All about getting ready

November 20, 2023 - Well, here we are, just about 3 weeks away from the start of our bucket list trip to the other side of the world. As I noted in my last post (on Nov. 5, updated on Nov. 19th), we finally got our travel arrangements and flight schedules straightened out (I HOPE).  

We are now scheduled to leave from Harrisburg on Wednesday, Dec. 13 around noon, fly to Atlanta, have a 2.5 - 3 hour layover and then fly to LAX, arriving around 7:30 p.m. with a 10:15 p.m. departure to Sydney, Australia, arriving about 8:30 a.m. on Friday, December 15 to begin our land portion of the trip in Australia.  We'll have the day to get settled in, adjust for jet lag (it's going to be a bear), and attend a welcome reception at the hotel.  The official land tour begins the morning of Dec. 16 with a city tour of Sydney.

These last few weeks will be a lot of hurry up and wait, checking and rechecking to make sure all our paperwork is in order, packing and repacking suitcases, and just generally (for me) obsessing over whether we're really ready to go.  I'm still trying to decide if I want to bring my tablet or break down and bring my small laptop to do my blogging with.  The laptop is a little heavier, but it will be so much more comfortable for blogging and adding photos on the go.  We'll have to see.

OK - I've switched to my mini laptop.  Was looking at online reviews of Princess cruises, specifically aboard the Majestic Princess - the ship we'll be sailing on.  It was originally designed for the Asian market back in 2017 and then re-purposed for Australia and the US a few years back.  Many of the comments I've read complain about the size (too big) of the ship at 3560 passengers (+ crew of about 1300).  I had to laugh.  Carl and I have, in recent years, frequently travelled on ships of well over 4,000 passenger capacity.  That size doesn't bother us.  But we did take a one-week cruise about a year ago (our first since Covid) on one of the Oasis class ships of Royal Caribbean that was nearly 6,000 passengers and that WAS too big.  We should do just fine on the Majestic.  But, speaking of cruise ships getting bigger and bigger all the time, I ran across a funny meme on Facebook about 2 weeks ago which captures the craze to go bigger in the cruise industry.  Herewith, is the photo from the meme:

Now that's a big boat!

Ha'! Ha!  That made me laugh.  

Carl and I will be on the ship (and on the ocean) for Christmas so we're having to be a bit creative with how we'll celebrate the holiday.  We've agreed to pack our Christmas stockings and bring some small items to put in each other's stockings.  We're also bringing some magnetic hooks/clips to use to hang them up.  I just went shopping today for the 3 items I plan to put in Carl's stocking.  Carl is on his own for what he wants to put in my stocking but I did give him the idea of a pair of Christmas socks.

One of the other items I have thought to create and pack for this trip is our own mini medicine cabinet of OTC meds for just in case - from Tylenol, to Peptobismol, motion sickness meds, cold meds, and other first aid items.  I remember our cruise to/through the Panama Canal several years ago when I was sick with bronchitis for a good portion of the trip.  Every time we got off at a port in Mexico, I went searching for OTC meds at the local farmacias!  This time, I want to be prepared.  I'd rather have the meds and not use them, than need them and either not be able to find them or pay exorbitant prices onboard the ship!

I have also splurged and bought one new piece of luggage for the trip - a new spinner carryon.  It's about the same size as my usual carry on, but it has the advantage of the spinner wheels so I'll be able to turn it sideways and much more easily roll it down the aisle of the plane.

Ok folks - I've made my decision for the blogging - I WILL be taking the small laptop.  This is SO much easier to create entries and add photos!  Next entry (pre-cruise) will likely be about packing for the trip!!