From Southwestern Roads to European Shores: Gearing Up for a European Wine Adventure

Returning from our Southwestern escapade, a wave of accomplishment washed over me, quickly followed by a torrent of tasks demanding attention. First on the agenda: uploading the mountain of footage and ensuring its safe delivery to my editor, Jim. Thankfully, that proved relatively painless. However, a glaring issue quickly reared its head: my woefully inadequate Verizon wireless internet speed.

In a moment of frustration (and perhaps a touch of stubbornness), I had previously "cut the cord" with Cox, our local cable provider. The thought of crawling back to them after our tumultuous past filled me with dread. But alas, the demands of high-quality video uploads left me no choice. Cox it was.

Next on the agenda: addressing the camera conundrum. My trusty Sony A7, while a YouTube darling, proved a bit too imposing in the intimate setting of a tasting room. Its wide-angle lens, ironically, sometimes wasn't wide enough, forcing me to position the camera at an awkward distance. After extensive research, I landed on the DJI Osmo Pocket 3. Compact, versatile, and equipped with a built-in microphone, it seemed the perfect solution.

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 was the perfect camera for me.

But before we could embark on our next grand adventure, a new challenge arose: a long-planned European escapade with friends. This wasn't just any trip; it was a multi-faceted expedition encompassing Spain, Portugal, a Mediterranean cruise, and culminating in a New England tour back in the US, fulfilling Mrs. Kay's lifelong dream of exploring the northeastern US. The logistical complexities were daunting, requiring meticulous planning, strategic packing (including my trusty cowboy hat!), and a whole lot of equipment wrangling.

With the Osmo in hand and the European wine adventure looming on the horizon, we decided a test run was in order. Los Milics Winery in Scottsdale, recently crowned Arizona's best in a statewide competition, became our proving ground. The wines impressed, and their southern Arizona vineyard, garnering national attention, further fueled our excitement for the state's burgeoning wine scene.

Here's one of those first clips with the new DJI Osmo Pocket 3 at Los Milics in Scottsdale.

The Osmo performed flawlessly, easing our camera anxieties and instilling confidence for our upcoming European adventure. Armed with newfound experience and a refined toolkit, we were ready to take on the world... or at least a small corner of it. A cowboy sommelier tasting wine in Europe? The possibilities were both thrilling and slightly terrifying. Stay tuned to witness the unfolding of this international wine escapade!