I've taken many trips - about 93 of three days or longer since I retired 15 years ago - but it's been three years since I've been out of the country. In that time I've aged physically - of course - and I need to be more careful about how I get around. I used to take long flights in stride. Now I have a newly complaining knee. I bought two seat canes for the times I'll need to sit while listening to a tour guide or standing in line. I may pack my trekking poles as well. I'll take my regular cane with me onboard.
I've been buying stuff! Pants and shirts and cooling towels and fans and sun hats and really good sandals and supportive shoes and a crossbody bag. Amazon has been my friend, and so has the nearby UPS where I have returned probably 30 of the 50 things I bought and tried on.
I'm using ChatGPT a lot to help me prepare. I love this new tool, in spite of my suspicions about artificial intelligence overall. I have a thorough packing list specifically for where we'll be traveling, and tomorrow I'll fill the two suitcases. I wish I could take just a few items of clothing and have laundry facilities close at hand, but we're moving around.
My biggest challenge for this evening is finding our adapter for European electrical outlets. I know we have one, but I'm not exactly sure where it is.
Forty-eight hours from now we'll be a couple of hours from landing in Madrid.
I am really grateful to be going on this trip - that I have a good friend in Shelley, that my husband Art is supportive of my going without him, that I can afford it.
Mostly, life is good!
6 comments:
Have a wonderful trip with all the fun you can handle!
That sounds great, Linda. I hope you have a good and uneventful trip. I look forward to hearing about it.
I hope you check back in when you return and fill us in on how you did.
Terry and I just did a trip that involved flying, the first time in 11 years. Jet travel has certainly changed and I was very glad to be in good physical condition as we had to tote and lift bags, walk great distances, climb stairs, maneuver through crowds. And that was just the airports.
Our Air B&B, shared with our family, had three levels in a house built in the early 1920s. I certainly got my steps in each day. It was a great trip, I loved every minute of it, and it did make me realize how much I have aged and how I really must keep in good shape if I want to continue to do this.
Let us know how you did and what you learned.
You are brave to go in spite of your physical complications. I have decided I am done with long distance travel. I wish you all of the best your trip can offer. It's exciting!
This is kind of a test as to whether I'll do further international travel - upcoming trips to new zealand and india may need to be canceled.
This may be my last international trip - depends on how it goes.
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