Making a List and Checking It Twice

I’m a list maker, and I always seem to make a list, or two, before each trip. There always seems to be a dozen or more things on my “to-do” list, and I get a bit of satisfaction in crossing each one off. Many of the items have nothing to do with the trip – they’re just necessary chores that must be completed prior to departure.

Hopefully, a few things on my list that I’ve already crossed off will make our lives easier while we’re away. Since we’ll only be gone for three weeks, Tim and I decided to have the post office hold our mail. I then signed up for Informed Delivery to see photos of our mail before it arrives. We now get a Daily Digest email that shows these photos. This service is free.

I also signed up for Mobile Passport Control, which allows eligible travelers to submit their passport and customs declaration information through a free, secure app on their smartphone. Since we have TSA PreCheck, but not Global Entry, this app should streamline our entry process into the United States by reducing passport control inspection time and overall wait time.

So Many Things to Check Off the List (And I Keep Adding More)

I must admit that preparing for a cruise, or most vacations for that matter, is a great excuse for me to go shopping. Unlike when I lived in Miami, I rarely shop now for anything except our day-to-day needs. Before a trip, however, I do like to purchase a few new clothes, shoes, etc. For me, it’s part of the fun, but I try not to go overboard. I think I’ve been pretty restrained this time. Tim is even less of a shopper than I am, but he did buy a new pair of shoes.

The preparations for this cruise are certainly easier this time given our experience in preparing for our cruise last year. I have a much better idea of what to take and what we can leave at home. Since we plan to travel only with carry-on bags this time, deciding what to take is a little trickier. I’m still working on our packing list.

Tim and I have also been looking at the shore excursions we previously booked. Viking cancelled one excursion in Paris, and we decided to cancel another all-day tour earlier in the cruise. We will have three full days of touring during our pre-cruise WOW trip to the French Riviera, and we don’t want to wear ourselves out.

We got our teeth cleaned, and we also decided to get another COVID-19 bivalent booster once a second dose was made available to people 65 or older. 

Tim has been working furiously to complete his assignments for his GIS class, since he will miss the last session. I can’t believe that he will have the presentation for his final project on the night before we leave for the airport. Thankfully, we don’t have an early flight.