Packing #2

And all the stuff from on the bed  then has to go in here on top of the stuff that's already in the suitcase.  Then there are all the notes to remind myself of what to pack: cell phone, Europe sim card, converters, hat, sunglasses, extra contacts and prescription, small first aid items, notepad, all student information, touring and meal reservations (yikes!), laptop, driver's license (but not the car keys, of course!), house keys  . . . .  I need to check my master list from last year! 

Friday, April 30---Packing!

Well, here it is, the "stuff" as George Carlin would say.  Everything is laid out, mix and match, nothing extra. Nothing white. Not too much underwear (I wash in the sink). Right now it's in the "what to through out" stage; what can do double duty?  And all the little stuff is in ziploc bags.  I've given up on most travel pouches and such. You never know when you can use a ziploc for something else. Less is always better when you are shlepping between terminals and have only an hour and now there will be 12 sets of legs and roll aboards.   

Sunday, April 25--1 Week to departure!

Well, we are in to the countdown now; I've got my roll aboard open, trying to figure out how little I can travel with.  Just reviewed the Office of Study Abroad travel orientation powerpoint (lots of good reminders!).  Checked the Krakow weather (slightly warmer than Flint---mid 60s). And the zloty to dollar rate has improved.  It's now 2.91 zl to one dollar US.
Here's something good to remember, courtesy of colleague Maureen Tippen in Nursing:

"The Art of Traveling"
by Wilfred A. Peterson

When you pack your bags to explore the beauties of your country or to travel around the world, consider these keys to a happy journey.

Travel lightly. You are not traveling for people to see you.

Travel expectantly. Every place you visit is like a surprise package to be opened. Untie the strings with an expectation of high adventure.

Travel hopefully. “To travel hopefully,” wrote Robert Louis Stevenson “is better than to arrive.”

Travel humbly. Visit people and places with reverence and respect for their traditions and ways of life.

Travel courteously. Consideration for your fellow travelers and your hosts will smooth the way through the most difficult days.

Travel gratefully. Show appreciation for the many things that are being done by others for your enjoyment and comfort.

Travel with an open mind. Leave your prejudices at home.

Travel with curiosity. It is not how far you go, but how deeply you go that mines the gold of experience. Thoreau wrote a big book about tiny Walden Pond.

Travel with imagination. As the old Spanish proverb puts it: “He who would bring home the wealth of the Indies, must carry the wealth of the Indies with him.”

Travel fearlessly. Banish worry and timidity, the world and its people belong to you just as you belong to the world.

Travel relaxed. Make up your mind to have a good time. Let go.

Travel patiently. It takes time to understand others, especially when there are barriers of language and custom; keep flexible and adaptable to all situations.

Travel with the spirit of a world citizen. You’ll discover that people are basically much the same the world around. Be an ambassador of goodwill to all people.

from Chicken Soup for the Traveler’s Soul (Canfield, Hansen, and Zikman, 2002)