August 13, 2011 Med - Mickey's Marauding Mates

[Anal Annie]

Hi all - Welcome home Mikki!!

I am truely on the final countdown now!! I made my list of addresses & phone numbers (not anticipating my contacts in my cell phone will transfer to the "global one") as well as a list of addresses & phone numbers for all of our tours, hotels & credit cards that we'll be taking. Made 2 copies to stash away in diff. bags. Called the Fraud Dept. at the credit card to make sure they're aware we'll be out of the country...neighbor came over this morning to get the key & instructions for cat & plant sitting etc. Then I went outside & spent about 90 minutes pulling the BIGGEST & WORST of the weeds & trimmed a few shrubs that were looking unruly. Honestly I could spend an entire day out there but at least it looks like I ATTEMPTED to tidy it up. DH still needs to mow the lawn. He needs to get with it as it's supposed to rain later. Last load of laundry is done I think. Or at least the last one I'm going to DO!

Now to eat some lunch & go back to my packing. I am afraid of how this is going to end peeps!!

 

[Anal Annie]

LeeAnn, do you have a slime softcase for it? And you probably won't find many reviews on dpreview on it as they are more hard core SLR, but it does get very good reviews. And my daughter calls it "idiot mode." LOL

Not sure what a "slime case" is...the bundle came with a hard plastic one. No strap, only a belt loop thingy so I suppose I should wear a belt?! They would not allow me to substitute any others...

 

[Anal Annie]

Hi Lee-Ann, Ok here's a tip for you. Instead of packing your heavier clothes, like jackets & heavy capri's or long pants etc just wear them on the plane! They are not going to weigh you!! I know it sounds a bit mad when you have heat in the mid nineties but you won't be in the heat for very long as you will be in the airport and on the plane. That will save you a bit of weight and room in the bags. I keep looking at our stuff as well and wonder how I'm going to pack it into 3 bags and I'm not taking jackets!

The transfer company in Paris should watch the flight times do you should be ok. TBH the plane might make up that time over the atlantic anyway depending on the tailwinds.


Jeff- I'm loving your photos of Greece Keep them coming if you can.

I briefly considered the idea of wearing the coats but then I don't want to deal with what to do with them once we're ON the plane. So I hope to pack them near the top of one of the bags where we can pull them out easily when we get there. I'd just as soon allow room for them in the luggage anyway I think. I am not going to want to wear them from France to Barcelona either...so I just need to make it work. Somehow. Some way.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

have a great trip leeann!!!!!

 

[SailingSeas]

...that was a precaffeinated attempted at the word "slim." I"m sure you will be fine.

 

[DoeWDW]

LeeAnn, I wish you and yours safe travels and wonderful times, as I wish for everyone else here.

Jeff, the pictures are wonderful! By the time you get to the Magic, you should be feeling very relaxed and fully into "vacation mode".

Today I'm doing a "test pack" to see if our bags will meet the weight and dimension requirements. We don't leave until Thursday so that will give me time to make adjustments.

Are we really going to be on the ship in one week????? WOW!!!

 

[janetfk]

Safe and happy travels, LeeAnn! Just think.... once you're on the plane you can just CHILL!

We're still stressing about the planned air traffic controller strikes in Germany. I hope they don't go ahead.

Started packing out all the clothes

 

[Kimh121]

im going to start packing tommorow!! after a week in hospital with poppy this week, not taking chances so i'll pack asap incase i dont get time

whats their to do at the port?? is thier places to sit? our plane gets in at 10ish, so geussing we'll get to port at 12-1 ish.....when can you board? just thinking as poppy will suffer sat in the heat if thiers no shade either etc. do wheelchairs get priority boarding, just im thinking of how long we'll be sat waiting, as she has meds etc due.

the girls have been parading in thier swimming costumes and goggles ( yes goggles in doors lol) all day!!

how long does it take to get your baggage? its just poppys due on TPN in the evening so we will need our stuff, but i read it can be very late, we cant take it out before as its huge medical boxes an is all freezer packed cold.

this house is very excited!! where are you guys all meeting up then on the 1st day?? x

kim x

 

[jd99]

This is Agios Petros (St. Peter's) Beach near Batsi on the island of Andros, Greece.

 

[Anal Annie]

im going to start packing tommorow!! after a week in hospital with poppy this week, not taking chances so i'll pack asap incase i dont get time

whats their to do at the port?? is thier places to sit? our plane gets in at 10ish, so geussing we'll get to port at 12-1 ish.....when can you board? just thinking as poppy will suffer sat in the heat if thiers no shade either etc. do wheelchairs get priority boarding, just im thinking of how long we'll be sat waiting, as she has meds etc due.

the girls have been parading in thier swimming costumes and goggles ( yes goggles in doors lol) all day!!

how long does it take to get your baggage? its just poppys due on TPN in the evening so we will need our stuff, but i read it can be very late, we cant take it out before as its huge medical boxes an is all freezer packed cold.

this house is very excited!! where are you guys all meeting up then on the 1st day?? x

kim x

I'm sure it IS an excited house! Be sure to fill out all of the medical forms with DCL so they have everything you need. We are planning to have a quick DIS meet on embarkation day between 2:30-3:00ish in the Promenade Lounge. The Lifeboat drill is at 4:00 I believe so it's just a quickie to say hi.


Been packing this afternoon. OMG am I ADHD when it comes to this crap. I just bounce from room to room. Changed out my purse to my anti-theft one...that took forever for me to sort thru what I was bringing (and not). Then I went thru my divided planning folder & sorted out all the stuff I thought I could live with out (dropped almost 1.25 Lbs just with that)!!
I have been working on all the misc. stuff. Packed up our "personal articles" bags too that will go under the seats...added them to the carry-on overhead bin bags and was over by a good 6 Lbs. So now I am re-working these bags. Obviously some of our clothes for Paris have to come out. Still working on it. Now I am working on our toiletries & quart size ziplocks. Let's hope I can figure this out SOON!! My head is hurting & me thinks I might need a little Captain to help me out soon!!

Jeff - I must say you're reallllly teasing us!!

 

[MallenBeadle]

Jeff - Nice photo's and have enjoyed reading your trip report from last year tonight to get us in the mood for next week.

Annie - Have a safe trip, don't worry about the weather even though it's been raining all day here and the temperature is currently 55 F and is reaching the dizzy heights of 61 F tomorrow - but Paris looks warmer highs in the mid 70's appreciate this will feel rather cold to you. Looks like you have earned your captain tonight

Kim - Welcome, we are also on deck 2 (have DD's aged 5 & 9), think we maybe in the minority as most people seem to be on deck 6

Anyway back to our door decorations as packing seems far too complicated

Jon

 

[Anal Annie]

Oh peeps. I have failed MISERABLY with my packing. It's now 12:30 so I'm gonna call it a day. I am ALMOST done. I still need to lose 4 Lbs out of our carry-on stuff. 26 Lbs pp is just not enough for me! THEN comes the checked luggage. I threw my back out trying to lift bags to weigh them. It hurts terribly right now. AND about 10:00 I gave up trying to get us into 1 checked bag pp. I was going to go too far over the weight limits and the bags were stuffed. No room for ANYTHING extra to bring home. SOO I ended up purchasing an extra bag for one of us so I could bring the garment bag with all of our dress clothes & shoes together. The Air France website said there was a 20% discount to purchase the extra bag online before getting to the airport so I figured at this point it would be worth the $40. HA! Wouldn't ya know they raised the price a couple of months ago from $50 to $75!! Any other time an airline has raised their fees on something like that we have been grandfathered in based on when we purchased our tickets. But not with them! I called & spent 45 mintues on the phone trying to get around it. Not happening. So I ended up paying $60. And yes, we will then have to pay it 2 more times to go from CDG to BCN and then home. You would THINK at this rate then I would have TONS of extra room & plenty of space right? Not reallllly. I have only about 5 Lbs of give in 1 bag, 6 Lbs in another, 8 Lbs in one and a lot of weight left over for the garment bag but it's already pretty full - just the nature of the way the bag is designed. Sigh. I suck. I am going to bed so I can get up & futz with it all some more in the morning.

 

[DoeWDW]

{hugs} to you, dear LeeAnn. You sound so very frustrated and who can blame you.

But, in the end, you will make it to Paris and then to Barcelona and you will have an amazing trip, building wonderful memories with your family. THAT'S what matters.

Can't wait to see you and hear all about your adventures in Paris! Take a deep breath. No matter what, it will all turn out okay.

Safe travels and see ya real soon!

 

[chrssher]

Hi all - add us to the 'cleaning the house and packing the suitcases' list! Ugh - I hate cleaning beforehand but hate coming home with bags full of dirty clothes to a dirty house, too. We have decided our one small (less than 15 lbs) dog is trying to build himself a friend with all of the dog hair. ha ha.

LeeAnn - hope you have a GREAT time in Paris! It is a beautiful city!

Love the pics from Greece; thanks so much for sharing! We have to work tomorrow and Tuesday still so don't start our vacation until Weds. It is nice living through you!

One pre-cruise surprise - we bought our boys the Lego Pirates of the Caribbean DS games; they are bugging us like MAD to buy them with their 'vacation money" and don't know we've had them for months as a surprise! ha ha. Can't wait to slip them into their bags when they are sleeping!

Welcome Kim; yes, if there are cabings available and you are early to the port you could purchase an upgrade. We managed that last year for the Baltics and it was a pretty good deal. We are also on deck 2! Looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

 

[MallenBeadle]

LeeAnn - Hopefully if you are like us it's completely chaotic at packing time and comments like "never again" are completely forgotten once on board the plane

Just think you'll be in Paris enjoying the sights and DLP, whilst the rest of us still have to go through the stress of packing

 

[west&east]

Annie, what do you think about the report that formal night is nught 6?? i guess it doesnt change much for us since we didnt get a palo res...still hopi g to get in on board

Packed my dinner clothes last night and after a fashion show actually came up with 7 dresses! 3 are very casual. None are super dressy. We'll see what seems to work when we get on.

Annie, I'm confused about your luggage situation, doesnt air france have free luggage for international? Lufthansa has a million diff rules depending on when you purchased, but one bag per person is free. At least i hope i am reading that right!

 

[rexalite]

Are dressy shorts acceptable for dinner on non -formal and non-semi-formal nights? Having space issues with our packing.

 

[Anal Annie]

Annie, what do you think about the report that formal night is nught 6?? i guess it doesnt change much for us since we didnt get a palo res...still hopi g to get in on board

Packed my dinner clothes last night and after a fashion show actually came up with 7 dresses! 3 are very casual. None are super dressy. We'll see what seems to work when we get on.

Annie, I'm confused about your luggage situation, doesnt air france have free luggage for international? Lufthansa has a million diff rules depending on when you purchased, but one bag per person is free. At least i hope i am reading that right!

OK peeps...I went to bed at 1:00 am & got up at 7:30...it is now NOON and I just finished getting this crap packed. I just SUCK at this packing thing.
We are allowed 1 "free" checked bag pp. And I just plain overpacked (again). The cooler weather in France threw me off track. But the worst was trying to hit the 26 Lb limit on the carry-on totals. I don't know if they will weigh them or not but need to be prepared that they COULD. We are limited to 26 Lbs pp to include the overhead bin bag AND our "personal" item. So for example my "boarding bag" that I will put under the seat in front of me has my purse and my DSLR camera & my Kindle and now weighs 11.4 Lbs. My carry-on for overhead now weighs 15.2 Lbs for a total of 26.6. Have to hope they shrug off the extra .1 DS's backpack weighs 9.5 Lbs and his carry-on is 16.4 Lbs. etc. So the more I moved stuff around & took stuff out the more disorganized I got. AND I have a short list of items that will have to be stuffed into pockets if they're weighing the bags (ie car keys, new camera, luggage scale etc.) The checked bags are heavier now too 'cuz I did so much shifting around of stuff AND I now no longer know where ANYTHING is or what bag anything is in. To come in under 50 Lbs. I only have a spare 10 Lbs in the garment bag, 2 Lbs in the large suitcase, 7 Lbs in 1 duffle & 4.5 Lbs in the other. SOME things will be consumable (ie sunscreen & snacks.) I also packed 1 more spare duffle that weighs like 2 Lbs JUST IN CASE we need it for the ride home. My back is KILLING me. I think I may take a muscle relaxer when we get on the plane!! Maybe THEN I will sleep!!

Kelly - I hate to throw you for a loop but now that we're checking 1 extra bag that will throw off the shuttle people from the Novotel to the port. Do you need to tell them about the extra bag? Obviously we'll have to pay any extra they charge. I'm sorry.

OK, I am irked about the dinners sounding like they are in a different order than what they told me the 20 times I called. I haven't had time to watch that thread & I haven't had time to call DCL...and now my phone is deactivated & I have the Global one & don't have their phone number handy (everything is packed)! I had their # programmed into my normal phone. Oh well. Will have to deal with it later.

OK, so we're just about out of here. I still need to go water my plants & try to get my pond back on. It stormed here last night & it threw the breaker on the pond & it's still too wet to get it to reset. I haven't eaten & we need to hit the road in 30 minutes! I do not know if I will be able to check in here again or not. Just don't know what to expect between now and Barcelona!! I hope everyone packs better than I did and has a GREAT WEEK and SAFE travels!! Will definitely be at the DIS meet in 6 short days!!!
xoxoxoxo
CYA soon!!
Annie

 

[luke]

Bon voyage

 

[west&east]

It will all be fabulous. Let go of the worries. You are on vacation!! See you Saturday.