(Yes) More packing thoughts

We leave in less than 3 weeks now and I keep having random things pop into my head that we need to pack that haven’t made it onto the main list yet.  I thought I’d share some of them here in case they are helpful for others who are packing-list fiends like me.

 

In no particular order, here are some recent additions:

 

1.       Retainer and case

2.       Braces rubber bands

3.       Braces care: wax, brushes

4.       Eyeglass repair kit

5.       Small mending kit (needle, thread for sewing on buttons, etc.)

 

And of course I have found packing lists online that have lots of ideas. Here is one from the DIS that is specifically for a Disney Cruise:  http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-cruise-line/packing.htm.  And here’s one from Cruise Critic: http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1436.

 

 

 

 

Packing your carry-on

I recently read an article that addressed ways to make getting through TSA security a bit easier on you, your traveling companions and the TSA agents. That got me to thinking about how important it is to give some thought to not only what goes into the carry-ons, but how it is put into the bag. After all, if your carry-on is a jumbled mess, that makes it harder for the TSA agents to see what is in the backpack they are screening, so they are more likely to pull it, and you, for further inspection. 

 The first thing you should do is lay out what needs to go in your carry-on.  In our case, we are each checking a bag, so we want to minimize what we have to schlep for half a day at the airport before boarding, but we must include those things we need.  These things can be travel documents, cash, car keys, ID, necessary medicine, electronic entertainment devices, snacks, gum, and a change of clothes. There may be other valuables or small sized toiletries that one would want to carry on board. Anything you absolutely must have when you get to your destination should go with you as long as it doesn't contradict the OK list that the TSA makes available. 

 Once you have laid out everything to pack into your carry-on, think about what you may need easy access to versus those items you don't. You will want to put  those things in where you can get to them without having to take everything out. 

 Then load it up! Place things in neatly, following your thoughts about what you need and don't. If you have liquids or laptops, keep those where you can pull them out for separate screening without having to dig through your bag.  It's really easy when you are finishing your main packing to take anything that doesn't fit in your checked bag and shove it in your carry-on.  If you find yourself needing to do this, if you have packed your carry-on neatly, you should be able to take a moment to find a way to include it neatly, too.

Pressing pause

We pause in our vacation planning to extend our thoughts and prayers to the people who lost loved ones and their homes and businesses in Oklahoma this week as a result of the tornadoes. 

Getting the $$ in order

An important "to do" before traveling, particularly overseas, is to make sure your finances are in order.  These are some things we consider:

1. Schedule bill payment for those accounts that must be paid during the time of travel. Any that can be set up to auto-pay should be handled so that you don't have to find wifi to send a payment or worry about connecting via an unsecured network.  Look ahead to what is due when and sort it out before you leave.
2. Notify your bank and credit card companies that you'll be traveling overseas and include the dates and locations that you'll be. This will keep them from blocking access to your accounts when you are legitimately using them to access cash or purchase that only-found-in-Italy item that you absolutely must buy. 
3. Write down your account numbers and the contact information for your credit card and bank should you need to call them from overseas.  Most have a "call collect from anywhere else" in addition to their toll-free US number.
4. Ask about foreign transaction fees.  Some credit cards have none, but most charge 3% regardless of the currency that they purchase is made in. So if you're in France and the merchant will charge you $US rather than Euro, you will still pay the foreign transaction fee.  These fees are generally added to your account at the end of each billing cycle, so if you have a small credit line available, be sure to keep track of that extra fee so it doesn't cause overdraft or over-the-limit issues for you.
5. Ask about ATM withdrawal limits per day / month, particularly if you aren't already a regular ATM user.  Some banks limit the number of transactions per month before charging hefty fees, others limit the amount of cash per withdrawal. Some charge fees in addition to what fees are charged by the bank whose ATM you are using, so you want to watch out for those double-dippers.
6. Take enough cash to get you where you are going and then some. You don't want to arrive in a foreign country without some cash, and if you can have some local currency, that's even better. Sure, you can hit up the ATM when you get to the airport, but what if your ATM card doesn't work there or if it's all out of cash at the end of the day?  It's better to have at least enough to get you a cab to your hotel where the concierge or clerk can help you or direct you to another ATM.  We had an issue in Canada where our bank-issued ATM wouldn't work; there was apparently some restriction on the use of them in Canada, but our bank failed to inform us of this even when we notified them of our travel plans. Thankfully we had some $US on us and were in Vancouver where pretty much everywhere accepted it.  We had planned to get $Canadian after arrival so as to avoid the foreign transaction fees from using a credit card for purchases, but we were foiled.  We called our bank from Canada to find out what was going on; that's when we learned that Canada and the US had some weird thing that kept us from using our ATM there.  When we returned, we saw that our bank had put up new signs asking customers to let them know when they would be traveling overseas so they could find out if their ATM cards would work.  We like to think that our experience led to the bank better informing their customers.

I'm sure there are other things related to finances that need to be taken care of before traveling, but these few things should get things started.  Don't wait until the last minute to take care of these because you might find that you want to order a newer credit card that has a chip in it for use in Europe, or you might want to order some foreign currency, or something completely different.  Whatever you do, don't neglect to consider the best way for you to handle your money and your transactions both at home and away so you can relax and enjoy your vacation.

Unusual items on the packing list

As our packing list becomes more complete, I noticed a few things on it that might seem odd to take, but I know we will find them to be useful, so I thought I would share them here.

Up first is the cardboard drink carrier that we got from Chick-Fil-A last summer when my brother and I went out for milkshakes for everyone.  I saved the two carriers specifically for our cruises this summer because I thought they would be handy for carrying drinks back to the cabin.  You see, on Disney ships, the soda is free and there are self-serve drink stations on one of the upper decks (on Deck 9 on the Magic where we'll be next month).  They have paper cups, plastic lids, and straws available.  So what often happens is that one of us will head out to get a drink and someone else in the cabin will ask if you would one back for them.  Not a problem, but it does fill up both hands and can make re-entering the cabin a bit more difficult because you need one hand to insert your cabin key and open the door while balancing an extra drink.  Solution? The cardboard drink carrier, used as designed, will allow a free hand for negotiating the cabin door.  In addition, the Disney ships have soft-serve ice cream stations located near the drink station, so a trip to get a drink may also result in a cup of ice cream coming back as well.  No problem with the drink carrier, though - just put your cup of ice cream in an empty spot and you're good to go!

Another item is the plastic hanger with clips. You know, the kind you get when you buy shorts or a skirt at a store like Walmart or Target.  We'll bring 4-6 of these, depending on space, to use during the trip for several things.  For one, they will be great to hang DH's running clothes on after he's soaked them with sweat.  We can then hang them out on the verandah to dry when we are in port; they will hang nicely from the back of the deck chairs and get some fresh air on them.  They are also good for hanging damp swimsuits to dry, and are easy to move from one place to another as needed; it's a pain when you want to take a shower and the tub area is full of clothes thrown over the clothesline.  We can use them for hanging clothing on that we want to spray with Downy Wrinkle Release or want to have in the bathroom to get steamed while someone is showering.  Sure, there are hangers provided by the cruiseline, but they are wooden and not as easy to move around, plus we usually have them full of clothes; after all, there are four of us sharing a closet!

So what are some unusual things you take on vacation, and what do you use them for?  Let us know in the comments!

Like a tourist vs. Like a local

Whenever we travel somewhere new, we like to research the places we are going and whenever possible, we like to talk to people who know the area well.  One common question we have ask is "When we go home and tell people we went to (insert location here), what's the one thing they'll ask if we saw or did?"  After hearing about the "must see" or "icon" of the area, we then follow-up with another question, "What is the one thing YOU think we should see or do?"  The answers to that question usually lead us to fun, interesting, and time-worthy exploration we would not have discovered from our pre-travel research. And when we get home, we make sure to share those ideas and suggestions with others who want to explore beyond the tourist areas of various locations.

Some areas we visit have spent a lot of effort on tourism and revitalization of areas where tourists typically go.  For cruise ports, there is usually a place near the port so that ship passengers can easily walk or take a shuttle bus to do some shopping, dining, spend money on one thing or another. Or there are guided tours available to take them to areas that are not as easily accessible, or maybe they offer a city tour via a bus or "train" tram.  We like to take these to see around the city to get an overview of what they want you to see, but the real treasures are those areas where the tourists might not go on their own. 

When we are in Dubrovnik, we have a local guide who will take us to see some of the touristy things, but he has promised that we will see Dubrovnik through the eyes of a local person and that he will take us to the non-touristy areas so we can get a better sense of what Dubrovnik is like.  When we were in Helsinki a few years ago, my third-cousin met us at the ship and took us on a walking tour of his city including a place for lunch that is a favorite for his family. It was delightful and such an enjoyable day.  Several years ago when I was in San Francisco, a friend picked me and a coworker up for the afternoon and took us to her local haunts; it was better than any tour we could have booked through the local tour companies.

Here's to seeing what the port cities want us to see, and to seeing places as they really are.

Double set of cruise docs

Our second set of cruise documents arrived today. This is something we have never had before - two sets of cruise documents! Departure day is nearing.