This time tomorrow we’re on our way!
Every year (Every.Single.Year!) when we return home in late winter, it feels like we have limitless time to accomplish all the things that we want to before we leave again in the fall. And we immediately get busy and we stay busy and we do get a lot done. Then, every year (Every.Single.Year!), we eventually accept that some things will just have to wait until we return home again. But, as I’m typing this, I’m looking around at the very obvious progress we made in the past eight months, and I have to admit that this was a pretty productive year.
In fact, we were so productive that I was feeling a tad bit Cinderella-ish by July 4th. Of course, part of me understood that this was the price to be paid for our four month vacation, but, darn it, everyone was going somewhere fun and I...wasn’t. Receiving texts from Iceland and summer cruises on the Caribbean Princess, perusing all the travel blogs I follow and reading every Live From on Cruise Critic to get my fix, it was my turn to travel vicariously through others. Then just about the time I was feeling particularly put upon, we packed the car and headed out for a road trip (FOUR days this year!) that provided just the attitude adjustment I needed. I love that mid summer getaway!
And there were a few other fun times. I spent a week with my mom in August, and again we laughed at YouTube videos while we waited for doctors, but, thankfully, this year’s appointments were just normal check ups. I had another extended stay with my guys (I was spared the math homework this time and instead assisted with essays) and watched them compete in sports camp basketball games and football scrimmages throughout the summer. And then there were the countless sunsets G and I watched from the deck, which turn every day into something special. In the end, it was just another normal summer for me, but it was memorable for what it didn’t include: more medical appointments every week than there are fingers on one hand.
Yes, I did get good news in March that the Disease that No one Wants that had hung like a dark cloud over last year’s Summer of No Fun was no where to be found. One down, four to go. In retrospect, the very best thing we did last year was get the heck out of town as soon as my treatment was complete. I stopped being a patient, and returned to being...just me, and largely forgot about everything health related until March. Once I received the news this year, I emitted a sigh of relief heard round the world, shed a few tears of gratitude and set my sights firmly on Season 9.
When it came to trip planning, one of the first things I needed to get a handle on was visas, and I quickly learned they fall into one of four categories: 1) not required (Singapore, etc ); 2) required, but granted upon arrival for free or a small fee (Indonesia); 3) required, but the application could be completed and submitted online and the visa itself was either a piece of paper we printed at home (India) or an actual passport page that was Fed Ex’d to us (Vietnam); or 4) required, and we had to send our passport and completed application in to a consulate or embassy (China).
Naturally, the visa we acquired first was the one we will not be using (India) ;-), but I next turned my attention to Vietnam. The Princess website says that it can be granted upon arrival at a charge of $56, but that caused some confusion regarding how long that visa was valid; we were re-entering Vietnam again a week or two later. Calling Princess yielded two different answers (shock!), and, in the end, we decided to just get a multiple entry one month visa ahead of time at a cost of (I believe) $135pp. We learned our lesson in Nice two years ago; plans change all the time, and it's nice to have some flexibility if they do. A few days later, FedEx delivered our visas; they are the same size as two passport pages, have our photos on them and will fit inside our passports.
The China visa was the toughest, and most expensive one to get ($140 each plus processing fees), and, as with Vietnam, there was some question about whether we actually needed one. China offers a 144-hour exemption if travelers are exiting the country directly to another country in that time frame. Since we had booked our original outbound flights through Tokyo, and would be flying there directly from Shanghai, I figured we were safe. Then we changed our flights, which halved their cost (a good thing) but we were uncertain if they meant we needed a China visa (a bad thing). Finally, our common sense kicked it; it's risky to go to China without a visa, regardless of length of stay. We decided to go all in and get China visas good for unlimited multiple entries of not more than 60 days each stay for 10 years. It's the sure way to encourage us to return.
I already had been granted a China visa for a trip in 2004. It had obviously expired, but China still wanted to know its number and the date it was issued. That required me find that expired passport, not an easy task, but (72 frantic hours later) it eventually turned up. I got the info I needed and we submitted our passports and applications that same day. The China visas were delivered 8 days later, and visas were behind us.
As for planning excursions in the ports...with 40 ports, it's a nearly impossible task, at least with everything else that needed to be done around here, but progress was made. Even when plans aren't firmly in place, we have some idea of what we'd like to do and see. I focused on Europe and Dubai, booked a couple of things through Princess (we're waitlisted for one of them), and spent less time on the Asia ports. I think we'll be taking Princess excursions for some of those; getting local currency to do things on our own might not be worth the effort. I'm leaving home with several guide books on my iPad, and a starter set of GBPs, Euros and Dirhams (for the UAE), and the rest of our season will be more spontaneous. Are you shocked? I didn’t think so. ;-)
The China visa was the toughest, and most expensive one to get ($140 each plus processing fees), and, as with Vietnam, there was some question about whether we actually needed one. China offers a 144-hour exemption if travelers are exiting the country directly to another country in that time frame. Since we had booked our original outbound flights through Tokyo, and would be flying there directly from Shanghai, I figured we were safe. Then we changed our flights, which halved their cost (a good thing) but we were uncertain if they meant we needed a China visa (a bad thing). Finally, our common sense kicked it; it's risky to go to China without a visa, regardless of length of stay. We decided to go all in and get China visas good for unlimited multiple entries of not more than 60 days each stay for 10 years. It's the sure way to encourage us to return.
I already had been granted a China visa for a trip in 2004. It had obviously expired, but China still wanted to know its number and the date it was issued. That required me find that expired passport, not an easy task, but (72 frantic hours later) it eventually turned up. I got the info I needed and we submitted our passports and applications that same day. The China visas were delivered 8 days later, and visas were behind us.
As for planning excursions in the ports...with 40 ports, it's a nearly impossible task, at least with everything else that needed to be done around here, but progress was made. Even when plans aren't firmly in place, we have some idea of what we'd like to do and see. I focused on Europe and Dubai, booked a couple of things through Princess (we're waitlisted for one of them), and spent less time on the Asia ports. I think we'll be taking Princess excursions for some of those; getting local currency to do things on our own might not be worth the effort. I'm leaving home with several guide books on my iPad, and a starter set of GBPs, Euros and Dirhams (for the UAE), and the rest of our season will be more spontaneous. Are you shocked? I didn’t think so. ;-)
After we had the big change in plans (around mid-August), it was immediately obvious that, with all the moving around we’ll be doing, we need to minimize our packing. I looked at each airline’s baggage allowance, and that of the National Express bus we’ll use to get from Heathrow to the Victoria Coach Station in London to find the pinch points, and they are a 44-pound limit on our large suitcases (National Express and Air China), and an 11-pound limit on our carry ons (Air China).
Our usual carry ons weigh 6 pounds and 8 pounds empty; the 11 pound limit left us almost no room for any contents. We’re leaving them behind and are instead taking small rolling backpacks we use when we fly Space A(vailable) on military aircraft where we’re limited to 12 pounds total. Mine just barely holds my medications, minimal jewelry, all my electronics and charging paraphernalia, paper confirmations and the few things I'll need in London. We actually had a dry run with our large suitcases in early September to see if this was even going to work and still accommodate G’s tuxedo for formal nights, and, amazingly, it will. The biggest issue will be on the NCL cruise (no free laundry service and no passenger laundry), but I think we’ll survive. The cooler weather will certainly help, and we'll buy detergent in London to do periodic hand laundry.
Our usual carry ons weigh 6 pounds and 8 pounds empty; the 11 pound limit left us almost no room for any contents. We’re leaving them behind and are instead taking small rolling backpacks we use when we fly Space A(vailable) on military aircraft where we’re limited to 12 pounds total. Mine just barely holds my medications, minimal jewelry, all my electronics and charging paraphernalia, paper confirmations and the few things I'll need in London. We actually had a dry run with our large suitcases in early September to see if this was even going to work and still accommodate G’s tuxedo for formal nights, and, amazingly, it will. The biggest issue will be on the NCL cruise (no free laundry service and no passenger laundry), but I think we’ll survive. The cooler weather will certainly help, and we'll buy detergent in London to do periodic hand laundry.
Because people always ask, this is what's in my suitcase:
I closed the suitcase and weighed it...35 pounds, leaving me 9 pounds for toiletries (my weakness). And then, in a separate lightweight bag, I started gathering those, in order of most importance, weighing as I went along. The ‘picking and choosing’ part of that was tough -I want to take everything I use at home, which is impossible- but, after adding the chosen items to my suitcase, it weighs in at 42 pounds and my backpack at 11 pounds. Do you believe in miracles?
- Two pairs of slacks (plus I’m wearing one)
- Two long-sleeved T-shirts (plus I’m wearing one)
- One maxi travel skirt that can be balled up in a backpack for mosques and temples
- Four tops for dinners
- Two silk jackets for formal nights
- Three pairs of shorts (all quick dry)
- Three short-sleeved T-shirts (all quick dry)
- Two neck scarves (after all, it’s Europe!)
- One hijab that can be balled up in a backpack for mosques and temples
- My Goretex jacket (I’m wearing a fleece and travel vest)
- Headband, wool hat and gloves (we remember Europe from two years ago)
- Two pairs of sandals (plus I’m wearing sneakers)
- A number of unmentionables I won’t mention
- Two small purses I use on board
- My Tilley hat
- Two swimsuits (one will be eaten by the hot tubs and will never see Hawaii)
- Rash guard for sun protection
- Umbrella
- Walking stick
- Travel Kite
The boys were on fall break last week, and we squeezed in two meals out and some driving practice in addition to their sporting events. That’s right, I said driving. They turned 15 last month, and, armed with their learners permits, are looking to get as much time behind the wheel as possible. So it was ‘Driving Miss NeeNee’ as we practiced left turns, lane alignments, parking in a single spot and navigating neighborhood streets. I loved it (they said I was very chill). The years of afternoons at the pool and hours spent building with Legos are far behind us. Now it’s meals out and driving lessons and tying their ties for their first high school dance (because their dad was on a plane). Time marches on, but, oh boy, am I blessed to have them in my life.
Not Sweet Tomatoes, this year, but a spicy Mexican lunch I felt the rest of the day.
Yep, time marches on. ;-)
G and I had promised each other that we would finish major projects around the house by the end of September, and we just made it, building a technology wall in the family room with floor and wall cabinets and finishing the installment of ten feet of countertop the last day of the month. Preparing the house for winter, and getting through our ‘last 2 weeks’, ‘last week’, ‘last 3 days’, ‘last day’ lists followed the usual (very) busy, sometimes frustrating pattern, and only the ‘last morning’ list remains to be completed. The suitcases are in the foyer and I’ve done a final quick clean of the house. One more sleep and we’ll be on our way.
Why do I feel like a starter's pistol is about to be fired? ;-)
Why do I feel like a starter's pistol is about to be fired? ;-)