Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Time To Pack For My Next Cruise

It’s become a running joke with those who know me and my love of cruising. Months before I am booked to leave, someone will ask if I’ve started packing.

Yes, I have. Not actually putting things into my carry-on (which is the only luggage I bring with me), but going over what I carried this last time. Since I use the self-serve laundry, did I need that many shirts, or could I eliminate two of them? That saves some space in the bag. I carried eight ties; would five, better matched, work?

The binoculars take up room, but they are necessary; so are certain, uh, pieces of clothing. Also necessary, for me, are the undated feature items from newspapers and magazines I’m cutting up that I’d like to read later, which means during the cruise, and they are put into 9x12 envelopes to be read and discarded.

Some odds and ends of things (nail clippers, my Many Days Medallion, for instance), will be placed on top of everything, thus to find their own level when the carry-on is packed and brought to the bus terminal. Previously, I had put them in a small plastic bag which took up dedicated room; I can easily find them when I unpack on the ship.

I do carry a small, smartly-designed Holland America Line bag for objects which I will need en-route and cannot access on each bus, but that hardly qualifies as even a carry-on or weighty baggage. My water bottle, a sandwich, medications; things like that. Travel light, run fast, get the first cab.

4 Comments:

Blogger D.B. Echo said...

What is a "Many Days Medallion"? I did a Google search for an exact match of that phrase, and it gave one result - this post.

July 24, 2010 7:04 PM  
Anonymous ruthc said...

Oo! Oo! Let me answer! Let me! Pleeeze!

A "many days" medallion is the most expensive piece of jewelry that most of us will ever acquire.

HAL awards these medallions to it's most-traveled guests. At 700, 500, 300, and formerly at 100, HAL sailing days a heavy medallion on a blue ribbon is ceremoniously draped around your neck by the ship's Captain. Then he shakes your hand.

One then has the right to wear said medallion to subsequent Mariners' Parties.

July 24, 2010 9:31 PM  
Blogger Tom Carten said...

D.B. ... I feel complimented that Google knows I'm alive. That's actually happened before, so I am famous in my own time.

July 25, 2010 1:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Do you mean to tell me that you actually UNPACK?

CJV

July 29, 2010 7:50 AM  

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