My cousin, Gareth, is getting married sometime next year. He lives in Melbourne, Australia, and assuming I'm invited to the wedding I'm really looking forward to going over there again. I spent three weeks there five years ago, catching up with old friends, making new ones, and getting chased down a Queensland beach by a cassowary. My parents are looking forward to it too, and it seems the older I get the more often I see my parents away from their or my house. Germany four years ago, Lorna's wedding three years ago, England earlier this year. And Australia next year?

I digress. Unusual for me, I know, but that's not what I was getting at. The point is, when my folks go over there they're planning on visiting New Zealand as well. That's somewhere I've always wanted to go, but right now with the short sale etc., I can't really afford to go over to Oz, let alone take the time for NZ as well. So it means at some point in the future, I'll possibly fly across the Pacific on my third trip. That's a lot of miles.

If and when I make that third trip (the one next year being my second), I won't be meeting up with my parents. They've already said that the reason they're doing the two places is because they won't be making the trip again. And that's depressing. I don't think of either of them as old, but obviously they're starting to become aware of their own mortality. Dad's got six years until he's the same age that his father died, so that's probably in the back of his mind when he acknowledges this will be his last trip to Australia and New Zealand.

But at what age do people generally start thinking about 'this is my last time doing...'? Not that any of us can plan how much longer we've got to live-- some people die tragically young, and some people die tragically old, and people pop it everywhere in between-- but is it something that happens once you reach a certain age? I'll admit, it's in the back of my mind sometimes. Travelling around Europe and on cruise ships, I met a lot of people from a lot of different places. And while I try to keep in touch through Facebook and email, it's probable that I'll never actually see some of them again. Our lives will get in the way, take us down different paths, and one day it'll be too late for a final catch-up.

I hate thinking about this shit at 31. I do my damnedest to not think about it, so as far as I'm concerned I've got several more trips to Australia in me, and several more Oktoberfests, and more than one shark dive, and at least a happy hour with you guys. But eventually I, we'll, all run out of time, so here's to the last time of everything, whenever and however it happens. Fucking enjoy it, okay?