Toyocho station, our neighbourhood train line, was the start of the southern leg of the trip. Dragging my backpack/ roller bag over manicured and paved streets was a noisy exercise, and P2 carting strongly by back, we had generous transition times for the Otemachi connection to hectic Tokyo station. The facially masked brigade swarmed past us by Mama-san bike, curious glances, or generally, fixated on their phones. In the throes of the underground rail road works, the rabbit warren gave way to organised chaos. We found our place on the shinkansen bound for Shin-Kobe and then eventually, the old town centre of Kurashiki. A weekday, the train filled up to the brim by Shinagawa, and as efficient timing has it here, we connected to leg number 2. Kurashiki put on breezy cool but fine weather, and ... read more

April 20-24 Completing the presentation and voluntary work marked a milestone in my itinerary and to be welcomed with open arms for a potential future visit as a volunteer a heartening gesture of my efforts. Our last night in Puebla was had in the historic centre. We were seated facing the lit cathedral, gloriously radiant at night and a befitting structure it is, in place of its previously intended location, Mexico City The camarero at a high end establishment approached. Resplendent in suit and a bow tie. "Quieres tomar?" Unbeknown to me, chinese whispers from camarero to camarero resulted in one of them later breaking into a birthday song, fit for NZs time zone (a day early locally) Chaac, the God of rain, then threw a major tantrum. The heavens opened for a good electrical storm, ... read more

Trinidad, of Cuba, and nothing to do with Tobago, was almost an Antigua blueprint Using a free 'contingency day' to wander the cobbled streets, I chanced on some unique espresso cups and woven goods, yet passed on the embroidered doilies and cane products, made locally. Señor banana accosted me - did I have one CUC? Now that's mind power - the bananas coming to me. No, I had not one CUC, but 50 centavos, si! He rid himself of half the bunch of ladies fingers, and once the booze market sold me some more agua, it was a fine time using slow internet over happy hour at the Iberostar with Lisa. How things did improve that day. An evening swim topped it off, whilst locals promenaded La Boca at sundown, with skimpy attire, walking canes, and ... read more

Leaving Carrillo beach was difficult for the clean, clear, medusa-free water (so we were told), and far enough away from the resident crocodiles in the mangroves to not bother us and the few others there we encountered. Alex, our trusty driver from our Rincon de la Vieja transfer, was efficient in his arrival at 2pm, and in Spanish we conversed over the 6 hours or so it took to reach Manuel Antonio. But for the countless trucks (camiones) on the road carting local rock for shipping from the Caribbean coast, and with several slow patches of driving later until Tarcoles, eventually the scenery gave way to increasingly dense rainforest and a rich red Pacific coast sunset. Dark and feeling tired, we rolled into our wonderful abode, Hotel Villas Lirio, by 8pm and behold, it had two ... read more

It was about my turn to get crook. A grumbling belly mid-night resulted in purging all my lovely dinner from the top end. The Finca Hotel chicken could well have been at fault, yet with such widespread stomach unrest throughout our cycling journey, anything was possible So with gusto and little food I tackled the first bit, a 5km climb from our accommodation back up to the main highway towards Filandia. A steady struggle, my health state was average, and physically pushing on to Filandia through bumpy roads almost sealed the nausea deal. The town square was a quaint hive of activity, and after watching and waiting without food, we again pressed on in a spectacular downhill section, through rows and rows of coffee plantations and banana orchards By lunch, on a roadside rest stop, again ... read more