Coming up next

Surprise, surprise, we've got plenty of travel scheduled in the months ahead. This year is quietly morphing into something that feels like the initial stages of a transition to retirement. So, where to next?

Garry returned from his extended retreat in Thailand on Wednesday this week. Before he flew home, we decided to book sale flights with Qantas to Tonga. We're off to this laid-back tropical paradise for two weeks at the end of August. We're looking at basing ourselves for much of the time on Foa Island in the Ha’apai archipelago.

In June, I fly to New Zealand twice. First, to spend time with family over the June long weekend at the start of the month, then for business later in the month.  My EO Forum has a retreat scheduled in Queenstown. Once again, I'm responsible for organising the event.  We've lined up several impressive guest speakers, including a guy who sold his family business for millions.

At the end of July, I'll then fly to Melbourne for our company's annual participation in the industry's largest gift-related trade show. Garry will then take his father to Far North Queensland for a vacation with Garry's brother and his family. Ten days after he returns we’ll depart for Tonga.

Then, finally, in December, Garry and I will fly to New Zealand for a week before embarking on a round-the-world ticket largely for business. We'll fly to New York to meet with at least one supplier and a potential business prospect, followed by flights to Germany for the toy industry's largest international trade show and a second week in London meeting suppliers. We then return to Sydney in February to finalise preparations for exhibiting at the local toy industry's annual trade show in Melbourne.

Oh yes, did I mention we're also taking a cruise in the Caribbean during January, in part to celebrate my 60th birthday. We'll visit a dozen countries over two weeks.  Add in Tonga, and my tally of countries I've visited will reach 86 destinations, or 88 if you count two fleeting border crossings.