Although my wife Joanne and I left Winnipeg yesterday afternoon for a whirlwind trip that will take us to Europe, Asia and back through Europe over the next 23 days, I really feel like our trip is only just beginning.

We left Winnipeg with a quick stop in Chicago for a beer ( Goose Island Honker's Ale) and an overnight in New York. Today we had breakfast at Whole Foods, did a little clothes shopping, had a quick trip to Central Park, then the 5th Avenue Apple store to pick up Snow Leopard. Currently we are sitting in the Swiss Airlines First Class Lounge at JFK awaiting our flight to Zurich.

And although, the past 24 hours would be an entire trip for many people, I feel ours is about to begin because of our first long-haul flight is about to board. The whole purpose of this trip was for me to attend DrupalCon in Paris, but because of new rules from Aeroplan, for a small amount of additional miles over just a trip to Europe, we were able to book a trip to Asia in First class, with a stop-over in each direction in Europe. Additionally the rules allow you to have connections on-route which are less than 24 hours, so this 23.5 hour stop in New York was possible.

This cost me a whole lot of miles, but we are maximizing the benefit, and are going to experience a method of travel a small percentage of the world's population will ever see, First Class. I have flown Air Canada's business class product on numerous occasions, but from what I hear the First Class experience on Swiss, Thai, Turkish, and Lufthansa will create a trip to remember!

We are also going to get to see 9 countries (USA, Switzerland, France, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, Thailand, Turkey, and England), 13 major cities (Chicago, New York, Zurich, Paris, Dijon, Geneva, Dornbirn, Frankfurt twice, Bangkok twice, Chiang Rai, Istanbul, London and Vancouver) plus countless smaller towns, 6 airlines (United twice, Swiss, Lufthansa three times, Thai, Turkish twice, and Air Canada) and numerous different hotels, trains and airport lounges.

It won't be all play, there will be a conference to go to, but the escort has just arrived for the flight, so I have to log off, and will be updating this blog with more info in the days and weeks to come!

• Darren Mak's blog