Far too much time has passed since my blog saw a new post. Life for me has settled back into its usual course of work, with spouts of rendering my next big adventure, if only in my mind. Lately my schedule has enjoyed a healthy balance, more than I was previously accustomed to.

Last weekend was spent with my Dad in Catalina, a self-imposed vacation from the daily grind of a computer screen. We worked on the house together, went to our favorite eateries, refueled our relaxation tanks and had a lot of fun just simply catching up with one another.

I'm presently in the middle of a big push to finish my current projects before September 1st. After that, life gets a little hectic again, with welcomed appreciation. The salmon are about to run, and plans are in the works for me to fly to Washington for some fishing around mid-September. It all depends on the fish.

October 5th is my jump off date. I leave LA bound for Italy. After over 16 hours, with just enough layovers in Detroit and Paris, I'll be tracking down my bags at the Marco Polo airport, about five miles north of my final destination. Searching for a bus into the heart of the floating city is no stranger to me, but still I expect complications. Venice is one of only two places I will have a hotel reservation. More about that later.

Italy's itinerary is penciled in, with the eraser close at hand. Should any city require more attention than anticipated, my travel buddy and I will adjust our plans accordingly. Truth be told, I have visited most of our expected destinations on previous trips, but those memories encompass 16 years, not all of which I remember.

Italy is a beautiful, historic, endlessly interesting country. No one trip is enough. Yet, this is not where my adventure ends.

October 23rd is the beginning of what I expect to be the longest day of my life. I will be traveling west from Rome, headed to Auckland, New Zealand. From departure in Italy to arrival in New Zealand takes 44 hours and 15 minutes, covers 15,192 miles, and spans 15 time zones. That is over 61% of the Earth's circumference on this one flight, well over half way around the world.

Hotel reservations are not built into this trip. Hostels, as I grow older, are unfortunately not an option. In Italy the plan is to show up and bargain to the best of our ability. In New Zealand, we rented a "Jucy Van" and a road trip will ensue towards Wanaka, crossing over from the north island to the south.

I should arrive back home around mid-November. Unfortunately, my time at my brother's house in New Zealand has, according to this schedule, been cut short. Those plans may change, but for now, I need to focus on work.