'Peru here we come' - The All Whites are on their way

Sunday night. Travel time for New Zealand's All Whites. Destination Lima.

The players arrive in Air New Zealand's Koru Lounge a couple of hours before their 8.30 departure to Buenos Aires. They're dressed comfortably and casually, ready for long haul flying. It's polo shirts, track pants or shorts and for many, compression socks.

Andrew Durante and Michael McGlinchey catch the last few minutes of the Wellington Phoenix's impressive 5-2 win over Perth Glory on an iPad. Club skipper Durante admits they needed that victory, their first of the new season.

Peru here we come!! Onboard @FlyAirNZ pic.twitter.com/0jaydHtRpV

— Jeremy Brockie (@JRBrockie) November 12, 2017

Tommy Smith, as always, offers a firm handshake. He's confident he'll play on Thursday after picking up an injury in the first game.

Fellow centre-back Michael Boxall chats to a passenger who asks him which code of football they play. Not an All Whites fan, then. Others are though, and pass on their congratulations for leg one and best wishes for the return match.

Rory Fallon is a constant positive presence. Laughter follows him everywhere, mixed with his own. You can see why he's been brought into this squad. He's energy personified.

Anthony Hudson looks relaxed. He's arrived fresh from a media conference which included ten minutes of answers in Spanish to Peruvian journalists. He's self-taught, but says he's a bit rusty. He gathers his coaching staff together and they pore over laptops and data. This is a well-prepared team.

Recovery has been the story of the last 24 hours. Ice baths, massages, protein shakes and gentle stretching of tired muscles. The players are told to stay awake for the first two hours of the flight before getting some sleep. That's a lot easier at the front of Air New Zealand flight NZ30.

During that first two hours, the players make regular trips up and down the aisles, keeping the blood circulating and chatting with well-wishing passengers. Team doctor Chan Dassanayake checks regularly on them, offering advice here and there.

Mischief is in the air. Monty Patterson - one of the side's youngest players - is made to sing a song to a section of the aircraft. He does so cheerfully and tunelessly. His choice is 'Halo' which is warmly applauded.

Dinner is served and cleared. The lights dim. The country's 22 best footballers drift off, perhaps dreaming of Russia 2018.