Counting Down to my Big 50 Trip

In eight days, I’m embarking on my Big Trip. I turned 50 nine months ago and for my birthday I decided I wanted passport stamps. So I’m going on a cruise with my mother, the woman who has been like a second mother to me, her daughters (my sisters from another mister) and her oldest granddaughter, who is also my first goddaughter. That’s a total of six. Confused, yet? It will get better. We range in age from my octogenarian mom to my 25 year old goddaughter. That’s going to be an interesting mix. I had in my mind that I wanted to go to Portugal and Spain. My sister,from another mister, who has traveled quite a bit internationally, suggested a cruise. We started researching and found this trip which will start us in Hamburg and take us to Copenhagen, Cherbourg, Vigo, Lisbon, Gilbratar, Barcelona, Marseille. We’ll end up in Genoa. So after a year of preparing, we’re on the countdown to departure. Currently, my life consists of stacks of clothes that might go, things being ordered to go with items in the stacks (that may or not may not work, or even arrive in time)

and lots of lists of things that need to be done in the next few days (call credit card companies, add international plan to phones, etc. etc.). I am constantly checking the weather in all of these destinations, trying to make my best guesses on how to pack for various climates. I've got all kinds of luggage sitting in the spare room, trying to decide which to take.

I've worked in travel for years, and I can't pack worth a ding dang. Anyway, my mind is absorbed with all the minutia that comes before the excitement. In the meantime we’re scheduled to get new carpet at the office, so everyone has to pack up their stuff. I can’t CONCENTRATE! I’m ready to go. #Big50Trip