I'm packed!

Monday, March 28, 2011

I did it! I packed in one carry-on, a large purse and a small daypack.  I feel like I am cheating by including the daypack but the shoe issue has made this necessary.
In the 21" carry-on I used packing cubes, bought from Magellan's, a wonderful mail order/on-line source for travel goodies.   In one cube there are two bathing suits, a cover-up and a couple of bras.  In another small cube is underpants and a few other miscellanous items.  Into a larger cube are rolled my tops,  Another large one holds several dressy dresses.  Everything rolled, of course.   From Magellan's there is also a folding cosmetic bag that hangs up when in use.  Into it there are earplugs, a sink stopper, a few laundry soap sheets, an umbrella, a rain poncho, and numerous other goodies.  It lays out flat and is exactly the same length and width as the carry-on, so is the top layer.    Into the front zipper pocket are shorts, leggings (3 pairs, three lenghts) a pair of pants, a skort and a sarong.  A sarong because it is so verstile.   OK OK...the daypack carries shoes and another cube with my "electronics".  You know, the cords for charging the iphone and the laptop that will be in my purse.  Along with my waterproof camera and the charger and card rreader for it.  I really don't NEED the mini laptop or the camera now that I have an iPhone.  However, if I want to do any entries on this blog I am much more comfortable with a real keyboard and photos that I can do things with.  So, for now, on this trip I will be overloaded with gadgets.    My large purse has non liquid cosmetics, a book, my mini laptop, and etickets...lots and lots of etickets. 
The first part of my jouorney is easy so I will check the carry-on and use the daypack as my cabin luggage.  I think that, now that I am  travelling alone the rules of packing light are more important than ever.  I really do not want to be wrestling with big luggage everywhere I go. 
First leg has me flying from Victoria to Fort Lauderdale where a day later  I will board  Nieuw Amsterdam, a Holland America cruise ship for a 15 day sailing across the Atlantic Ocean to Barcelona. Even with the singles supplement a repositioning cruise is a reasonable price  After 8 days at sea we have some interesting stops in Spain and Gibraltar.  I'll do blogs from those locations.  From Barcelona I will fly to Athens, after a short stop in London.  One day in Athens, then a ferry to the island of Aegina where I will stay with my friends Irene and Nikos at Kavos Bay.  A tiny piece of Paradise. 
Stay tuned for reports on cruising solo...I think I am either going to love it or hate it, and there is only one way to find out!  Where to after Kavos Bay?  Be sure to check back in to find out!
Hasta luego!

Good News

I am going to begin this new blog with good news.  I was scheduled to have a procedure done on my right eye this morning for macular degeneration.  This is not a new experience for me, having gone this route about 5 years ago with the other eye.  It's a simple procedure, but it requires follow up treatments 6 week later and again 6 weeks after that.  Which, if the cycle had started today as planned, would have taken me to the day after Easter!  And I'm already booked to be in the Greek Islands for Easter!  It would have meant cancelling and changing all of my plans  and returning to Victoria for a shot in my eye...a simple 5 minute procedure, but one that would be very necessary.  I was depressed about changing my plans and having nightmares about having to change all my flights and reservations at a huge cost and inconvenience. 

This morning I arrived at the doctor's office, my eye was frozen in anticipation of the procedure, a scan was done of the eye...and everything seems to be stable for the present...so I have been postponed until the end of the month!  Hooray...not because of the timing of the first treatment...but for the timing of the six week follow up which now takes me to May 12th.  Perfect. 

So, my original schedule can now be followed.  April 2nd I fly from Victoria to Ft Lauderdale Florida.  The next day I board a cruise ship and take a 15 day cruise to Barcelona Spain.  When I arrive there I will fly immediately to Athens.  The next morning I will take a ferry to the Island of Aegina. (Shown in this photo)  About 10 days later I will visit Santorini and Nexos, reputed to be two very popular Islands in the Cyclades Group of islands.  Then I take a bit of a trip down memory lane and fly to Istanbul for 5 days, followed by a flight to Frankfurt where I have a hotel booked for two days.  Original plan was to then head off to Prague and continue for the next month or so, by train, through Italy, France, Spain, Portugal and finally ending in London before heading home at the end of June.

Now....after arrival in Frankfurt, instead of heading to Prague on the 12th, I will find a flight back to Victoria for a few days....and head back to Europe after that for another month.

So, there is lots going on in my travel plans and things kept changing.  Which of course means re planning the packing!  I'll do an entire blog before I go,  on traveling light.  3 months with only one carry-on and one large purse.  Stay tuned for that one.

The other good news.  As most who will bother to read this blog know, my son Kevin, his wife Masako and his two daughters Saria and Keri have been transferred from Vancouver to Osaka Japan.  The earthquake and tsunami a few days ago had me holding my breath waiting for news.  Kevin was able to post on Facebook that he and his family were fine.  A very short time later he was able to confirm that by email.  They are safe and sound in Osaka which has escaped this disaster.  It was Kevin's birthday, one he is unlikely to ever forget. 

On March 11th one year ago, Tony and I were in Santiago Chile experiencing a 7.2 and a 7.4 aftershock from their  massive earthquake/tsunami a few weeks before.  The earth moves on March 11th!

Until next time....

First test run from iphone

A test to see if i'm up to this latest technology challenge.
Sent from my iPhone