All good info guys. Thanks a lot, all this planning can sometimes be a bit of a headache, but it gives me something to do through winter. I've got online banking, so maybe I could print out a balance statement a week or so before the border.

As for flights, I'm more interested in flying direct, it's just simpler with a bike in tow and a quick search on expedia showed that flying Buenos Aires to Tokyo was £300 more expensive and has two stops along the way.