Pack what you need, then take half out

Packing for this trip is challenging. A good friend who recently returned from New Zealand advised us to pack what we think we’ll need, and take half out. Which sounds great, but in execution, has proven a difficult task. I’m a notorious over-packer. Three different pairs of shoes for two nights? Why not. A second swimsuit could be useful, maybe. I’ll bring two books to read over a weekend and not turn a single page. Just in case. If the bag isn't bursting at the zippers, I can fit it.

After a trial pack earlier this week, it was pretty clear that I was loaded down with too much stuff. Out came an extra pair of shorts, a shirt or two. I pulled up the web sites of the hotels where we're staying to assess the laundry situation, and wish the promise of washer and dryer secured, another undershirt and exercise shirt gone.

From New Zealand Prep

Laura on the other hand, is pretty judicious about her suitcase space, leaving plenty of room for some souvenirs and maybe a bottle of wine or two. Her cosmetic bag, on the other hand....

Planning a soundtrack for trip like this is just as tough. It’s summer in NZ, we’ll need some island beats for the beach. We'll be in the car a good amount, so driving music is definitely in order. We’ll be exhausted, 8,000 miles from home, and looking for our second, third and fourth winds with the perfect playlist. I've been working the iPods for almost a month, trying to strike the perfect balance between  household favorites like the Arcade Fire, Spoon and LCD Soundsystem, classics from Led Zeppelin, Phish and Talking Heads, and some new favorites like Tame Impala, Monsters of Folk and Iron & Wine.



Then there's the weather. Madison is supposed to get walloped with snow this week -- some have predicted as much as six inches each Monday and Tuesday. We're hoping a Wednesday noon flight will leave the the ground crew at Dane County Regional plenty of time to clear the way for us to head west. Fingers crossed.

This time in two weeks

Our departure date seemed so far away just a few short months ago; now, it's breathing down our necks like the Roaring Forties. This time on February 2, we'll be wheels up over LAX, heading west. In a little over twelve hours, we'll travel over 6,700 miles in three calendar days, landing in Auckland on February 4.

From New Zealand Prep

We've been prepping, reading and planning for an eternity. Finally, this weekend, we'll start packing our bags for a three-week trip through the North and South islands of New Zealand. Once we land, we'll spend a few days in the North, gathering our bearings while sea kayaking and hiking on the Coromandel peninsula, taking in a traditional Maori hangi meal in Rotorua, of course, stopping at Hobbiton on the way before flying to the South Island.

There, we'll visit the Marlborough wine region to savor the world's best Sauvignon Blanc, whale-watch in Kaikoura, hike in Arthur's pass and catch a sunset at the pancake rocks in Punakaiki before catching an overnight cruise in through the remote wilderness of Doubtful Sound. Whew.

But it's still two weeks away. You can be sure we're counting down the hours.