Getting Back on the Road in a Big Way

My travel schedule gets ramped up big time over the next few months. This Friday, I have to go to bed early because I am flying at 6:30 am down to Miami, en route to Patagonia Chile. There I will visit the rainy rugged area and also spend a few days schmoozing with tourism officials at Travel Mart Latin America.

I am eager to meet people there because South America interests me and I want to see more of the continent. It will be speed dating; 15-minute interviews with 70 different tourism reps, airlines and tour operators. Then we will fly up to the north and spend time in the desert, where it only rains about five times per year.

I will be heading to Murano, Italy, one of the islands that makes up Venice at the end of October. I will stay for two days in a family-run hotel and learn about the glass and mirror business that’s centered on the island. Then I’ll join a huge contingent of journalists and tour operators in Venice to finish out the week.

In November I’ll fly to New Zealand with Cindy and our trip will take us to Stewart Island, at the very bottom of the country’s south island. One of our cafe customers has been telling me we should go there, and now it’s going to happen. I can’t wait to tell Fiona the Kiwi we’re actually going to see her hometown.