Otaki Nikko

... spot surrounded by trees by the river. After this we headed back to the station. We had to wait a while until our train so we had bento box - a Japanese packed lunch. It is a box with lots of compartments, each filled with something different like rice, vegetables and slices of meat. It was pretty good too. The train back to Tokyo took ages so by the time we got back it was dark. We had dinner in Mos Burger and ate it in the park in Asakusa.

May 19, 2009 Walkin' By **** to I mean it..... Abel Tasman National Park is home to one of the finest walks you could want. It can last as long as you want as the park seems to go on forever. Kay Marie, Ken and I decide to the 6 hour walk - to Anchorage Bay and back. Ken comes along and potters along behind us two world leaders - we shout back to check he's OK the odd time - but it appears he is. The walk itself is beautiful if a little repetitive. A ...

... John and Pip invited us to go to a movie with them. Brian didn't want to go because it was a "chick flick". We saw Last Chance Harvey. Not too bad. It's wonderful that they invite us not only into their home, but to do family things with them as well. We are really lucky to get to stay with them and learn all that we are. Especially about organics. I know I will leave having a more positive lookout on at least a few things.

Dylan has been going to Keas for a while now, its the pre-cubs group in New Zealand. Last week he was invested and got to say his oath in front of all the other kids, though he did say to me he was going to be 'ingested'.

Wellington!!! Simon's mom!!!  Today was a fun yet interesting day.  We got up really early to get off the ship and see Simon's mom, Helen, and his step-dad, Chris.  They have the most amazing house it looks over all of Wellington.  I haven't taken any pictures of it yet but I will when we stay with them.  When we got to their house I really needed a shower so while Helen and Chris made breakfast I went and put in my contacts.  I noticed ...

Hello fellow travel bloggers Not a long spiel this time! We've had a fantastic trip down from Auckland over the past week. 2 days with my brother Robert's friend Dick - very much an Englishman in NZ. Dick has a farm just north of Whakatane and as well as farming he is a very keen surfer. Dick made us very welcome, showed us around his farm and his favourite surfing spots. As ever we would have loved to stay longer - feels like that everywhere we go in NZ. Well ...

... and send some emails so it was back to the cabin where we set up the portable office once again. This task took most of the morning and once completed it was time for lunch. The lecture by the Intelligence Historian had been changed today to the 2pm slot, and once again the theatre was full to over flowing. The topic today was 'James Bond - The fact and fiction of Ian Fleming's 007', which proved to be less captivating than his previous topics ...

... the preparation room first to see what they eat & how it is prepared, then outside she took a towel with her & wiped down the seat for us & there we were feeding the smallest penguins in the world, the blue penguin it was amazing, they were so cute, they all had names & something wrong with them, one had no wing another had no foot one was blind,but all able to get about somehow, we were well & truly soaked by this ...

... we had to take off our shoes btw. Emi and I both tossed some 50 yen pieces into several wooden holes and in one case you do that then you bow 3 times and then clap 3 times and then pray (make a wish). I was amazed at the sheer number of buildings and such...the Pagoda which was donated by a daimyo (feudal lord) in 1650 is 5 stories high and magnificient. We also bought some Sake (only $5,00 yen $5 dollars) as a donation to maintain the Shrine. There were some guards at The Niomon gate ...

... the best thing we could find. Bottomless drinks, decent sized portions and high tech doorbells at the tables to call the waiter made this place a beacon in our starving eyes. AND, they were open late. Awesome. Ash and I got back to the ryokan and dressed in our yukatas (summer kimonos) and headed down to our respective baths. Apparently the women's bath was completely empty, but the men's bath had a teenager in there. I sucked it up at the potential for ridicule from a teenager and got ...