Finally, we get to leave the unpredictability of Wellington's spring for warmer climes, well, hopefully and for once we were pretty much organised.

It was definitely a good idea to fly via Auckland on the afternoon flight. Although it's just a short 3.5 hour hop across the ditch it has been known to drag in the past, in the cramped tin cans. Not this time though, we booked the middle row, which gave us a bit more room. Inclusion of the back of seat entertainment system also made the time whizz by.

We were upgraded at the car rental place from our beloved Outlander to a brand new Falcon XR6, how will we manage. After a little circular driving in the dark we soon worked out where we were on the map and easily found our way to the apartment in Parramatta.

Every store had a TV in the corner as the Parramatta Eels were taking on the Dogs in the NRL. None of us were really hungry so we just had some nibbles and a drink before leaving them all to it and turning in for an early night.