TRAVELLING TIPS

Now that’s a tip I need to remember.

First an update.

A nice, low key kind of day. Putting things in their places for the next four months. Sitting on the deck with a cup of green tea and a book. (20 degrees Celsius). Sweet. Making tomorrow’s to do lists: groceries and supplies (Publix and Dollar General), library for new cards as ours have expired, and breakfast at Sunliner Diner. Yum.Yum.

https://www.sunlinerdiner.com/gulf-shores/

But that’s tomorrow.

Today I want to share tips on how I travel plus some changes or additions I need to incorporate for future travel. If you have any helpful hints from your travels please share them with me. I’d love to hear them.

Travelling Tips

KEEP A JOURNAL

I use a new one every year and keep the old ones for reference. (Of course I left the old ones home this year but had the good sense to write pertinent information in the back of my new journal.)

On the trip down and later back home I keep track of:

• morning departure times and evening arrival times
• each day’s km, gas stops, rest stops and the time we stopped
• particular exit numbers that we found tricky so we can remember them for another year
• what time we crossed the US border
• towns and hotels where we stayed, arrival and departure times, plusses and minuses (close to gas station/restaurant/convenience store, cleanliness, breakfast, bed comfort, and if we’ll stop there again).
• decisions about length of driving for the next year and possible changes
• toll $
• hotel $
• gas $
• food $ (even the small amounts spent at the gas station convenience stores)
• the total of each days $ spent and then the total $ for the three days (I also keep track of all our daily expenditures for the entire trip.)

Now if you looked at my journal right now it’s messy. I will write it out neater later. But give me a break. I did have vertigo. 😵‍💫

SUPPLY BAG

I keep a supply bag close to me in the car.

In it I keep:

• passports
• rental contract
• vaccination papers
• protein bars
• mints/gum
• paper maps and CAA books (I like to follow the paper map while Richard is driving.
• bottled water
• tea bags
• toll money in a ziplock bag

TRAVEL BAGS

We use two bags. As Richard drives, we put his by the driver’s side back door and mine by the passenger’s side back door. That way we have easy access to get something when we stop.

In mine I pack:

• very basic cosmetics: face cleanser and face cream
• toothpaste and tooth brush
• hair brush (and oops I forgot it this year but thankfully today I found it in my suitcase)
• medications (put them in a small weekly case)
• underwear
• socks
• clothes for warmer weather: sleeveless tunic top, black capri leggings, sandals
• a wall charger and cords for Apple products. I use USB Wall Charger, Anker 60W 6 Port USB Charging Station, PowerPort 6 Multi USB Charger that I bought on Amazon. I also bought these short cords from Amazon. Short Lightning Cable [5-Pack 7inch], ARCCRA 20CM Short iPhone Charging Cable Fast USB Charger Cord. I love these. I can plug all iPhones and iPads into it and the cords are nice and short so everything stays tidy.
• Apple battery pack (fully charged)
• folder with: travel insurance, health directives, copies of health cards, copies of important cards
• my laptop (I was so tired each night I never used it so next year it will be packed in my suitcase.)

Return to Pooh Corner – Kenny Loggins

That’s enough for today. Tomorrow I’ll give a comparison of our travelling expenses from our first trip to Gulf Shores (2018) and this years. I’m really interested on seeing what changes there’s been.

Take care and stay healthy.

As always, thanks for your interest and thank you for reading.

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