"It's no holiday but it's most enjoyable."
He's already getting nervous and knows a wave of headaches are looming.
"A lot of that is about 'have I done enough preparation yet' and knowing I'll be cramming before I go."
He loves being among the world's sporting elite and adding to pictures on television.
"I view an event as a lay person watching and not knowing much about it.
"My objective is to colour it a wee bit, to add some information, to get some expert input, and at the end making sure you get the correct winner, which sometimes isn't easy."
John, who will have his accommodation, travel and food provided for, also needs to remember to pack some important stuff in his luggage namely long clothing to ward off mozzies, mosquito repellent, anti diarrhoea pills and some panadol.
He'll also be taking some sleeping pills, especially as getting to Rio is going to incur a punishing 40 hours of flying via Dubai.
"At some stage I'll be gagging for sleep.
"Sleep deprivation is the worst thing when you're trying to have your brain and mouth operating."
Personal welfare in Rio was a concern but he believes a lot will come down to using commonsense.
"You've just to make sure you don't drink the water and you don't travel in places by yourself.
"And if I get bitten by a mosquito then it's just bad luck really."
He said the Rio Olympics could potentially be New Zealand's most successful Olympic campaign.
"We've got some of the highest ranked athletes in the world in many events."
He can't wait to see how swimmer Lauren Boyle goes at Rio as her form and record dictates she is a definite medal prospect, though competition will be tight.
"But she really is the most likely medal prospect [in swimming] we've had since Loader in 1996."
Aside from work commitments, he will try and see as many New Zealanders compete as possible, but there is one must-see event for him, considering this country's record over the years.
"I'll always take time out to watch the 1500m track final, no matter where I am."
His number one highlight from all the Olympics he's covered - Los Angeles, Atlanta, Sydney, Athens, Beijing, and London - was witnessing Danyon Loader's double gold at Atlanta in 1996.
"That was stunning.
"I still get goosebumps thinking about the reaction afterwards because it was a New Zealander winning the first ever gold medal individually in the pool at an Olympic Games.
"It rates among the high points of my 40 years in broadcasting."
Some other Olympic highlights was watching sprinter and long jumper Carl Lewis, swimming legends Ian Thorpe and Michael Phelps, seeing New Zealander Nick Willis win his 1500m medal in Beijing, and watching kiwi boxer Kevin Barry, who is the trainer for Joseph Parker, beat Evander Holyfield in controversial circumstances in Los Angeles.
John, who has been to all the Rugby World Cup tournaments, two winter Olympics, four America's Cup regattas and six Commonwealth Games, all as either a radio or television commentator, said another highlight of the summer Olympics was seeing many of the sports that receive very little publicity on a daily basis, actually have their day in the sun.
The Rio Olympic Games, in Brazil, goes from August 5 to August 21.
