Island – just 4800km from the South Pole (no wonder it's so cold). Mr L checked his GPS map which told us we were 19060km from London. That made us feel a very very long way from home. 

We continued stopping off at different viewing points, spotting birds & sea lions, walking along trails & through forest areas for the next the few days.  Athough we have been very lucky not to experience the weather the North Island has, the temperature had dropped significantly & the wet weather was pretty relentless which was hard going during the day and at night made it hard to sleep as you can hear each drop that hits the roof of the van. As my friend A pointed out, ‘you are sleeping in a tin can’ & she's right. So when we got to a town called Oamaru,  we pulled off the road & checked ourselves into a motel for a few nights, to dry out, warm up & catch up on some sleep. After all, this isn't meant to be an endurance test.  

She flies like a bird In the sky....

I said in the last blog I wouldn't mention the scenery again but I have to because nature completely upped it's game once we left Wanaka & headed to Queenstown. The vista was amazing & to ensure we got the maximum enjoyment there were viewing points along the route for you to stop & drink up the views. We stopped at every one. I should apologise in advance to those of you who will be subjected to the compulsory viewing of our photographs (note: no doctors notes or lame excuses for not being able to view them will be accepted). We have taken so many, I fear that there is not enough fizz in the world to help you maintain (or feign) interest. I promise I will try to condense them but you have been warned!  After a brief visit to Arrowtown with its interesting history of Chinese immigration we continued on to Queenstown. As we headed into town We were stopped by the police & Mr L who was driving was asked to count to 5 into a device. There was no explanation & once Mr L had done it we were told we could go. I'm assuming it was some sort of alcohol or drug breathalyser,  or maybe it was a numeracy test. Either way he passed. The campsite we stayed on was 10mins from downtown – a real treat to be so close – & it was really lovely. Even better we had decided to stay for 2 nights. First job as always was to get our laundry done then we were ready to hit town – at 4.30pm !! Rather impressively the town was quite lively at that time of day & after a quick tour we stumbled upon the inevitable Irish Bar & called in. It would have been rude not to. We had a few drinks then went to have something to eat. We were back at the campsite by 8.30pm. Not exactly a wild night out but when a small glass of wine costs more than a decent bottle you can't go too mad. A plus side of this campsite is that it had great facilities – a big kitchen & a lounge area with sofas, a log fire & a tv. We had the place to ourselves so we chilled out & watched Phil & Kirsty's Location, Location, Location. The following morning I don't know what came over me but I suddenly announced to Mr L that I wanted to try paragliding. I have never previously entertained the idea. In fact when Mr L did it years ago in Turkey, I made it quite clear that I would never ever do something like that.  So we booked it. When the mini bus arrived to take us to our jump spot, before we entered the bus we were asked to get on weighing scales. What was this about? Are they going to measure me for a coffin next? Thankfully they didn't. When we arrived at The top of Coronet Peak, or Mount  Everest as it looked to me, I was paired up with My partner. I should make it clear this was to be a tandem jump I wasn't going to do it on my own. I'm not that crazy. I was to be strapped to Tom. He seemed quite a sturdy looking chap & unfazed when I voiced concerns about running off the edge of a cliff. Whilst I was being strapped into my harness and keeping myself under control, Mr L was ready to go. We had a brief  exchange before he ran confidently forward & was quickly in the air and away. I was next. As Tom and his colleague made sure the parachute and strings were in order, I photographed them, for evidential purposes. Just in case. Then we were good to go. Tom told me the plan. I was in front of him & I would run off the mountain &keep running until the canopy pulled us up into the air. Hmmm I wasn't sure I agreed with the plan but just as I was about to propose an alternative, one of the other instructors came over, stood in front of me, grabbed my harness and, as Tom said run I was pulled & pushed off the edge, with my legs moving involuntarily. There was a brief moment where I felt myself falling & let out some sort of sound in panic but then we were in the air flying, where the views (don't mention the views!) were amazing from this angle. The whole flight lasted no more an 10mins & apart from a brief moment where Tom did a tight turn that made my stomach lurch, it was a calming experience. Even landing was straightforward. I have often had dreams where I am flying & now I have experienced it in real life. It felt good . Mr L looked very concerned/relieved to see me alive & smiling. It's official – I am now a thrill seeking adrenaline junky! 

We're lost in music.....

Our first morning on the South Island & the weather was decidedly dull. However, reading about the awful weather & the tragic consequences in other parts of New Zealand & Australia, we were grateful that we are travelling in the opposite direction & unaffected by it. We spent our first week heading down the West Coast, stopping just one night at each spot but cramming our days with exploring caves, treks, visits to museums, towns, hot pools & even kayaking. Our walks took us up alongside both Franz Joseph & Fox Glacier with great views. After we were tempted to take  a helicopter ride but decided to save our money & visit the hot pools instead where we lay in waters set at a delicious 38  degrees & where we still had clear views of the Glacier.  
The  following day we went on a 3 hr kayaking trip with a guide to a beautiful lake that reflected the surrounding mountains & glaciers, then we rowed down a narrow gully overgrown in places by trees & plants. We really enjoyed it. I'm becoming quite proficient at this kayaking lark & this particular kayak had a rudder so Mr L’s steering was much improved & therefore ‘discussions’ about steering were limited to complimentary comments. 
We realised this week that we have now been travelling for six months and to celebrate we purchased an auxiliary lead to plug our iPod into the van & listen to our own music. It was so good to hear something other than Justin Bieber. We stopped at a lake near Ruatapa, where there was a picnic area  and campground,  to make lunch. The sun was shining, our music was playing so we thought,  what the heck, let's have the afternoon off. We pulled onto the campsite to a spot where we were by ourselves,  set up our chairs in the sun, got out the cheese, crackers, grapes and the  wine of course, put on some of our favourite tracks and got totally absorbed in the music. A fabulous, lost afternoon. Sometimes you forget that you don't need to charge about trying to see and do everything, you need to take time to enjoy the moment. We certainly did.
When we woke the following morning to yet more clear blue skies, we took our breakfast with us and sat down by the lake to enjoy the scenery. A great start to the day. Back on the road and the views just kept on getting better. 
The weather wasn't so great when we arrived in a town called Wanaka, where fellow travellers had recommended we visit. It is quite  a tourist hotspot and offers all sorts of adventurous activities, but nothing that attracted us. We purchased some oversized cake to discuss our options and decided that we should drive out of town and do a short trek Along a trail called Mountain Rock. The clue was in the name I guess but I didn't pay attention. The track quickly became a climb. Mr L said he felt more like a mountain goat than a hiker, but every so often the foliage cleared and we had incredible views. When we finally reached the top we were surrounded by mountains and glaciers. The clear skies allowed us to see forever and below us were the Lakes. I'm sure it's getting boring for you now reading about the amazing views & it's equally hard for me to put into words how Incredible they are so can you just take it as read that everywhere we go in the South Island the scenery is spectacular. 
You may be wandering why there are big gaps in between blog posts. To put the record straight it is not tardiness on my part but the limited wifi opportunities. Most campsites offer some wifi but usually 100Mb which is just about enough to check emails, messages & the news. In Australia we relied on McDonalds & Bunnings DIY store to provide free wifi, but there are less of those opportunities in NZ. Even the libraries, when we can find them, another source of free wifi, limit usage. I'm delighted though that so many of you continue to follow & share our experiences with us. 
Our next destination was the worlds leading centre for jumping, dropping or running off things – usually high points – Queenstown. I wasn't sure if it had much to offer us but we shall see. 

Who let the dogs out??

The morning after the Alpine Crossing,  we woke feeling surprisingly perky, as we packed up the van & hit the road. As we traversed the winding mountain roads we couldn't pick any music up on the radio, so  I serenaded Mr L with my full repertoire of songs as he feigned appreciation. We didn't really have much of a plan from this point on, but we were conscious we needed to allow plenty of time for the South Island. Napier was on our list of places to go, but it would have resulted in a 200km detour so we put it on our next time list &  carried on the road to Wellington. At about 3.30pm with the sunshine putting in a full shift,  we pulled off the highway at a place called Levin, to take full advantage of it. As we drove onto the campsite,  I was immediately approached by a small boy who declared he had lost his ‘pop’. Poor little thing. There  were other campers around but he'd selected me to rescue him. I had my eye on a something cold to drink in the sunshine but I put my needs aside & got him to tell me his story then took him to reception, where we  established that, quite bizarrely his family had moved off the site & he had been left to find his way to their new location, which he'd forgotten, which is perfectly understandable given that he was 8yrs of age. Thankfully reception staff reunited him with his family but with no thanks or acknowledgement. It's hard not to judge sometimes. We did our domestic chores – washed clothes, bedding & ourselves, cooked & bed. Life on the road can be crazy sometimes. 
The following day we went to Wellington, where we spent the afternoon exploring the quayside, shops & the city museum – our favourite museum by far. In the late afternoon we headed out of town to  camp for the evening,  at a DOC (Department of Conservation) site, which is cheaper, but more basic, but with lovely surroundings.. We were just getting dinner ready when a Land Rover pulling a battered caravan came on site. Normally you just get tents,  cars or people carriers like ours on these sites so it was unusual to see this size of vehicle. As it pulled up the driver, quite an elderly man, produced 2 large German shepherd dogs & tethered them outside the caravan. I am not anti dogs – but my preference is for well behaved, well controlled dogs. These didn't seem to be either. I carried on cooking (vegetable curry - nice) when I saw a lad walk around the caravan & one of the dogs went for him. He leapt back and I could see he was in pain.  I called to him to come over & let me look at it & he seemed relieved. He was  shaken, bleeding profusely & v shocked. The puncture wound at the front of his leg was brutal & at the back a row of teeth had acted as a knife slashing through his leg. This long & scraggy haired, multi pierced, young man from the north of England, wearing big boots and dirty work clothes,  declared that he'd been working on the roads in NZ. He was 23yrs of age & contrary to how he looked, was  clearly very frightened by the experience. I cleaned the wound (FYI I have no medical training!!) & made general enquiries about his tetanus injection history, then Suggested a trip to hospital. I hope my girlfriends P & C, who are medically trained, are nodding here as I would hate to disappoint them by doing the wrong thing. The lad agreed to go to hospital & said  he would also ring his mum to let her know. Bless. Words were exchanged with the dog owner & they were put in the caravan & not seen again. I would have preferred if he had left the site. I couldn't help but think what if it had been a small child.
The following day we went back into Wellington to get the ferry across to the South Island which took just under 4hrs. It was a pleasant Crossing & the views as we got closer were beautiful. We also watched the beginning of a film “Petes Dragon” – now we've seen the beginning & the end! It was 7pm as we landed & we made our way through the town, along a windy little road that took us to our campsite. It was only a short distance but already this Island felt a lot different to the North Island. 

Hey honey, take a walk on the wild side...

Our visit to Taupo was a brief one but when we woke after our ‘crazy night’ out at the festival, we agreed that despite the miserable weather,  we needed to visit Huka Falls. We walked along by the Waikato River, passing the hot springs where the young & brave donned their swimwear to sit  in hot steaming water,  their top half exposed to the wet & windy weather. Not my idea of fun. By the time we got to the falls the rain was heavy & our lightweight rain macs finally gave up pretending they were showerproof or anything proof. Our next destination was up in the mountains, so we needed something that was up to the challenge.  Our route skirted along the side of Lake Taupo and should have afforded us beautiful views but, as the rain continued & the clouds moved in, we could barely see anything. As we turned off the main highway, we pulled off the road to make some lunch at a spot that promised a scenic lookout, but all it actually offered was a wall of fog. We did what any self respecting Englishman would  & made a cup of tea and sat and looked at it anyway. It was only a short drive to Whakapapa. It describes itself as a village so I assumed that it would have a shop where we could buy new waterproof jackets. However we discovered all it consisted of was a bizarre looking chateau hotel, a tavern (bar), a caravan park  & a visitors centre. We were greatly relieved to find that the centre sold some equipment including waterproof jackets so purchased were made. We booked into the campsite & headed to the tavern where Mr L got his own back on my luge victories by beating me at pool three times. Shameful performance on my part. It was Mothers Day in the UK so in the evening our time it was a delight to get lovely messages & pics from H&A. I miss them so much.   M our son in law had told us about the Tongariro Alpine Crossing,  reputedly the best one day walk in NZ. That sounded like something Mr L & I could do I thought . The advice from the visitors centre was that its not for the faint hearted. Gulp. The weather report for the following day was grim so we decided to do a short walk, to test out our jackets & our legs. The trail was about 2hrs but branched off to a lake. We were feeling fine so decided to carry on further & ended up walking for 5hrs & over 17k. Some warm up walk! We felt pretty sore & the Alpine crossing the next day was in doubt, but an encouraging text from M said we would regret it if we didn't do it. He was probably right & we didn't want to let him down! We set our alarm for 6am. It seemed to go off seconds after we set it & poor Mr L barely slept. But we decided we were going to give it a go so boarded the bus that would transport us to the start. I was surprised by how many people were doing the walk – a continual stream of hikers or trampers as they call them in NZ, mostly young, a few much older than us, some seemed ill equipped (we saw several doing it in plimsoles!!) but as the sun rose, we were all aiming for the same goal – the end, only 19.4km away. The thing about this walk isn't the distance, it the terrain & the altitude, passing Mount Ngauruhoe & Mount Tongariro, skirting the red crater, the beautiful volcanic lakes & springs, the landscape changes so many times. At one point it felt like we were on the moon as we crossed a vast area in between the mountains where there was no vegetation at all but scattered with fallen rocks. On other parts of the walk we were in rain forest.. At times the ascent was so steep I struggled to breathe but we took it steady and gradually we made progress. The weather stayed dry and for the most part clear so we had spectacular views – ones we won't forget. The descent down a steep and narrow track of volcanic dust was a real challenge. There was no grip whatsoever – every step and your foot slid forward 6-10 inches & holding on  didn't really work as you ended up pulling each other. I found that pretty hard but Mr L kept making me laugh & got me through it. It took us 6hrs 40mins – definitely not a record but it didn't matter because we did it & we felt very pleased with ourselves & surprisingly refreshed, without too many aches & pains. Not surprisingly we slept for 12 hours. 

I can hear music, sweet sweet music...

It wasn't until our third day in Rotorua that we actually saw the place. We had spent our time reading, relaxing in the sunshine or sleeping at the quiet, comfortable campsite we had found just on the edge of town. By then we were ready to adventure out and explore. You do however, need to be prepared for the smell.  The air in & around Rotorua is described as ‘sulphur rich’, which translates as strong eggy stink,  caused by the hot springs, mud pools and geysers, which is where we were headed. Te Puia describes itself as ‘one of the worlds most beautiful & exciting geothermal areas’. As I've never been to another geothermal area I can't possibly comment on this claim, but it was fascinating watching the mud pools bubble  & see the geysers erupt – not quite the 30 meters promised but I'm nitpicking now. Rotorua is also famous for offering ‘thrill seekers’ plenty of options – white-water rafting, off-road dirt tours & extreme mountain biking. We weren't seeking any of these thrills. Instead we headed to the luge track, where we got to hurtle down tracks  on a plastic go-cart, taking corners at crazy speeds, braking only when necessary. And we loved it!  It would have been even better if the kids were with us – especially A as he is  so competitive & Mr L is not, which kind of takes the fun out of beating him – which I did every time!!
The following morning,  energised by my luge victory, we headed to the Redwood Forest to enjoy the canopy walk, where we learned lots of things about trees & ferns which I have already forgotten but it was good all the same. There was no time to hang around though – we had places to go. We were going to a music festival! I say festival – well in fairness the leaflet I read called it a festival. I guess that is what it started out as but due to the threat of rain, they had changed the event from all day to just evening & moved it to an inside venue at a hotel, making it more of an event I would say. I know all this because I emailed ‘Karin’ the organiser who was “super excited” we were coming -she had obviously never met us. The original Venue  was at a glass sculpture park about 12km outside of Taupo so we called in to visit it as we passed. All around the gardens there were some lovely glass pieces displayed  & Mr L, who has an Interest in glass sculptures, really enjoyed it.  It would have made a great venue for a festival, with tiered seating & intimate surroundings. We carried on our journey to Taupo where, as luck would have it, there was a campsite right next door to the new venue, so en route we did a reckie to check it out. It was like a ghost town. The hotel reception was locked & there was not a soul about. We drove to the campsite, checked in & had a swim in the pool, before getting ready. As we headed out, expectations were pretty low, so we were pleased that when we turned the corner, we could see lights on, cars parked outside & people milling around. As we entered the venue, the first band were already playing. I introduced myself to Karin who was still ‘super excited’. It's hard to describe the venue. It had a sort of Wild West façade outside and inside a bit like a huge social club, where the vast majority of other gig attendees were hippies. The bar had mini bottles of fizz  & pale ale so smiles all around. We got some chairs & sat to the side as the 40 odd crowd were sitting at tables talking, whereas we wanted to actually listen to the music. On a trip to the loo I was fascinated by some graffiti that proclaimed ‘I love 1814 forever’. Wow I thought that must have been a fascinating year in history until I discovered later it's the name of a band. Anyway I digress. There were 6 bands altogether- what I would describe as mixed ability. During one performance I became distracted (what I really mean is irritated) by a young moody looking teenager playing pool.  The problem was the table was just to the side of the stage so you couldn't watch the band without seeing him just hitting the balls around the table. I spotted Karin & mentioned that it was distracting. Next thing I know Karin swept across the room, with her skirt swirling and swishing as she went, to talk to the boy.  I was expecting a quick word & that would be that. What I hadn't expected was seeing her, & then her partner hugging & kissing the boy. It was Karins son. She was no longer super excited and we were now persona non grata. As usual they saved the best for last & the final two bands made the evening. We left happy & headed back to the campsite, it was after all, 11pm! 

If you start me up, if you start me up I'll never stop...

Everywhere we have driven so far the landscape is beautiful – lush and green. Where wild pampas grass line the sides of the road & so many different types of fern growing everywhere – hence the fern being so prominent on NZ emblems & sports jerseys.   Which reminded me of something I read in the Botanic Gardens in Sydney – Lady Gaga has 19 different species of fern named after her. I have no idea why but it's  a fact you can fascinate your friends with!
Once we had collected the new Camper van, from a company called Spaceships & returned  the car, we stopped for food & essentials, then drove the short distance to Te Kauwhata, a free campsite, where we put our feet up & relaxed in the sunshine. Exactly what we needed. 
The new van is called ‘Slartibartfast’ a character from The Hitchhiker’s Guide, which is not something I ever got into & so we  just refer to it as the spaceship; it is a small people carrier; smaller in height than the hippie but fresher, newer & v comfortable seats for driving. The bedding area isn't quite as comfortable, the fridge is smaller &, whereas the hippie could be configured to have a rear seating area, this can't & as the fridge & storage is located underneath the bed area  it's more difficult to get to. No matter, we were happy to have a little place of our own to call home again. 
Fully refreshed, the following morning we were up & ready to go. Unfortunately the spaceship wasn't. Turned the key. Nothing. The battery was dead.  I made the call to the company & their first response  was to inform me that the battery had been checked recently and was fine. We were then told we had to  pay $50 on the premise that ‘if it turned out to be our fault’ they would have the money already. Not sure what legal system they work to but it seemed to me like  ‘guilty until proven innocent’. I was unimpressed.   Thankfully the garage was there within minutes to jump start us & it fired Up straight away.  We knew we hadn't left anything on that would have drained the battery but we were faced with the option of  have the battery tested for a fault, which would take the best part of the day or drive off without it being checked, thereby accepting that we were at fault. Given that we had already been told the battery was fine & the mechanic had already declared he didn't think it was a fault with the battery (in other words it was our fault) we took it on the chin, took the and van & left. We explored the town of Hamilton, visiting the museum (very informative) & walking along the river, but the weather was dull & overcast & the morning’s drama had dampened our spirits. We got back in the van and carried on driving to a town called Cambridge where we Camped for the night knowing that we would have the same  problem with the van again the next morning.  Sure enough as we turned the key the next morning nothing happened. We went through the same process again of calling the company & having a garage out to jump start us,  although the company did agree to waive the $50 charge this time, conceding that  maybe something wasn't quite right. Once the van started we took it in to the local garage to be fully checked – the prognosis possibly the battery (really? Why didn't we think of that!!). Meanwhile,  we had 4 hrs to kill in Cambridge,  which is pleasant enough town,  but in 4hrs you can visit every shop & still have time to spare. We know because we did. However,  by 4pm we had one new battery , a $50 refund from the first call out, 2 days rental charges refunded & huge apologies all round.  Hopefully, now  we could get on with our travels. The van fired up & confirmed it was ready for action. Hmmm we shall see!  Our plan had been to visit Waitomo caves but it was too late in the day,  so we headed in that direction to camp nearby ready to go the following morning. Our campsite for the evening was on a farm, which Mr L loved & I didn't. It had rusty tractors, animals & ‘quirky’ toilets & showers. I didn't want quirky I wanted functional! When we woke the next morning it was a relief to hear the engine start as we headed off out. The history of the caves was interesting & it was  great to see the little glow worms lighting up the roof of the caves,  but it was very touristy & by then I had had enough. I had to admit I hadn't been feeling well for a few days so Mr L bundled me in the van and drove us to Rotorua, to a lovely campsite where I was forced to nothing but sleep &  recharge.  

I can see for miles and miles and miles

Our next few days in New Zealand made us realise we had, as usual,  been over ambitious. View to the left; View to the right; exciting/interesting place just ahead. It was impossible to see all of the Northlands in 4 days,  but we did our best. We left Warkworth, heading to an area known as the Bay of Islands, stopping in towns along the way to explore. Our accommodation was not in the Bay or the islands  but in the mountains above & to get to it required  a “hold on to your seat” ride up a long, windy,  gravel road for about 20km. Definitely worth the effort though. Our accommodation was a cosy (small) self contained unit (summerhouse), with a small veranda & huge views across the hills & down onto one of the inlets. It was mesmerising, particularly as the sun went down & turned the sky into an array of different colours. Inside,  the accommodation was compact,  with the shower and loo separated from the kitchen area by a curtain (lucky we know each other) and a bedroom where the bed  was the primary feature. It was lovely &  we woke in the night to look at the stars in the huge sky. The following day we drove back down the mountain to a town called Russell that overlooked the Bay. A sweet little town but not much going on so we caught the car ferry across the bay & got back on the highway. We stopped in a town called Kawakawa, which is famous for its toilets – which I have to say are quite impressively decorated with ceramic  mosaics & glass, but not sure I would live in a town that has such a claim to fame. Next to a town called Waiotira (you will probably notice, as I did,  that an awful lot of the towns in NZ begin with K or W) where after a walk around, we began the very steep climb up an unmade road that made the previous days one seem quite tame. Mr L was driving with my expert advice on speed & sharpness of corners being continually shared, to aide him in the task, which I’m sure he appreciated but didn't say so. Our accommodation for that evening was what I would describe as “unusual”. Again, a self contained unit at the back of the owners house, with an outside shower & laundry area as well as a separate outside compost loo – all looking like little hobbit houses. In fact I speculated that the owner had worked on the ‘Lord of the Rings’ film set & when it was finished he couldn't stop making little hobbity things so he just carried on building them at home instead. It had a certain charm though,  but more importantly it had the most spectacular views looking down across the valley laid out below us. So good I bored people with pictures and even FaceTimed the kids to share it with them. I must say they did well to be enthusiastic at 6.45am their time ,whilst they were busy getting ready for work, for a view they could barely see,  but we appreciated their efforts.
We spent what must have been a typical evening before television was invented, listening to music & reading by the dim light of the standard lamp before retiring to our hobbity bed. 

Our plan had been to explore Hokianga Bay and go sand surfing but time was against  us. The following morning as we drove south we pulled into the town of Opononi that looked across to the huge sand hills so we could at least admire the views. We also called in to a little craft fair  and purchased a huge slab of homemade carrot cake for $7! A good way to keep spirits up.  Next stop  Waipoua Kauri Forest – home to the most magnificent 2,000yr old tree, where tourists pointed lengthy camera lenses to get a good shot & Mr L blew them away with a panorama pic on my iPhone which made the camera boffs gasp in admiration. 
We stopped for lunch in Dargaville. It doesn't sound like an attractive town & we had been told by C&T that it wasn't but that just made us want to go there even more. We had lunch at the ‘blahblahblah’ café, where the wifi code was ‘Idontknow’ which amused me & strolled around town which was buzzing as a result of a cycle race taking place there. After a whole day of driving we arrived at the accommodation in Kaukapakapa – another airbnb find, cooked, had a glass of wine/beer & watched a film. The following morning we were back in Auckland, swapped the  car for a Camper van & promised ourselves we would take our travels a little more sedately this time. 

These boots are made for walking....

I was convinced our flight to New Zealand was going to take  5-6 hrs. In fact it was only 3 ½ hrs – plus another 2hr+  time difference which means we are even further away from UK time. As you would expect, I read the border entry form very carefully & declared that we did indeed have boots & we had walked on soil (not water)  in the preceding 30 days,  and I was confident our boots would pass inspection. Mr L finds it highly amusing that I feel the need to scrub our boots every time we fly, but I hate the idea of being held up as a poor scrubber as it were. So, as you can imagine, I was absolutely mortified when the boots were  were inspected & deemed to be ‘contaminated’ & removed by the customs officer for cleaning. I felt judged & rightly so.  It also meant that we took 1 1/2 hours to get out of the airport. We called our car rental company, ‘lucky’  to collect us. We weren't quite so lucky when we were handed the keys to a sad looking Nissan that had seen better days but we had only paid £20 p.day so we were fine with it. We wanted to have a Camper van for our whole time in New Zealand but we weren't able to get one for the first 5days so we rented a car instead,  with the plan to explore places to the North of Auckland then drive back, swap the car for a van and continue with our tour of NZ. 
I have to confess that when lots of people asked us before & since we set off ‘which island are you going to’, I had no idea which was which, which Town was on which island & whether we should be going to both or just one and if so which one?  So my response was always vague. As you will be aware from our blog planning our travels is pretty much on the go & this time was no different. We had contacted family for their ‘best places to go’ advice & that forms the basis of our travel plans. I should add  that pretty much most of Mr L’s family have been to NZ so I am therefore legally obliged to include more details of the places we go to and the towns we visit, so they can relive their experiences. They are not to be messed with.
We arrived at our guest house on the edge of Auckland, grabbed some food, connected to the wifi, laid out our free maps & secondhand (recently purchased from a charity shop) NZ guidebook circa 2007, and planned the next few days &, with the help of airbnb we booked 3 nights accommodation. Sorted. Then we drove into downtown to explore the city of Auckland. Not the best place to start I would say. Perhaps because the sky had clouded over, or because we were tired,  but we were v unimpressed with the place. We headed back to our guesthouse  in the hope that NZ would offer us a lot more the next day. Thankfully it did. We hadn't given ourselves too much driving to do on day one of our trip, so the first stop was Warkworth. As soon as we left Auckland the scenery kicked in. Stunning. Rolling hills, the greenest fields contrasted against the bluest skies & lots of winding roads.  Along the way we stopped off at a beach and did what we normally do, strolled along it and then back again. 
Our next port of call was at Waiwera thermal spa resort, where we boiled our bodies in 38degree water, then immersed ourselves in the ‘movie pool’ where they were showing “Petes Dragon” – quite a bizarre concept, then we got a fit of the giggles as we rode rubber rings down the laziest lazy  river ride ever - I'm sure you can just picture it - before Mr L hit the zooms, whilst I opted to record his landings for posterity. All good fun. Our accommodation was a modern, self contained apartment above a garage & v nice it was too. Such a contrast to life in a Camper van. We had a tour of the town then sat on their veranda in the sun reading. Perfect. I could get used to it. Later we drove down to Snells Bay & Algies Bay where we sat and admired the views before calling into the appropriately named 'Liquorland' for some refreshments on the way back to town.

Moving down the highway of my life....

We had 4 days to get the Camper van we were relocating, from Sydney to Melbourne. Except we didn't. We didn't get on the road until 11.45 on Monday & we had to deliver it by 2pm Thursday, which meant we only had 3 days to cover the 1100km coastal route. We had hoped to  stop in at Canberra but quickly realised that wasn't on the cards. I also had a long list of ‘must see’ places  which was unlikely to be fully achieved. It was mid pm  before we put Sydney behind us & once on the open road & we were suddenly aware of the  strong cross winds that battered the van making it hard to drive. However, on the plus side,  it created some spectacular waves, so when we stopped at Kiama to observe the ‘blowhole’ where the sea comes up through a gap in the rocks it was like a huge explosion of water shooting right up in the air. We joined the groups of school kids watching it & screaming at  getting soaked – yet waiting for more. Back on the road & the wind was still making it a challenge to keep control so we called it a day about 4.30 pm & found a campsite, where ‘the computers were down’ so they let us in for free. Result! The next morning we stopped off in Ulladulla & walked along the deserted  beach before getting back on the Princes Highway, stopping in Batemans Bay & Eden for a look around. When we finally stopped we had covered nearly 350km & the camping was free due to a dispute with the local council about who collected the money. Result! We found a lovely walk that skirted a river then crossed it via stepping stones which I did with great trepidation- I think you know by now I'm not the adventurous type, then we Jogged back to the van to get our legs moving. We were in bed by 8pm & despite the man singing David Gray songs at full volume we were asleep moments later.  We got up early & drove to Lakes Entrance  & walked out past the lakes to 90 mile beach where the surf looked impressive in the sun. We had breakfast in a car park (glamorous)then back on the road, stopping only to steal wifi from McD’s  in their car park. Another 350km completed, we pulled into our stop for the night, Warragul caravan & retirement park – a glimpse of the future perhaps?! It wasn't free but it did have a washing machine, dryer & a swimming pool so we got to it. As we loaded the machine we realised we wanted to wash the clothes we had on so we shut the door & stripped off in the laundry room, put our costumes on & went swimming as our clothes washed. Later, when we were back in the laundry room folding our clothes I noticed a sign that said ‘CCTV in operation’  then looked up and spotted the camera – oops!
The last leg of the journey was mostly motorway & the high rise buildings of Melbourne grew as we got nearer. We dropped our bags at our hotel in the city & drove out  to deliver the van. Mission accomplished but we were both exhausted so when we got back to the hotel we crashed out. Later we went out to explore & to have a drink at the oldest pub – the Mitre (it was like being back in London). The following day we had an important on to do. Get a haircut. Easy enough for Mr L, he found a barbers that did an excellent job of restoring him to his normal self. I struggled to find somewhere for less than $250 until we found out about a hair academy where I got the full treatment for $90 – although it did take 3hrs!!
We had 5 nights in Melbourne but we really didn't have the energy to do it justice. We loved Victoria Market & the hipster areas of Brunswick & south Yarra, the street art (but not the graffiti) & the buildings, the great transport systems & the very relaxed vibe of the place. We met up with C&E who we had met on our travels now giving Melbourne living a go in a fab flat with city view and we chilled in a few local bars.
Our niece C will be v disappointed to hear that whilst in Melbourne we did not make it to the set of ‘Neighbours’ & get her the list of autographs she requested. As am I, but  Australia is such a vast country with so much to see,  we didn't get there or get to so many of the places we had wanted to see; we didn't even scratch the surface. We did however, have great fun. We had no expectations of Australia but it has surprised to us. The road trips took us back in our minds to our travels in the USA in 1983 when we were planning our future & a family, and now, with our beautiful children fully grown &  at a different stage in our lives,  having a different experience, we have relaxed & enjoyed  what it has had to offer - the landscape, the people, the towns, the buildings, similar at times to England & America but for the most part it has its own identity . We will be back to see you again Australia but for now it's time to move on. New Zealand awaits.