Our sailing crews don't travel light and after departing for Tokyo this week, they were prepared for a long, long haul.
The nine-strong New Zealand-based contingent farewelled families who would otherwise have been in Tokyo to cheer them on in Auckland before taking off on a 10-hour flight.
“Mum and dad are a bit nervous about us flying but happy its finally getting underway,” Sam Meech said.
“It’s been a long wait.”
Coincidentally, that would become the theme of their trip, arriving to the reality of a country attempting to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic as international arrivals ramp up.
While it only took half an hour to get off the plane there was still the paperwork, checkpoints, testing and all the waiting in between to come.
Paul Snow-Hansen said they were ready for the painful process though.
“We're just rolling with whatever comes at us,” the 470 sailor said.
“Whatever comes, we'll deal with it.”
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