New Zealand February 2018

London-Tokyo-Auckland, an adventure already

We left London on the 2nd of February, below Tony enjoying the new Comic Relief BA safety video and me the camera on my new iPhone!!

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On arrival in Tokyo, where we had a 8hr stopover, we headed as quickly possible out to the famous Tsukiji fish market, which we had missed on our last stay in Tokyo.

Tony had done as much research as possible on the quickest journey there and the opening times. As always taking a train in Japan was efficient and pleasurable. When we got to the market around midday the premises were open but the market had finished and we were met by endless massive polystyrene boxes. We could only imagine the big tuna they might have housed.

However we were more than compensated by finding a tiny restaurant next to the market which served the most deliciously fresh and sweet sea urchin, tuna, scallops and prawns on rice. The food in Japan is so good!!

Back at the airport trying to check in with Air NZ to Auckland-we hit a major stumbling block, and soon felt like very stupid oldies.

To travel on to Australia at the end of our stay in NZ I need an electronic visa and Tony’s Australian passport has run out in October 2017!

Thank god for new technology. I applied immediately for a visa on line but did not get approval confirmation. Re Tony it took several phone calls to the Australian and NZ embassies. Eventually the very nice rule bound Japanese woman at check-in bent the rules and let us through. By then it was 1/2 hr before departure of the plane.

Once she and her supervisor had decided in our favour we and our luggage were whisked through security in no time like VIP’s and we made it! Phew- a lesson learned!!

The stresses of our departure from Tokyo seemed very far away once we settled into our yurt on the Coromandel peninsula. We were surrounded by an orchard in Purangi Garden accommodation with passion fruit dropping onto our patio and ripe wonderful avocado trees.

On our first day Sunday the 4th of Feb we dropped our stuff and went to the local car racing festival aptly named ” the Leadfoot festival” great fun. My brothers would have enjoyed the cars and we tasted our first NZ mussel fritters.