A few final questions...
As is customary, we’ll round things up with some ‘Desert Island Discs’ and some ‘would you rathers’. A la BBC Radio 4, we asked Ailie and Dave what they would take with them if they were only allowed to take eight songs, one book and a luxury item on their journey. Here's what they chose.
Their book:
“Our Japanese is so limited at the moment that it would probably have to be our Japanese Phrasebook! Otherwise maybe a paperback edition of ‘War and Peace’ (with very small writing)!”
Their luxury item:
“A black pepper grinder. It really improves all camping stove meals.”
Their songs:
And their preferences…Ailie and Dave, would you rather:
Have all of your clothes or your bike stolen while you’re in an onsen?
“Definitely all our clothes. Our bikes have travelled from the UK, down the length of Patagonia to NZ and then on to Japan with us- they are very precious!”
Miss seeing the cherry blossom completely or cycle the whole trip in a cloud of cherry blossom?
“We are reluctantly going to have to miss the cherry blossom in favour of other hopefully spectacular views we will encounter (and our safety on the road!)”
Eat a jar (250ml) of wasabi in one go or sit in a bath of sashimi for two hours?
“This one is easy - in fact if you could arrange a bath of sashimi that sounds wonderful”