Destination: Honeymoon

Glenveagh National Park

It's finally here!  In just a few days, my wonderful husband and I are setting off on our postponed honeymoon.  It crept up on me in a way . . . what with everything going on at work and at home.  And now I find myself in the last few days with a tizzy of preparation.

I thought I'd share my (international) travel checklist with you all . . . seeing as checklists are an immensely important part of my organized life.  :)

• Passports and all travel documents.  Plus copies.  Multiple copies.  And copies of your itinerary, flights, vouchers, etc.
• List of all destinations for ease of access.
• FOOD.  This is extremely important, especially if you're traveling (a) on a budget; (b) with short layovers; or (c) with specific food allergies.  Our layover flight there barely gives us enough time to get from flight A to flight B, let alone find food.  So packing enough substantial food is a must.  I'll be using my New Day Tote and the Thermal Tote as a carry-on for ease of organization and access to food.
• Layers of clothing, especially if you're unsure of the exact weather or how you'll adapt.  Going from Florida (where it's currently mid-70s and 80s) to Ireland (where it's likely mid-50s and rainy) means I'm packing pants with layers and shirts with layers.  And a bag (or three) to put the dirty clothes in so that they don't stink up the rest of your suitcase.
• Cash.  Especially whatever money is used wherever you're going - luckily for us, we received some EUROs for our wedding, so that's less we have to convert when we get there.
• All the chargers . . . and a converter plug if necessary.  Ireland (and many other countries) runs on a different electrical system than the USA.
• Extra batteries for your camera or other battery-operated devices.
• Any medication you're currently taking as well as aids for jet lag, headaches, etc.
• Ear plugs and a travel pillow, especially if you're going to be in the car or on a plane for an extended period of time.
• All necessary toiletries.  If you can check a bag, you can save some by packing your full-size ones.  If not, travel-size works great too.  I absolutely love my travel bags from Thirty-One, and you can get one similar to mine here: Jewelry Keeper (also useful for any small items); Shine On Jewelry Case (especially useful for tiny earrings); Glamour Case (for your makeup, but it also doubles as a great bag for pens and little travel things).
• A few travel entertainment items . . . but don't go overboard.  Mostly you'll likely be sleeping or resting on your flight (unless traveling with children . . . eventually I'll write a post on that).

County Donegal

Above all else, try to pack as many multi-purpose items as possible to cut down on your overall luggage.  After all, travel is about the road and the destination, not how many outfits you've packed.

I'm off to finish the laundry, prep the food, and pack the bags before we jet off on our fairy tale honeymoon!  If you've got tips for travel, comment!  

Road Trips

As I pondered what my post should be about, my thoughts kept straying to impending trips I am planning.  Such thoughts, when connected with children, brought back memories of the innumerable road trips my family made all together.  Whether it was a few hours to visit the grandparents or 22+ hours straight to visit Florida, my family has spent a lot of time together in the car.  If you have small children, you will know the chaos of containing young kids for an extended period of time.  You've doubtless racked your brain for new ideas of keeping them entertained and off your nerves.  Here are a few suggestions to turn your hectic headache of a trip into a somewhat peaceful and even enjoyable trip.


1.  Word games.  Have your kids keep their eyes on the license plates and billboards passing by as they try to spell words or say the alphabet using letters that they see.  Play I Spy or try to find license plates from all 50 states.  Go around in a circle (or back and forth up the rows of seats) and call out a list of words in alphabetical order:  aardvark; bear; cat; donkey; elephant.  You get the picture.


2.  Travel games are amazing.  We had a Travel Yahtzee that was a blast in the car.  


3.  Coloring books or pads of paper.  Bring small baggies or cups of crayons, pencils, markers, etc. for each child.  If they have a cup holder, they can put the coloring utensils in there.  This prevents scattering.  And larger books can be used as improv. tables.


4.  Books on Tape (or CD).  Plug in a few good stories to keep the kids happily quiet and your nerves a bit softer.  Check with your local library for a selection of children's tales.  Or even try and download a few onto your handy-dandy iPod or MP3 player.


5.  In this modern world, it is more and more easy to entertain children by plugging them in to a movie or tv show.  I don't disapprove of this method (although I don't recommend using it the entire trip.)  Whether you have a tv in your car or a portable DVD player, using a movie as a means of securing a few hours of relaxation time in peace and quiet can be very rewarding.  It also works as a threat, i.e. if y'all don't settle down, there will be no movie.

I'd love to hear your childhood stories or your family tales and tricks for whiling away the long hours in the car.  Or on a plane.  Or a train.  Or a boat.  (Are there any more modes of mass transportation?)  Big or small, I'm sure any helpful suggestions would be welcome.  Good luck to all of you planning your next family vacation to sunny Spain (or maybe just Florida).  A bit of forethought and preparation saves a lot of whining and groaning later.