45 DAYS TO GO . . .

     WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2011

     YOUR CARRY-ON.  IT USED TO BE THAT THIS WAS JUST A WOMAN CARRYING A PURSE.  THEN IT TURNED INTO A GUY CARRYING SOMETHING FOR HER OR MAYBE A BACK PACK WITH A FEW IMMEDIATE ESSENTIALS.  THEN WHEN LUGGAGE CONTINUED TO GROW AND DEVELOP, CARRY-ON BAGS BECOME PERFECT SMALLER VERSIONS OF YOUR LARGER SUITCASES.  SO IF YOU DID IT RIGHT, YOU COULD PACK EVERYTHING IN YOUR CARRY-ON WITH MAYBE ONE SMALL EXTRA AND NOT NOT HAVE TO CHECK ANY BAGS AT ALL WITH YOUR AIRLINE.  WELL LET'S REMEMBER AIRLINES ARE IN THIS BUSINESS TO MAKE MONEY TOO.  SO THEY STARTED CHARGING FOR EVERYTHING UNDER THE SUN TO MAKE THAT MONEY BACK.  THEY LOWERED THEIR WEIGHT LIMITS ON CHECKED BAGGAGE FORCING YOU TO BRING MORE BAGS.  THEY LOWERED THE SIZE LIMITS ON WHAT BAGS COULD BE CARRIED-ON WITHOUT PAYING FOR THEM.  SOME ARE JUST CHARGING FOR CARRY-ONS PERIOD.  IF YOU HAVE TO PUT IN THE OVERHEAD COMPARTMENT, YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.  MY HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.
     SO NOW YOUR CARRY-ON BAG AND IT'S RESTRICTIVE SIZE LIMITATIONS HAS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.  WHAT YOU HAVE TO BRING IN YOUR CARRY-ON, WHICH CAN ONLY BE THE SIZE OF A BACK-PACK NOW, HAS BECOME VITALLY IMPORTANT.  LET'S NOT FORGET THAT AFTER 9/11, BASICALLY NO LIQUIDS AT ALL ARE ALLOWED IN IT, UNLESS THEY'RE TEENY TINY.  SO PICK WISELY.
     FIRST, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A PEN AND PAPER IN THERE.  YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO NEED IT.  IF YOU DON'T HAVE A WALLET ON YOU, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR I.D. IN YOUR CARRY-ON; PASSPORTS, LICENSE, BIRTH CERTIFICATE, CREDIT CARDS, CRUISE DOCUMENTS, CHILD TRAVEL WAVERS, ANY PAPERWORK PERTAINING TO YOUR CRUISE.
     SECOND, MEDICINE.  OBVIOUSLY IT HAS TO BE ABLE TO PASS SECURITY CHECKS, BUT YOU DON'T WANT MEDICINE YOU CAN'T BE WITHOUT FOR MOST OF A DAY TO BE PACKED IN YOUR CHECKED LUGGAGE WHERE YOU CAN'T GET TO IT.
     THIRD, CAMERAS,BATTERIES AND FILM.  I SAY PLURAL HERE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BEHOOVE YOU TO BRING MORE THAN ONE.  MAYBE A DIGITAL, A DISPOSABLE, AND A VIDEO CAMERA IF YOU HAVE ONE OR CAN BORROW ONE.  YOUR PHOTO OPS START AS SOON AS YOUR TRIP DOES AND YOU DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT WITHOUT YOUR CAMERA....EVER.
     FOURTH, SUNGLASSES, PRESCRIPTION GLASSES AND/OR CONTACTS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS, ETC.  YOU'LL BE GOING FROM INSIDE TO OUTSIDE, FROM HOT TO COOL, LIGHT TO DARK, ALL IN ONE DAY, AND ALL IN A DAY WITHOUT YOUR LUGGAGE UNTIL IT'S DELIVERED TO YOUR STATEROOM.
     FIFTH, IF YOUR NOT TRAVELING WEARING ONE, CARRY-ON A BATHING SUIT.  YOU MAY HAVE HOURS TO SPEND ON-BOARD BEFORE YOUR LUGGAGE SHOWS UP AND THE SUNDECKS, POOLS AND SLIDES WILL BE OPEN.  WHY NOT ENJOY THEM?  PLUS AN EXTRA PAIR OF SHORTS OR SHIRT JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR LUGGAGE TO CHANGE FOR DINNER.
     SIXTH, SOMETHING TO KEEP THE KIDS OCCUPIED, AGE DEPENDANT OBVIOUSLY.  IF THE KIDS AREN'T BIG ENOUGH TO CARRY THEIR OWN BACK PACK, WHICH YOU SHOULD TRY IF YOU CAN AND NEED THE EXTRA BAG, BRING SOMETHING(S) TO KEEP THEM CALM.
     SEVENTH, CASH AND/OR TRAVELER'S CHECKS.  SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE YOU'D BE WITHOUT THEM, BUT ON A CRUISE YOU DON'T REALLY NEED THEM SO YOU CAN EASILY FORGET THEM.  THEN WHEN YOU'RE IN PORT OR LOOKING TO TIP SOMEONE CASH, YOU COULD BE WITHOUT THEM.
     EIGHTH, SUN PROTECTION.  STRONG SUNTAN LOTION (SMALL TRAVEL SIZE IS LEGAL TO CARRY-ON), LIP BALM, HATS, SHIRT.  BE PREPARED FOR THE SURPRISING STRENGTH OF THE SUN AS YOU GO SOUTH.  IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU COULD BE SUNBURNED FOR AN ENTIRE TRIP.
     NINTH, ELECTRONICS, CORDS, AND CHARGERS.  WHATEVER ELECTRONIC DEVICES YOU FEEL YOU HAVE TO HAVE WITH YOU ON YOUR VACATION, YOU'LL PROBABLY WANT TO KEEP AN EYE ON THEM AND HAVE THEM IN CASE YOU NEED THEM ON YOUR LONG DAY WITHOUT YOUR CHECKED BAGS.  WHETHER IT'S PHONES, PALMS, IPODS, GAMES, LAPTOPS, WHATEVER.
     LASTLY, SNACKS.  YOU COULD BE TRAVELING FROM EARLY IN THE MORNING UNTIL YOU FINALLY GET ON THE SHIP IN THE AFTERNOON.  DEPENDING ON HOW TOUGH YOUR CREW IS WITHOUT FOOD, IT COULD BE 8, 9, OR 10 HOURS BEFORE YOU CAN GET ON-BOARD TO GET TO THAT BUFFET.  PACKING A FEW EMERGENCY TRAVEL GOODIES COULD PREVENT A MAJOR MELTDOWN AT SOME POINT.
     SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT ODDS ARE YOU'LL HAVE MORE THAN ONE PERSON TO HELP, AND NOT EVERYONE NEEDS ONE OF EACH, BUT YOU WILL WANT TO PLAN AHEAD FOR YOUR CARRY-ON.  WITHOUT THIS BAG, YOU MIGHT NEVER GET ON-BOARD!
     TONIGHT'S MOVIE IS "MELODY TIME".  FUNNY HOW IF YOU'RE NOT SEARCHING OUT THESE TITLES, OR DON'T ALREADY KNOW THEM, THERE'S SOME YOU PROBABLY WOULD HAVE NEVER HEARD OF.
     SEA YA REAL SOON!   ºOº