Behold the shiny and tastefully appointed 24/7 gym at my hotel here in San Antonio.

But, most of all, behold the treadmills.  This is me doing my morning run in the southern hemisphere from the comfort of my treadmill in the northern hemisphere.  It’s actually a kind of virtual journey through New Zealand.  The glaciers, ranges, beaches and surrounds of Queenstown.  Along the way I got to read some interesting facts about the region and ‘ran’ past a number of tourists, hikers, sunbathers and locals.  I actually wanted to and did run much further than I normally do on treadmills.  The incline adjusts automatically to reflect the terrain of what you see but the speed is entirely up to you.  I can’t wait to see where I’ll explore on tomorrow’s run.  As a person who doesn’t camp or hike, this is as close as I’ll get to experiencing the beauty of more remote parts of our world.

I’m also quickly getting used to cold, damp towels straight out of the fridge post run.  Perhaps I could make my own at home?

I managed to get the in room coffee machine working on my first try!  Without soaking the desk or short circuiting the machine.  It’s so easy – once you read the instructions.

Do you ever bring your own cutlery from home?  Just in case?  Not only does it help reduce landfill and waste but it can get a bit bleak eating meal after meal with plastic cutlery.