[Tokyo Airport]

[Cathy enjoys the stop at Tokyo Airport]

After twenty hours in the air, and six hours waiting at Tokyo airport (we weren't allowed out), we arrived, shattered but jubilant, at Sydney airport, 7.30am (9.30pm Thurs BST). Amazingly I wasn't sick at all, and my travel sick pills made me very sleepy, so I missed most of the exciting flight. The journey ran to plan, and Japan Airlines are recommended, except for their dodgy omelette breakfasts.

The planes had a large screen at the front of each seating section, and on the back of each seat, running a programme we sell at work, CruiseShow. This shows, amongst other things, map with progress, speed, altitude, time in air, etc. Most excitingly, it also shows camera views from the underneath and front of the plane - something I've never seen before, but which is extremely exciting on take-off and landing.

The east coast of Australia was beautiful. Japan, unfortunately, was dark.

[Our first glimpse of Australia]

[We land in Sydney]

We collected our luggage, and headed for the Holiday Inn we had booked in the centre of Sydney. Australia is a lesson in efficiency, signing, and transportation - everything was so simple. We've done this before in so many countries (admittedly English helps!) but this was by far the easiest, and everyone we met was incredibly helpful beyond duty.

[Obligatory shot of the Harbour bridge]

We got off the train at Circular Quay, a harbour area situated between the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Blinking at them in shockingly brilliant sunlight was somewhat surreal - neither of us could believe we were 12,000 miles from home.

We walked to the hotel, checked in at 10am (huge benefit of paying extra for the first night; we'll be slumming it from here on in), and, against all guidelines of dealing with jetlag, crashed out. We awoke to the sound of live music outside our window and ventured out to investigate. We ate at a noodle bar, listened to a band, basked in the sunshine, chilled out, and decided we were definitely in Australia.

[The city, taken from the Manly ferry]

[More bridge]

[Oh, there's an Opera House here too]

[Mad people climb the bridge]

[Another side to the Opera house]

The rest of the day was somewhat pitiful, due to our inability to think for more than 30 seconds. We walked around the quay, got a ferry to Manly Beach, and were too tired to appreciate Sydney Harbour, or our first Australian beach. We got a soporific ferry back again, and retired to our room. We then did the most unlikely backpacker thing and ordered room service. We watched the opening of the Commonwealth Games, an oddity to be so far from home. An early night saw us awake at 2am with jetlag.