Packing? What Packing?

Okay, anyone who knows me will appreciate that I have packed and re-packed for this trip a dozen times already. I never leave anything to the last minute (except housework) and so one week before we are leaving our bedroom looks like the lost and found at Macy's. Stuff everywhere. As I said in an earlier post, my biggest conundrum is not knowing what the weather has in store for us. I don't give any thought to trying to "not look like a tourist." I AM a tourist. I AM coming in on a fancy cruise ship. There's no denying the obvious. I am actually looking forward to that "ah" moment when I realize what the "really important, necessary, can't live without" item is that I forgot. One week until liftoff...

The Countdown Continues...

Today is warm and sunny in Arizona. I wonder what it’s like on the Pacific Princess. It’s weird to think that people I’ll be spending so much time with are already a month into the trip and we don’t board for another two weeks. I’m still in heavy angst over what to bring and what not to bring (will it rain? will it be really cold or really hot? Hello! We’re going to Dubai, and I’m wondering if it will be HOT?) The luggage restrictions make for a weird mental rubic cube about what goes and what doesn’t. As Tom would say, “Que sera, sera…”

Rough Water Ahead?

I just finished reading Ken's blog for today (pacificprincessworldcruise2010.blogspot.com) where he tells of 15 ft. swells and 30mph winds on the way to Hawaii. Yikes! We were supposed to be on this leg of the trip but backed out and decided to catch up with the cruise in Sydney. I'm sure we'll have some rough passage in our 62 days at sea but I'm hoping for more days of smooth seas than rugged ones. I get green just thinking of double-digit swells. Only 15 days until lift-off!

One Month to Go...

In exactly four weeks we'll be heading out to Phoenix for the flight to Honolulu. I have been slowly adding stuff to the big plastic bin--the "staging area"--for what I'm taking. Tom's going primal; he's using a cardboard box. The bin/box is almost full, which means I'm going to have all manner of personal care items (toothpaste, nair clippers, pens, four pairs of glasses, dozens of paperback books and so on) but no clothes. So, something's got to go. It won't be the books. Tom bought me an e-book reader for Christmas but I took it back. I have a "thing" about real hold-in-your-hand-turn-the page books. I know I will buy an e-reader one of these days, but it's like the Three Bears: one's too small, one's too big (and expensive, and you know who you are, Steve Jobs) and one's just right (but it isn't available yet). So, I wait. And I pack about five pounds of books that will be scuttled once read.