Day-trip Packing List

Perhaps I’m over planning, but I’ve been trying to make a list of what to bring on our excursions.  We’ll most likely bring a backpack to trade off between the two of us.  If we find that’s too big, I have a purse that I can bring, but that means I have to lug it around the whole time (and it’s not as comfortable as a backpack, either).  Here’s my initial list of what to bring, based on carrying a backpack and two security pouches:

Paul’s pouch: His passport, credit and debit cards, the health insurance cards, drivers’ license, cash, SetSail pass

My pouch: My passport, credit and debit cards, drivers’ license, SetSail pass, emergency phone number/address list

Backpack

• Two waterbottles
• Snacks
• Towels (if going to beach)
• Books (if going to a place to sit for an extended time)
• Camera
• Basic first aid materials
• Kleenex
• Umbrellas (if rain is in the forecast)
• Headscarf/shawl (if going into a church or mosque)
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses/regular glasses
• Hat (if not wearing)
• Map
• List of sights to see
• Notepad
• Pen
• Extra clothes (if expecting to get wet or very sweaty)
• Plastic bags/baggies

The list would be shortened to the essentials if we were bringing my purse instead of the backpack: water bottles, camera, first aid, Kleenex, sunscreen, map, list of sights to see, pen.  If worse comes to worse, we can go back to the ship and pick up what we need, eat lunch, rest, or do whatever else we need… however, I’d rather not spend the little on-land time we have walking to and from the boat!

How to Prevent Jet Lag

We should have started planning this quite a while ago.  I’ve never had jet lag before… but then again, I’ve never traveled father than Hawaii.  Our Mediterranean destinations are 7-8 hours ahead of us, which means:

• 7 am in Italy, when we’d like to start exploring, is midnight on our biological clocks.
• If we eat lunch at noon in Greece, it would be like eating a 4 am breakfast back at home.
• Watching the sunset in Dubrovnik (about 8:15 pm) will feel like 1:15 pm to our Wisconsin brains.
• Going to bed on the cruise ship at our usual time, 10 or 11 pm, would be like falling asleep at 3 in the afternoon.

According to many websites (and simple logic), it would have been a good idea to start adjusting our bodies to the upcoming time change about a week ago.  Whoops.  That did not happen.  We’ll have to make to with some other tips and tricks from the web.  Here are a few I’ve gathered.

• Sleep on the plane when it is nighttime at your destination. Earplugs, headphones and eye masks can help diminish noise and light.  Stay awake on the plane when it is daytime at your destination. Read a thriller with the light on and the window shade open, or cruise the aisles.  (eHow)
• Before departing, make sure you have all your affairs, business and personal, in order. Ensure you are not stressed-out with excitement or worry, and not tired or hungover from a function the night before.  (nojetlag.com)
• Some travelers like to exercise before they go to the airport. (This can actually help you sleep better on the plane.)  Once you’re at the airport, avoid the escalators and moving sidewalks.  Instead, walk and take the stairs on the way to your check-in area and gate connections.  (Independent Traveler)
• When I traveled from the U.S. to Israel a couple years ago, a trip that involved an eight-hour time difference, I resisted the temptation to take a nap when I arrived (11 AM local time, 3 AM body time). Instead I stayed up till 9 PM local time and got a good night’s sleep. Instant reset of my body clock.  (The Straight Dope)
• If you have a stopover in between your flights on a long journey, you might want to take a shower to wake up your body, get the circulation flowing and freshen up. Usually, I just wash my face, hair and brush my teeth rather than taking a full body shower.  (Brave New Traveler)
• The dry air in aircraft causes dehydration. Drinking plenty of non-alcoholic fluids counters this. Water is better than coffee, tea and fruit juices. Alcohol not only is useless in combating dehydration, but has a markedly greater intoxicating effect when drunk in the rarefied atmosphere of an airliner than it does at ground level.  (nojetlag.com)
• Wearing two watches, one set to the current time, and one to the time at your destination, can help you prepare yourself mentally for the coming time change.  (Independent Traveler)
• Most important when you’re in the air is to keep exercised. Sitting for the whole period is not good for your circulation so get up as often as possible (but not excessively). Here are some simple exercises you can do.
  1. Shoulder shrugs – lift your arms and roll them in a wide circular movement both forward and backwards.
  2. Knee raises – bend your knees to hip height, hold for a few seconds, release and do the same for the other knee.
  3. Upper back stretch – lock your fingers, stretch them out front bowing your back with palms facing inwards.
  4. Ankle swirl – move your ankles around in small circles from time to time.  (Brave New Traveler)

Any more tips to add?

Day Eleven – Flying Home

August 1, 2010

7:00 am – wake up, go on a walk and find something to eat

8:15 am – check into airport

9:55 am – 12:30 pm – Flight BA5107, Manchester (Terminal 3) to Chicago (Terminal 5), in flight for 8 hours 35 minutes

5 hour 15 minute layover

5:45 pm-6:40 pm – flight BA5305 – Chicago (Terminal 3) to Green Bay, 55 minutes in the air

7:00 – get picked up by Mom and Dad, drive home

Day Ten – Padua, Italy and flying to England

July 31, 2010

6:45 am – Ship docks in Venice

8:30 am-12:30 pm – Padua Excursion and airport transfer

• walking tour of Prato Della Valle, an oval park on the site of a Roman Theater
• Basilica of Sant Antonio
• Bo Palace, the ancient University main seat and Caffe Pedrocchi
• Piazza delle Erbe and Piazza della Frutta (two picturesque squares)
• pass by the gardens of the Roman arena

When tour is over – arrive at airport, check in

4:50 – Flight BA2585, Venice to Gatwick (2 hours, 5 minutes flying time)

5:55 pm – arrive at Gatwick Terminal N for a 4 hour, 5 minute layover

10:00 – Flight BA2914 departs for Manchester out of Gatwick Terminal N (55 minutes in air)

10:55 pm – arrive in Manchester Terminal 3

11:00 pm – check into Crowne Plaza, which is attached to the airport.  Hotel phone number +44-871-9429055.  Confirmation number 63981060.

Fruit Leather Recipe (no sugar added!)

Cherry apple fruit leather looks ugly, I’ll give you that much.  (My lackluster photography skills also play a large role in that picture.  I think it’s the direct lighting.  Thoughts?)  Fruit leather is really healthy, though, and it’s got the husband seal of approval.

I don’t have a “real” recipe to pass on today – more of an idea.  It’s infinitely adaptable – we just happened to have cherries so I thought I’d try that flavor.  Next time I’ll try peach, raspberry, or strawberry.  Go nuts, and let me know how it goes!

Fruit Leather

Ingredients:

• Applesauce (natural – check the ingredients list to make sure there isn’t any added sugar)
• Fresh fruit (I used cherries this time)

Directions:

1. Take stems, pits, etc. out of fresh fruit.  Heat in a saucepan until soft.
2. Blend fresh fruit and applesauce in a food processor.  (I used an equal amount of fruit and applesauce, but you could certainly try experimenting!)
3. Prepare a baking sheet with a thin layer of nonstick cooking spray.  Spread fruit mixture evenly over the pan.  You can put it on a bit thicker than you’d think.  I put a moderate amount and parts of it were so thin that I could see through them.
4. Put in a warm oven (140 degrees) for about 8 hours, or until fruit is no longer tacky and soft.  Alternately, you could use a food dehydrator if you have solid trays with sides.
5. Cut into strips or large squares.

100 Things to Make, Updated

My list of 100 Things to Make is full… now comes the fun part!  I’ve already started ticking off some recipes.  Nine recipes, to be exact.  Nearly all of which were desserts.  No wonder I’ve gained a few pounds in the last month!  Maybe I need to revise and replace some of my desserts with vegetables.

Because of our honeymoon, I’ll take a break for the rest of the month (not complaining about that!), but I’ll start up again come August.  If you have a good recipe for any of these, by all means send it my way, or comment with a link to your recipe!

100 Things to Make

1. Povitica
2. Cream puffs
3. Yogurt
4. Bagels
5. Doughnuts
6. Egg rolls
7. Fruit leather
8. Onion rings
9. Roasted red peppers
10. Deep fried cheese curds
11. Rhubarb upside down cake
12. Shepherd’s pie made this but haven’t blogged about it yet
13. Lemon poppy seed muffins
14. Jalapeno poppers
15. Better than sex cake
16. Black bean burgers
17. Cheese crackers
18. Multigrain bread
19. Oven roasted asparagus made this but forgot to take any pictures
    
20. Scones
21. Peppercorn steak
22. Quiche
23. Eggs Benedict
24. Cobb salad
25. Chocolate eclair cake
26. Philly cheesesteak
27. Calzones
28. Sweet potato fries
29. Pancake mix
30. Maple glazed ham
31. Chicken cordon bleu
32. Refried beans
33. Pulled chicken tacos
34. Fortune cookies
35. Artichoke dip
36. Cheesecake
37. Pumpkin pie
38. Mayonnaise
39. Chicken and broccoli stir fry Again… made but no pictures.  YUM-O, though.
40. English muffins
41. Salad dressing
42. Couscous
43. Fajitas
44. Steak quesadillas
45. Orange Thai beef skewers
46. Cheeseball
47. Texas caviar
48. Tagalong cookies
49. Samoa cookies
50. Chicken pot pie
51. Caramels
52. Pecan snowballs
53. Sables
54. Pork breakfast sausage
55. Coconut macaroons
56. Tomato soup
57. Cake pops
58. White pizza dip
59. Apple butter
60. Orange roasted salmon with yogurt-caper sauce
61. Wine soaked cherries over pound cake
62. Buster bar torte
63. German rye bread
64. Lazy daisy cake
65. Pork medallions with blue cheese and chives
66. Teriyaki sesame chicken
67. Cheesy wild rice soup
68. Ice cream
69. Any recipe from Deceptively Delicious
70. Pasties
71. Hummus
72. Frittata
73. Edamame
74. Breaded perch
75. Vegetable bake
76. Croutons
77. Gorp
78. Ding Dongs or Swiss Cake Rolls
79. BLT salad
80. Jam
81. Dilly beans
82. Red velvet cake
83. Pineapple upside-down cake
84. Chicken ranch pizza
85. Spicy bronzed chicken
86. Chicken broccoli braid
87. Chicken empanadas
88. Pulled pork tacos
89. Waffelized hash browns (or anything “waffleized”)
90. Wilted spinach salad
91. Honey cranberry cornmeal quickbread
92. Beer cupcakes
93. Oreo truffles
94. Blueberry boy bait
95. Onion soup mix
96. Molten lava cake
97. Woodtick salad
98. Honey wheat muffins
99. Chocolate chip date cake
100. Chicken princess

Chocolate Eclair Cake Recipe

Yum, yum, double yum.  This is the tastiest dessert I’ve ever made, ever, by far.  That may say more about my cooking skills than the cake, but I promise it’s good.  Imagine a chocolate eclair with more filling, whipped cream, and chocolate.

The picture doesn’t do it justice – next time I make it, I’ll have to take a closeup of one piece, showing of all four of its glorious layers.  The base is made of eggs, butter, flour, and water.  The next layer up is the cream – pudding mix, milk, and cream cheese.  Then comes some whipping cream and sugar whipped to perfection, and to top it off, the chocolate layer (chocolate chips, butter, milk, and powdered sugar).  You do need to refrigerate it for a few hours before it’s ready for it’s debut, so starting this early in the morning or even the night before an event is to your benefit.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

I use a recipe from my husband’s aunt, but there’s a similar recipe at Big Oven.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup water
• 4 large eggs
• 1 large package vanilla instant pudding
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (room temperature)
• 1 pint whipping cream
• 2 tbs sugar
• 3 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

Directions:

1. To Make Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring the water and butter to boil.  Add flour; stir.  Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition until smooth. Spread in an ungreased 9×13″ baking pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.  Cool.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the pudding mix, milk and softened cream cheese together until thoroughly blended. Spread pudding mixture over the baked and cooled eclair crust.
3. Using an electric mixture with a whisk attachment, whip together whipping cream and sugar.  Spread over pudding mixture.
4. Melt chocolate chips and butter. Remove from heat and add confectioners sugar and milk alternately until a thin glaze forms.  While still warm, pour or drizzle over whipped cream.  Refrigerate overnight.

Carry-on Packing List for Our Cruise

Three, three, three more days!  Three days until we’ll be jet setting off to the Mediterranean for a seven night cruise.  It’s about time to finish packing!

We’re going to be using only carry-on luggage for the trip, so space is at a premium.  To see what I need to live (and what I can live without), I’ve been living out of a suitcase for the past week and a half.  ”Practice packing,” I call it.  I wanted to make sure I wasn’t leaving anything behind that I’d regret.  I did end up switching a few long sleeves for short sleeved shirts, and adding some little necessities that I had forgotten.

I fit everything into a carry-on suitcase, small backpack, and security neck pouch:

Not bad!  Here are the contents of the suitcases.  Am I missing anything?

Wear on the planes to Venice:

• Black capri pants
• Tan tank top
• Black button-up sweater
• Black belt
• Olive walking sandals
• Watch
• Bra (racerback)
• Underpants
• Glasses

Clothing

• Bottoms
  • Capris (cream)
  • Jeans
  • Shorts (brown, blue plaid, orange plaid)
  • Skirt (white)
  • Workout shorts
• Tops
  • Long sleeved shirts (brown, black)
  • Short sleeved shirts (green, black, purple, teal)
  • Tank tops (teal, black, brown)
• Other
  • Dresses (blue, brown)
  • Pajamas
  • Swimming suit
  • Underpants (9)
  • Bra (strapless convertible, sports)
  • Socks (6)

Accessories

• Barrettes
• Bracelet
• Earrings (five)
• Headband
• Headscarf
• Necklaces (three)
• Shawl

Shoes

• Sneakers (gray)
• Sandals (brown, flip flops)
• Dress shoes (black)

Personal

• Band-aids*
• Brush
• Bobby pins
• Contact case, with contacts inside^
• Contact solution^
• Contacts (extra)^
• Cotton swabs*
• Deodorant
• Dental floss*
• Face wash
• Feminine products
• Hand sanitizer*^
• Hair ties
• Lip balm
• Lotion
• Make-up
  • Eyeshadow
  • Eyeliner
  • Blush
  • Nail polish^
  • Concealer^
  • Mascara
• Medication (prescription, IB Profin, vitamins, allergy, itch cream, tums)
• Mirror
• Nail clippers*
• Razors
• Shampoo
• Soap
• Sunscreen
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste*^
• Tweezers
• Wrinkle releaser

Other

• Alarm clock
• Night light
• Paperwork in folder
  • Address list (for postcards)
  • Airline e-tickets
  • Backup credit card
  • Credit/debit cards
  • Cruise documents
  • Currency conversion chart
  • Driver’s license (copy)
  • Emergency phone number list
  • Health insurance card (copy)
  • Hotel paperwork
  • Passport (copy)
  • Phone card (copy)
• Plastic baggies

Backpack

• Books (two)
• Canvas bags
• Camera bag
  • Camera and charger
  • Cell phone and charger
  • Headphones
  • Playaways
• Games
  • Deck of cards
  • Scrabble card game
• Glasses case
• Highlighters
• Journal
• Kleenex
• Pencils (2)
• Pens (2)
• Puzzle books and copies
• Snacks
• Sunglasses
• Umbrella*
• Water bottle (empty)

Security Shoulder Pouch

• Airline e-tickets
• Cash
• Currency conversion chart
• Credit/debit cards
• Cruise documents
• Drivers’ license
• Emergency phone number list
• Health insurance card
• Passport (original)
• Phone card

* Can share with Paul – pack somewhere between the two of us

^ Liquid – must fit in quart baggie

Day Nine – Cruising

July 30, 2010

No itinerary… Cruising!

Day Eight – Corfu, Greece

July 29, 2010

1:00 pm – tender

8:30 pm – depart

Corfu notes:

• You can either take a shuttle into Corfu Town, or walk (takes about 30 minutes).  According to Europe Port Reviews: “Simply leave the terminal to your left and stay right along the ocean all the way.  The traffic must take another route as the road is one-way along the coast.  Follow the coastline until you climb the hill and go underneath the archway.  The Old Fortress of Corfu is to your left and the Old City is to your right.  You can enter the pedestrian streets where the restaurants are.”

Things to do in Corfu:

• Touring Corfu Town seems like a can’t-miss activity.
• Pontikonissi (or Mouse Island as it is popularly known) and Vlaherna are two tiny islands that serve as Corfu’s visual signature. Vlaherna houses a small convent while the heavily wooded Mouse Island is known for a 12th-century Byzantine church. There are boats at Vlaherna, reachable from the mainland by a causeway, that ferry tourists to Mouse Island, which costs two euros. On the hillside overlooking the islands across the road from Hotel Royal are a couple of nice cafes and souvenir shops. It’s a terrific place to admire the view. To get to Vlaherna, a 30-minute walk from Old Town, just follow the coastline south, past Mon Repos beach.
• Mon Repos is a beach that is 15 minutes away from the old town.  Behind the beach are ruins.  Tickets are 3 Euros per person.  It’s not necessarily a favorite beach but it’s within walking distance.  (from Cruise Critic)
• Shopping in the old section
• Explore the old fortress (located right off of Spanish Square)
• The Liston is a stretch of cafes along the Esplanade (a grass square) – it is very expensive to eat there, though.

Corfu resources:

• Europe Port Reviews
• Cruise Critic

Day Seven – Santorini, Greece

July 28, 2010

7 am – ship arrives, tenders, take smaller boats to Santorini (10 hours until departure – HOWEVER, tendering takes longer)

5 pm – ship departs

Santorini Notes:

• Currency is Euro
• Ship is tendered off of land and you take a small boat to land
• Suggested not to get the last tender back, as there are long lines

Things to do in Santorini:

• Take cablecar trip up (4 Euros, runs every 15 minutes) or go up the path to the city by foot (45 minutes) or donkey (4 Euros)  **note: several sites said the donkeys were ill treated; Lindsay said that walking up the hill isn’t a great idea.  Several places suggested taking a donkey up and the cablecar down.
• According to Cruise Critic, “to see the best of Santorini, you should take a shore excursion, via bus or taxi, further afield.”
• Wander the city; shop and go to a cafe
• Also from Cruise Critic: “Worth visiting is Oia (pronounced Eeh-Ah), a pretty village of pastel-tinted and whitewashed houses set into the cliffside. Here you’ll find leafy squares, picturesque restaurants, art galleries and decent craft shops — good for a browse and a pleasant lunch. There are also paths down to two black-sand volcanic beaches.”  Buses run every 30 minutes or hour to Oia, which is 7 miles NW of Fira.  Taxis go there as well, but negotiate a return rate in advance – they’re “reliable if time is at a premium” (Cruise Critic).
• Drink a glass of local white wine
• Kamari beach – you’d need a bus or taxi to see this
• take a bus to black or red sand beaches

Santorini Resources:

• Cruise Critic
• Europe Port Reviews

Day Six – Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey

June 27, 2010

8:00 am – dock (10 hours until boat launches)

8:45 am-4:30 pm – Best of Ephesus Tour

• $110 per person
• Drive in Turkish countryside
• Visit house of Mary and Fountain of Our Lady
• Short drive to Ehpesus
• Open Air Archeological Museum of Ephesus
• Pass by the Magnesia gate to  will enter the administrative section of ancient Ephesus
• Guided walking tour – see the Odeon, the Fountain of Trajan, the steam baths of Scholastika, temple of Hadrian, library of Celsius, Grand Theater
• Return to buses through the Arcadian way
• Ephesus Archeological Museum (escorted through the 9 exhibits)
• St. John’s Basilica
• traditional Turkish lunch
• Return to Kusadasi downtown area
• refreshment stop
• brief carpet presentation
• walk to ship when finished

6:00 pm – ship departs

Things to do in Kusadasi

• Grand Bazaar – shopping
• Pigeon Island – small island with a castle

Notes about Kusadasi, Turkey

• Lira (TRL) is the currency, but may be able to use dollars or Euros
• A note about haggling from Cruise Critic: “When in doubt, offer a third of the trader’s price and haggle — hard — from there.”
• If we go to mosques, legs must be covered (no shorts/short skirts) and females must wear head scarf.

Kusadasi/Ephesus Links:

• Royal Caribbean (click on “Port Explorer” link)
• Cruise Critic

Day Five – Cruising

July 26, 2010

Cruising!  No schedule today.

Day Four – Dubrovnik, Croatia

June 25

Notes on Dubrovnik:

• Currency is Kuna
• There is an ATM near the ferry terminal.
• Bigger ships pull into Gruz Harbor (also called Port Gruz), which is 1 mile from the old city.  Many ships provide shuttles to the old city; a 15-minute ride.  A local bus is just outside the pier gates; look for numbers 1a, 1b and 8. Fare is 10 kuna, and exact change is required (make sure you convert some money at the exchange bureau just inside the port’s gates).  Taxis: Available at a cost of about 50 kuna.

10:30 am – Ship docks in Dubrovnik (8 hours until ship departure)

Things to do in Dubrovnik:

• There is a tourism information center 100 yards up the road from the Pile gate.  They can give you a free map and a monthly information booklet – Dubrovnik Riviera.
• Walk the walls around the city – do this first.  It is 50 Kona (about $9) per person to do this.  You cannot wear a backpack on the walls, according the The Rough Guide to Croatia, but I didn’t find anything to verify this.
• Hang out in the Old Town (called Stari Grad by locals).  Some shops close during lunchtime (1-4 pm)
• Ride the cable car for 70 Kuna (about $12.50) each.  It provides a very short (3 minutes?) panoramic view of the city.
• Dominican Monestary and Museum.  There is a church, cloister, and art collection.  15 Kona each (about $3).  (on the 30 not-to-missed sights in Croatia from The Rough Guide to Croatia)
• Explore inside the city walls, starting at the Pile Gate. “Among the highlights are the circa-14th-century Franciscan Monastery (Placa 2). Make sure you check out the adjoining pharmacy (third oldest in europe, opened in 1391).  The Rector’s Palace (Pred Dvorom 3) was the government seat in the 15th century; now you’ll find a museum with Baroque paintings and historic artifacts. The Synagogue (Zudioska 5) is Europe’s second-oldest Sephardic synagogue. Other highlights include the city’s cathedral (Poljana M. Orzica) and the Fort of St. John Maritime Museum and Aquarium (Ul Od Margarite & the waterfront).
• For people-watching, sip a coffee or cocktail at any of the city’s numerous sidewalk cafes. For a waterfront view check out Gradska Kavana (Pred Dvorum); it also has plaza-side tables. The Hemingway Bar (Pred Dvoram) has comfy wicker chairs and a 30-page cocktail menu — try the Mojito or the Croatian beer Karlovacko. Hungry? Proto (Siroka 1) has no view but makes up for it with outstanding dishes; try any of their grilled or fried fish entries or the seafood risotto. Want a view? Just outside the Pile Gate is Atlas Club Nautika (Brsalje 3).” (everything in quotes from Trip Advisor)
• Excursion Option 1:  Dubrovnik by Cable Car for Families.  $42/person, 4.5 hours, leaves at 11:15 and 11:30 (2 tours).  Cablecar ride to Old Town, walking tour and free time, transfer back to the ship at 3:15 or 3:30.  Thoughts: Initially Kate’s 1st choice, Paul’s second (but then he crossed it out altogether), but after researching, it seems like something we could do on our own for only the cost of the cable car (about 70 Kuna/$12.50 per person) and a ride back to the ship ($8 round trip per person, possibly).  Not a good deal, and it limits the time you can spend in the city walls.  Also, I don’t think a walk around the walls is included.  Unless the walking tour is unbelievable, I would not book this excursion.
• Excursion Option 2:  Panoramic Dubrovnik and City Tour by Coach.  $49/person, 3.75 hours, leaves at 11:15 am.  A bus gives a ride to the Old City, where you go on a walking tour, as well as go inside the Rector’s Palace and Maritime Museum.  You can take the bus back with everyone at 3:00, or stay longer (but then getting back is at your own expense).

6:30 pm – Ship departs

Resources:

• Lonely Planet
• Trip Advisor
• Cruise Critic
• Europe Port Reviews
• Cruise Critic (reviews of all of our ports)
• Croatia Travel Blog
• Frommers (reviews of all of our ports)

Day Three – Venice, Boarding the Ship

7:00 am-ish – continental breakfast at Hotel Arcadia

7:30 am-ish – explore Venice until boarding ship (see if we can keep bags there and pick them up before boarding ship)

12:00 noon – earliest time to board ship (Pier Terminal: Venezia Martittima – Terminal Passeggeri; can check bags and then explore Venice more, then come back to check in fully)

Marittima is only a couple of minutes from the Piazzale Roma by taxi. A free shuttle bus normally runs on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays during the cruise season, or you can ride the #6 bus to the port entrance. (Buy your ticket in the ACTV office in the Piazzale Roma.) You can walk to Marittima from the Piazzale Roma in 10 to 15 minutes. Just follow the road that leads to the causeway and turn left at the port entrance after you cross the railroad tracks.

3:30 pm – last possible time to board ship – don’t be late or they won’t let us board!

4:45 pm-ish – safety drill

5:00 pm – cruise departs, watch from the deck

Day Two – Still Flying Into Venice, Venice

June 23

9:45 am – fly into London Heathrow Airport, Terminal 5, find bus stop

10:30 am – board bus for London Gatwick Airport (service 230, reference number CSLW-02-B1L4, ticket number ETGCD826 )

11:20 am – arrive at London Gatwick Airport, check in, go to Terminal N, board plane (flight BA2584)

12:50 pm – plane flies out of London, 2 hours and 5 minutes in flight

3:55 pm – arrive in Venice, buy bus ticket at ATVO Fly Bus counter in the arrivals hall or a ticket machine in the baggage claim or bus departure area; board Venezia bus at stop located between arrivals and departure, bus time 20 minutes

5:00 pm-ish – get off of bus at Piazzale Roma and walk to Hotel Arcadia (use this map or this map); check into hotel (office open until 6:00 pm)

6:00 pm-ish – explore Venice on our own

Things to Do in Venice:

• See tour book

Day One – Flying to Venice

July 22, 2010

To do list:

• Unplug things that won’t be used (computers)
• Do Louie’s chores – brush, clip nails, fill feeder, wash downstairs litterbox, scoop litter

11:00 – Emy arrives to house sit for our vacation; Mom and Dad take us to the airport

11:35 – arrive at airport, check in and go through security, board plane (Flight BA5464)

1:25 – plane departs, in flight for 54 minutes

2:19 – arrive in Chicago, terminal 3, nearly 6 hours until next flight

5:00 – get a Cinnibon

8:10 – plane (flight BA0296) departs from terminal 5, in flight for 7 hours 35 minutes

Day Negative One – The Day Before We Leave

July 21, 2010

1:25 pm – Check in online at the British Airways website

To Do List:

• Discuss what seats we’d like (aisle, window, etc.) Slight preference to window, as long as we’re together
• Finish packing and have everything set to go by the door (should be 2 rectangle suitcases and 2 backpacks)
• Write and set out house and pet care instructions
• Clean and make the house presentable for Emy
• Do Louie’s chores – brush, clip nails, fill feeder, wash downstairs litterbox, scoop litter
• Unplug anything that won’t be used (computers)
• Print boarding passes and all itineraries
• Call credit card companies to let them know of overseas travel
• Call Sprint and let them know of overseas travel our phones won’t work on land, but will work on the ship
  
• Return all library books except travel books… and two others that I just checked out.  Whoops.
• Rent a Playaway
• Put money in checking account
• Pay all bills due during July
• Print walking map – bus to hotel in Venice
• Make and print emergency phone number list
• Make and print currency conversion chart
• Make copies of credit cards, passports, cruise and plane tickets, phone numbers, itinerary, etc. and leave with Mom and Dad
• Change sheets on beds

Travel Itinerary – General

Eleven days to go!  I’m trying to wrap my brain around the fact that in less than two weeks, I’ll be floating along the Mediterranean.  Below is the general plan.  I’ll break it down day by day in different posts, but here’s the overview!

July 22 – Plane leaves at 1:25 pm

July 23 – Arrive in Venice at 4:00 pm, stay at hotel for the night and explore on our own

July 24 – Set sail from Venice, ship leaves at 5:00 pm

July 25 – Dubrovnik, Croatia, 10:30-6:30 (8 hours)

July 26 – Cruising

July 27 – Kudasi (Ephasus), Turkey, 8:00-6:00 (10 hours), Best of Ephasus excursion 8:45-3:45

July 28 – Santorini, Greece, 7:00-5:00 (10 hours)

July 29 – Corfu, Greece, 1:00-8:30 (7 hours 30 minutes)

July 30 – Cruising

July 31 – Venice, Italy, disembark at 6:45 am, Padua and airport transfer excursion 8:30-12:30, fly out at 4:00, arrive in London at 10 pm

August 1 – Fly out at 10 am, arrive home at 5:45 pm

How Did You Get This Number (Book Review)

Title: How Did You Get This Number

Author: Sloane Crosley

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Personal Essays, Humor

Year Published: Riverhead Hardcover, 2010

Recommended by: n/a

Review: Booklist.  *Starred Review* In her first collection of essays, I Was Told There’d Be Cake (2008), Crosley revealed herself as the kind of writer with whom readers could be friends. You could exchange travel stories or compare descriptions of the odor of a NYC taxicab, and you could probably make her laugh, too. In Crosley’s new book, she maintains her humor but inflects it with a sense of melancholy. In the manner of David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell, Crosley tells us about European vacation disasters, the inexhaustible nuances of life in New York, and playing the role of bridesmaid . . . in Alaska. Here even more personal and reflective than in her prior writing, Crosley saves the best for last with the beautifully layered ‘Off the Back of a Truck,’ which also contains the inspiration for the book’s title. In this story about learning the range of what we can and can’t afford, she explains that some things are worth foregoing morality to get (hint: they are rugs and ottomans, not boyfriends). Her ability to be at once so familiar and still surprise us is really showcased here. Smart, clever, and frank, Crosley’s stories are as intimate, and embarrassingly eccentric, as the thoughts we keep to ourselves.

Notes: Crosley’s first book, I Was Told There’d Be Cake, was funnier on a whole.  I didn’t laugh out loud at this book, but the last three stories were really enjoyable.

Rating (out of four stars): three stars

Date Finished: 7/9/10

The Word of the Month is Travel

For my Happiness Project this month, I’ll be focusing on travel.  In all of my 26 years, I’ve never been out of the country.  Not even to Canada or Mexico.

In 19 days, I’ll never be able to say that again.  We’ll be flying to Italy where we’ll start off on our honeymoon and the vacation of a lifetime – a Mediterranean cruise!

We’ve got it all take care of – flights booked, hotels rooms reserved, cruise booked, even some excursions planned.  My next mission?  Bags packed.  We’re going carry-on only for this trip, and while it’ll be tough, I think we’ll have a better go of it in the long run.  I’m going to do a “trial pack” this week.  Yes, I realize I’m a loser.  But hey, this is a once-in-a lifetime trip, so I’m going to suck the marrow out of it.

We’ll pack two carry-ons and two backpacks, which should give us enough room if we don’t go overboard.  I’ve been searching the internet for tips and tricks, and found a few that’ll help us out.  I’m definitely going to go with the “black” theme – that way there’s no need to pack black and brown shoes, black and brown belt, etc.  I’ll bring along more accessories than I’d typically bring – I can change an outfit’s look while taking up minimal suitcase space.  I’ll be able to do a bit of laundry in the sink if needed, and I’m not opposed to wearing pants multiple times without watching.  I’m still wondering about the formal events.  Any suggestions on a formal outfit that can squeeze into a carry-on without wrinkling?

Now… for the practice pack!

Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology (Book Review)

Title: Better Off: Flipping the Switch on Technology

Author: Eric Brende

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir

Year Published: HarperCollins, 2004

Recommended by: n/a

Review: Publisher’s Weekly. About a decade ago, Brende was pursuing a graduate degree at MIT by studying technology’s influence on society, and he reached conclusions that disturbed both him and his faculty mentors. A chance encounter with a “black-hatted man” prompted Brende and his new wife to move to a religious, “Mennonite-type” community that in many respects makes the Amish seem worldly, where he hoped to pare his environment down to “a baseline of minimal machinery” that could sustain human comfort while allowing him to stay off the power grid. (Details about the community, which Brende dubs the “Minimites” in recognition of their austerity, are left intentionally vague so as to preserve their privacy.) The pervasive back-to-basics sentiment will surprise few familiar with others who work this vein, like Bill McKibben and Kirkpatrick Sale, but Brende’s nostalgia for a simpler way of life is far from rabid. His rough prose honestly addresses how neighbors in his new community could graciously offer help yet warily view Brende as an intruder; Brende himself was particularly sensitive to perceived slights, and the radical lifestyle shift created a unique set of strains on his new marriage. Though the ending feels a bit rushed, his gentle case for simple living will easily resonate with the converted and may inspire skeptics to grapple more intimately with the issue.

Notes: This book really resonated with me.  Brende’s year with the “Minimites” is both encouraging and inspiring.

Rating (out of four stars): three stars

Date Finished: 6/26/10

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Book Review)

Title: The Time Traveler’s Wife

Author: Audrey Niffenegger

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Science Fiction (very loosely)

Year Published: Harcourt, 2004

Recommended by: sister-in-law

Review: The New Yorker. Young lovers often believe themselves crossed by fate or by time, but those in Niffenegger’s spirited first novel have more reason than most. Henry suffers from Chrono-Impairment—a quasi-medical condition that catapults him, unwillingly, from one random point in time to another. Clare first meets him in 1977, when she is six and he materializes near her parents’ garden as a thirty-six-year-old from 2000; he returns regularly throughout her childhood from different times in their shared future. At last, when Clare is twenty and Henry twenty-eight, they meet in his present, and the relationship begins in earnest. But romance proves even trickier than usual when one person keeps vanishing to distant, and occasionally dangerous, times. Niffenegger plays ingeniously in her temporal hall of mirrors, but fails to make the connection between the lovers as compelling as their odd predicament.

Notes: This book played with my emotions – by the end of it I was a mess.  It was really an excellent read – I enjoyed my time with this book.  I’d recommend it to any woman.  I’m looking forward to watching the movie.

Rating (out of four stars): three stars

Date Finished: 7/2/10

A Month in Review

After my month of pursuing my passions, I came to an important realization: my passions aren’t exactly what I thought they were.  My initial thought was that I’d focus on blogging, cooking, and camping.  Well – I spent more time in the kitchen than ever before, and I went camping two separate times, so those were both successes.  Blogging?  Bah.  It didn’t go so well.  Part of the reason that I didn’t blog much was legitimate.  I was diagnosed with Lymes disease, so I wasn’t feeling up to anything but laying on the couch for a long while.  I also spent a total of seven days out in the woods where I wouldn’t dream of touching a computer, plus a few nights at my in-law’s house.  Even after all that, though, I never really felt the same buzz from blogging that I get when I’m camping or baking.  I’ve come to the conclusion that blogging is my outlet.  It’s not blogging that I love, necessarily – it’s documenting my progress that I’m addicted to.

As the month went on, I did try to think about what my passions really are.  I may put “reading” on that list… I spend as much time doing that as I do cooking!  Also… can date night be a passion?  I don’t think so – I mean, who doesn’t love spending time with her husband?  But that really is something that I get excited about – exploring new cities, coffee shops, events, etc. with my husband.  So perhaps in reality, here’s my list of passions:

• Baking and cooking
• Camping
• Reading
• Exploring new places with my husband

I’m a little sad that this month is over.  It was fun to completely give myself up to the things I love.  I suppose that’s the lesson I’ve got to take away from June – there’s no reason not to follow my passions daily.