Whispering and meandering in the Caribbean Sea - December 2 through December 17

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Until the next cruise I will try and keep these memories fresh in my mind’s eye and hope they are vivid enough to sustain me!. 

 

4 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

You can do it.  I have had to do so since late January, 2020.  Reading my journals and viewing my photos for the upteenth time helps keep the memories alive.  

Start planning a series of trips over the next few years, even though it's too early to book.  Then you can enjoy each of those trips 'virtually' in your mind – over and over – until you either book them or something else.  That's what has sustained me.  And it also allows me to jump when a new itinerary is posted for one of my 'mapped out' time slots.

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Start planning a series of trips over the next few years, even though it's too early to book.  Then you can enjoy each of those trips 'virtually' in your mind – over and over – until you either book them or something else

 

An excellent suggestion and "dreaming" with "anticipation of what might be" is part of the enjoyment for me as to "where to go next".  

 

Maybe we need during this time of Covid and travel uncertainty to revise the old Cunard slogan of "Getting there is half the fun".  "Dreaming/anticipating is one-third of the fun, Getting there is one-third of the Fun, and Being there is one-third of the fun".  

 

I know, too "wordy" for an advertising slogan.  But, it kind of fits where we are in December, 2021.  

[spinnaker2]

Yes thinking of next cruise helps me!

And the fact that my clothes are not yet put away is a constant reminder as I am still 

 dealing with Mal de debarquement. Much less now than initially. 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

7 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

Yes thinking of next cruise helps me!

And the fact that my clothes are not yet put away is a constant reminder as I am still 

 dealing with Mal de debarquement. Much less now than initially. 

 

 

 

Keep a bag partially packed with clothes that you only wear during a cruise.  That's what I do.

[Dolcevita Diva]

On 12/23/2021 at 4:23 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Keep a bag partially packed with clothes that you only wear during a cruise.  That's what I do.

I always keep a silver box from a prior cruise visible on a shelf - brings back great memories and anticipation for the next cruise whenever i notice it.  

[Catlover54]

On 12/23/2021 at 1:23 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

Keep a bag partially packed with clothes that you only wear during a cruise.  That's what I do.

 

As do I!  The timeless formal shoes and bag I bought for our first luxury cruise, on SS, over 10 years ago, have pretty much lived in the giant suitcase I only take on cruises, and I only use  them on cruises.  Gradually, other cruise clothing and cruise supply items have joined the shoes and bag (that way I don't have to go hunting through all the closets to find what I need!).  The only thing that gets switched out pre-cruise is stuff that is appropriate only for colder/warmer weather, depending on the cruise.  So I'm always half-packed.  Unfortunately I have had to add Covid self-testers to my list, and they have to be refreshed.

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[jpalbny]

I have a travel backpack, which is never emptied. It holds our spare phone and laptop chargers, passports, and now our vaccine cards. Plus my portable pharmacy, and a few extra items that we only use on vacation. It's always ready to go. 

 

And my 3-1-1 TSA-compliant bag never gets emptied. It just migrates between the backpack and our bathroom closet.

 

So, packing never takes more than an hour, once we actually get serious about it. Just throw some clothes in a rollaboard and we're off. Usually, we're packed before our first glass of packing wine is empty.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

I have a travel backpack, which is never emptied. It holds our spare phone and laptop chargers, passports, and now our vaccine cards. Plus my portable pharmacy, and a few extra items that we only use on vacation. It's always ready to go. 

 

And my 3-1-1 TSA-compliant bag never gets emptied. It just migrates between the backpack and our bathroom closet.

 

So, packing never takes more than an hour, once we actually get serious about it. Just throw some clothes in a rollaboard and we're off. Usually, we're packed before our first glass of packing wine is empty.

Now that concept I like!!!

[spinnaker2]

When i traveled for business almost every week before i retired, i too had a bag that was always packed. A suit that did not wrinkle, shoes that looked professional, some makeup so I didn’t look totally disheveled, sweats for sleep or for travel wear, change of underwear and a warm but light ruana. Travel in jeans and blazer and turtleneck with sneakers.

Grab and dash( mainly because I was always schlepping trial prep or depo binders and laptop too in another rolling bag).

 

Once home, launder the washables and  back in bag.

 

Perhaps time to give thought to the ever-ready bunny cruise bag!

 

We do keep a supply of meds we might need always ready, but DH does that. 

 

 

 

[Catlover54]

5 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

When i traveled for business almost every week before i retired, i too had a bag that was always packed. A suit that did not wrinkle, shoes that looked professional, some makeup so I didn’t look totally disheveled, sweats for sleep or for travel wear, change of underwear and a warm but light ruana. Travel in jeans and blazer and turtleneck with sneakers.

Grab and dash( mainly because I was always schlepping trial prep or depo binders and laptop too in another rolling bag).

 

Once home, launder the washables and  back in bag.

 

Perhaps time to give thought to the ever-ready bunny cruise bag!

 

We do keep a supply of meds we might need always ready, but DH does that. 

 

 

 

 

And of course beware of the "expiration" dates on the meds (even though many are still safe and effective months or even years after expiration, I unfortunately learned the hard way that my usually reliable ondansetron was useless for DH's sea-sickness when it was over a year old) 🥴

 

DH and I also have "bug-out" bags (we often have fires and/or power or other utility failures in the rural area we are now in and have to be ready for evac), with life essential items like water purification tablets, power bars, extra socks, pocket knives, cruise catalogues . . .