Leaving in two days

      Packing is a very important process when going to sea. It is even worse if one needs to take a flight before boarding a ship. Some airlines charge on a per bag basis or an overweight or both. Arrive at your embarkation city early and purchase liquid items that are heavy there rather than packing them. Our journey will take us through cold weather and warmer weather so packing for two seasons can be challenging. Pick clothing that can be layered and mix and match. Then there are shore excursion outfits and formal dinner outfits and all the accessories that go with the outfits... Save the fancy jewelry for the ship. We don't need to make an impression with the locals by our outfits. Just dress for comfort and modestly remembering that we are visitors in a foreign country.  The showy display of one's means of life could result in theft and no one wants that on their holiday. Prinsendam has a laundry so just take what you might need for a week and do laundry like you would at home. Tomorrow I will need to put into practice what I just mentioned and get busy with the packing.  We leave on Monday December 31 and bring in the New Year- 2013 – in the air as we fly overnight to Fort Lauderdale.

With the help of a very dear friend I have gotten this blog up and running. To be truthful he set it up and my blogging will start very soon. Follow me on an adventure of a lifetime, an adventure that can only be done after most people retire. This will be a way I can keep in touch with family, friends and those wishing to read about my travels around South America, the Antarctica, the Amazon then on to the Mediterranean. Stay tuned-- Tracy