I miss Wednesday. As it was, Thursday was pretty perfect. i got my hiking boots form my rucksack cleaned at customs (whoops) in case i tramped destructive substances into the wildlife, then marched confidently enough for someone who had just had a 29 hour journey through to Jess. Lucky she was there really, my hugely beaming face would soon have lost its smile if there were no-one to meet it. Auckland is - FULL of cicadas. It's the first thing you notice, the d...

In Search of Sleep: Leaving London It turns out there are 10 ways of 'sleeping' in an economy airplane seat.* One, on one bum cheek with feet up on the arm rest in front; two, same again on the other side when said buttock has gone so far to sleep that there's no rescuing it; three, legs crossed up on your seat in some kind of lotus that lasts only minutes before the fears of DVT creep in; four and five, by repeating one and two with feet up on your own seat (ca...