Visalia - Planning & Packing & Worrying

Driving to Fresno at that time of morning the traffic is not very heavy.

As with most trips I have ever taken, the planning stage is extensive and way overblown.  This one is no different, except that the whole thing began more than six months ago, which makes it even worse than the others.  I've had all that time to get things ready, check out all of the possibilities, research, Google, twitter, e-mail, talk to other members, ask questions, read reviews and blogs, join other travel sights that are just for cruising, and generally find each and every little miniscule possibility of the things that could go wrong.

Just the other day I read a news release posted by Eric (Eric) of TravBuddy on Twitter that a long thought to be myth about massive waves rolling across oceans, some as tall as 80 feet, big enough to capsize any vessel, were in fact real.  Just what I need only two weeks away from my first cruise.  Thanks so much Eric! :)  Read the post below.

http://bit.ly/14l4v0

We’ve had all of our reservations made and paid for through our Travel Agent for months and they say that after the final pay date I would receive flight confirmations, which is 45 days before we leave.  Well, our final flights from Fairbanks with Alaska/Horizon Airlines came through just fine and we have our seat numbers and everything looks good.  But our first flights with United Airlines had to be changed from a flight from Fresno to San Francisco and then on the Vancouver, to a flight to Los Angeles and then a flight to Vancouver, which makes for an additional 2 hours of flight time.  They say that the original flight from Fresno to San Francisco doesn’t fly anymore.  And to top that off, we still aren’t able to verify our seats on either of the flights we did get.  We are down to 14 days, and may never get off the ground!  

September 1st:  Luckily, I can update this entry and let everyone know that we have our seat assignments for both of our September 7th flights!! Yippee  And they are inside the plane!!! LOL  Now we just need to repack our luggage for about the fourth time and check off everything on our checklist that I so diligently keep.  Yes, I am a stickler for detail. :)   The first packing was to see if we needed two, three, or four bags, plus the carry ons and purses.  I think we are down to two large checked suitcases, one or maybe two carry ons and I have a man bag for my notebook, camera, GPS, etc. and Judy made herself a large purse with enough pockets to hold everything from kleenex, cell phone, calendar book, paper notebook, keys, mirrors, makeup, comb, glasses, dishwasher, kitchen sink, bedroll, air mattress, and a pen!!  LOL

Do you think Monday will ever come?????