TRIP
Our youngest daughter invited her parents (US) to accompany them to an island offshore. We needed passports – luckily we had them, still good for two more years. The weather on the island is summer, the weather at home is winter. It will still be cool to cold when we return. All of our summer clothes are stored away for the cold months. While it is tempting to switch the clothes, we will need cold weather clothes when we return.
Planning is the fun part of the trip. Looking for clothes is NOT! Question: Will they fit? I wish I could say that my weight is down, sadly it is not. I’m going to try — very hard to keep the amount of clothes to a minimum. Spring clothes has appeared in the stores. Shopping anyone? And of course, I need to leave room in the suitcase for treasures found on the island.
Not only do I have to plan the clothing, I also need to plan for our diet needs. We have never visited before but I’m told they will have food my husband will enjoy eating. I don’t know what foods will be available that will fit our needs. My husband is diabetic, I buy a low sugar grape jelly for him. Will I be able to get it there? I’m sure I will pack a bottle of jelly as well as his sugar. I’m sodium restricted. What do I need to bring for me? I’m also sure I will bring an assortment of my herbal tea.
Talking about our trip at our exercise class, I have received some good information. I really don’t want to bring an extra five pounds of body weight back with me.
I called two of our credit cards to alert them to our travelling plans. I learned that one has an up charge of 3% on purchases. I learned that the other has no up charge. I think I know which one we will be using. My husband and I each carry a different card just in case one gets lost or compromised.
Planning, planning — flying — enjoying — flying — then quickly home. Planning extends the time for the trip. Just can’t go crazy.
I knew that I had planned to buy something from the store. I forgot to write it down. No surprise, I didn’t remember. I thought of stuff I might have needed. Even though I picked the stuff up, it didn’t feel that I had bought the missing item. Walking down the aisle, a mother asked her daughter to help her get tissue. I would say that a gong went off in my head but I would be exaggerating — BUT her statement reminded me that tissue was what I needed. “THANK YOU!”
I guess it is pretty evident that I haven’t traveled out of the US in a very long time. Still planning, I stopped at the beauty shop to get a haircut. The hairdresser mentioned the cost of phone calls offshore. I hadn’t thought of it. Later, calling the phone company I learned there is an up charge of $2.50 a minute. FOREWARNED. “THANK YOU!”
Wandering With Spirit 