It’s almost 6 am, and I’m finally done with all the work I had to finish before leaving for my trip. At 10 I fly to New York, then overnight on KLM to Venice. Kyla arrives there an hour after I do. We’re staying at the Pensione Seguso, and I’ve got a bunch of wonderful-looking restaurant recommendations. Maybe this time I’ll finally feel like I’m doing Venice right.

The tool I enjoyed most while planning this trip is, weirdly, made by Microsoft: Windows Live Local, as it’s moronically (and rather opaquely) titled. The places I was looking up are definitely NOT local to ME! But I had a great time using this tool, and I made a map that covers the first part of our trip in detail. Here it is: Balkans Trip Map