First tentative steps….

The torture of anticipation, prepping and packing is over. Our carriage (Mike’s van) has deposited us at The Premier Inn, at Heathrow: gateway to the world…..
Wet and grey on the drive up, itRead more
Terminal 2 or should it be 3?

As we jumped off the Hoppa bus, ‘Oh yes, yes def Terminal 2’ I said confidently, then seconds later: ‘Errr oh no it isn’t….. Sorry’
Luckily the two terminals are a short walk from eachRead more
Dubai pit stop

Following a ‘go around’ after the captain aborted his first landing, we’ve emerged blinking in the bright lights of arrivals. After a pointless security scan, we trudge wearily to departures. WeRead more
Tokyo bound……

The unexpected and very welcome spare seat on a plane - it’s like winning the lottery 🙌🏻
The land of the setting sun….

Second flight ok, we both managed some sleep which was a bonus and the ‘bland meals’ which I selected for myself ahead of time, were better than the previous flight. You also get your deliciousRead more
Techno Beverage

Just had my first ever coffee made by robot.
Sushi

Breakfast or lunch? After a bit of searching found somewhere to eat. Love a bit of sushi, so this place was apt.
As we’re rapidly learning, there’s an order / system to life here.
The queuingRead more
Out and about

There seems to be no shortage of people happy to help us. A Korean student helped us escape Shibuya station last night (we might still be wandering around, it’s a maze).
In the Sushi bar, a kindlyRead more
By night

Sensō-Ji Buddhist Temple

Completely mobbed, the opposite of tranquil and reflective. All the guidebooks suggest you visit, and everyone did just that, at the same time 😬
There were lots of folk dressed in traditionalRead more
I ♥️ owls……

…..so we had to visit The Owl Cafe 🦉🦉🦉
https://akiba2960.com/
It’s a bit out of the way, in a couple of small rooms, but then you enter and there are REAL OWLS. Lots of them, perchedRead more
Plastic food

Most restaurants have windows full of plastic food, replicating their dishes. I couldn’t resist a few pics, but unable to verify if the real deal looked as ‘delicious’ as the plastic versions…..
Day two

Another full on day……
•Pachinko machines
•Sensō-Ji Buddhist Temple
• Another 🍣 🍱 lunch
•Owl Cafe
•Akihabara to buy a lost cable
•Tokyo Skytree
I was a bit smug in a previousRead more
Tokyo Skytree - highest viewpoint

For night views, we headed to floors 350 & 450.
The place was mobbed, hoards of visitors corralled into groups for queuing, ticket printing, up lifts, down lifts, the glass floor terror, getting aRead more
More robots - almost

Having watched Jane McDonald (one of my cultural references for Tokyo!) on her televised trip to Japan, we were keen to visit Pepper Parlour, a cafe where robots interact with you at your table. IRead more
Fabulous Tokyo

I can't understand why it's taken me so long to get to Tokyo. It has shot way up on my list of favourite cities. Big, but not brash, a mystic narnia of techno niknaks one moment and shinto shrine toRead more
Shops real and vending

Loved looking at the shop displays…..
We enjoyed the Animate shop, all things Anime, including banks of vending machines full of trinkets in plastic capsules. We both used up some small change toRead more
Day 3

Luckily I’d done a bit of repacking last night, because after my wakeful night, I then overslept. After a smartish brekkie and ‘jamming things in our bags’ sesh, we had a few hours to wonderRead more
Tasmania, we’re coming your way….

Hello Melbourne, clocks forward another 2 hours 🥱
We had to make the transition from international arrivals to domestic departures, which was quite a painful process as it turned out.
Got thruRead more
And relax…

The last few days have been full on with flights, jet lag and seeing as much as we could squeeze in, in Tokyo. I really enjoyed the vibe, we did a lot in our limited time, but I was ready to leaveRead more
Hobart

So we’re now in the southern hemisphere which means SUMMER ☀️☀️☀️
A chilled day which was much needed. After brekkie and some general sorting of stuff (which, now set free from theirRead more
Seaplane

So the seaplane plan worked out! Had a fab 30 min flight over the bay this morning.
The waters were crystal, the weather perfect, and the coastline just beautiful.
The pilot works in Tassie in theRead more
Gateway to the Antarctic

Really interesting and thought provoking visit to Mawson’s Hut, an authentically recreated version of the real hut still in Cape Denison, Antarctica (and which is currently beingRead more
Evening cruise

Booked ourselves on an evening cruise with dinner!
Sounded a bit grown up for us, but thankfully it was very casual, nice food and gorgeous views of the harbour and the River Derwent.
It’s been aRead more
G’day Sheila!

Motor home pick up day. Always a bit fraught, accom check out, taxi to depot, van admin, bags galore, getting to grips with the driving, food shop, navigation, a new space to negotiate - plus it’sRead more