Hurry Up and Wait

Leif, Saga and I are off on another grand adventure. This time our non-troll travel companion is my Mom! This trip has been on our mind for years and in planning for months. It will cross a lot of things off the adventure list.

Speaking of lists (one of my favourite subjects), many were used in the preparation of this adventure. The very first, and most exciting, being - what places do we want to see? This is Mom's dream trip, so she got to take point on this. As you may have guessed by the currency, we are heading to the UK. Unlike last time, we used our trusty AMA travel agent, Lori. It was lovely to sit back and let her do all the hard work!


As you see, King Charles is now
on some of the currency
To further the "sit back and relax" theme, we are doing a bus tour of England, Scotland, and Wales. Our only responsibility is waking up and getting on the bus on time! Lori was able to find a tour that covered much of the wish list, with 3 extra days. This way we have some breathing room and can cover the sites that the tour doesn't.

Can't travel without pretty toes!





Once the tour and date is picked, there isn't much to do except pay off the credit card and make sure your passport is up to date. Passports have to be valid for six months after your trip - so pay attention to dates! I've learned that multi-trip travel health insurance is the way to go, if you leave the country more than once. The extra cost is minimal, so I think I would do it even if I wasn't sure of my plans.

The prep lists for this trip were quite different from the one Janis and I went on. We took only carry on and planned for laundry. Fortunately, this flight includes one checked bag. The information package from the the tour company expressly states not to count on being able to launder clothes. They also only allow one personal bag on the coach, unlike the carry on and personal item that airlines allow. Important details!

I made a few changes for this trip. I got a smaller camera case, that just holds the camera. I found that I only used my camera for scenic shots; anything close up or indoors, I used my phone. So I didn't need to pack extra lenses. I also got a second battery. On long tour days, when I'm taking dozens of pictures over 8 hours, the battery only lasted half a day. 

After much internal debate, I decided to take a mini thermos. I don't like trying to juggle a paper cup of hot drinks with the rest of my gear or having to drink it too fast because it's time to get on a bus or go into a museum. It has a lid and cup like a thermos, but it's the size of a water bottle or go cup.

Duchess thinks she should come too!
There were also a few new purchases. I got a micro umbrella. It has a solid case that can hang off my backpack and is close to the size of my hand. I also learned about blue tooth earbud headbands. I can lay on my side and listen to a book in bed without an uncomfortable lump in my ear! Did I mention that it's also pretty, so it just looks like (and can double as) a headband.  I'm super excited about this!

So, now the suitcases are packed; measured and weighed. The flight is checked in. The liquids are decanted into tiny bottles and in a bag. The books are downloaded, the devices charged and the adapter is packed. The emergency number list is on the fridge and the plants watered. It's 10 am and our flight doesn't leave until 8pm. 

Hurry up and wait...

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