Some things to consider when booking airline travel for a family of six on an Alaskan cruise: 1) have a calendar near the computer; 2) know what date your ship leaves. If you don't do these things, then you may find yourself awake at the godforsaken hour of O'dark-thirty with the sole purpose of catching a flight to Seattle 24 hours in advance of the actual sailing time. On the 7 AM flight that was necessary on sailing day, but not so much on the day before. And then you'll find yourself rearranging 6 pounds out of your husband's suitcase into your child's suitcase with 4 kids, 7 carry-ons and 5 other bags sprawled around you at the ticket counter while said husband is conveniently "parking the car and meeting you at the gate" with only a book and a wallet in his pocket, You reconfigure "his" suitcase, because he will have a fit to pay any extra luggage fee on top of the 20 bucks it will cost him to check his bag. You will not, however, have a problem paying $50 for your own excess luggage poundage. Because the luggage and the packing have been your undoing for the last week. And you're just done. Before the trip even starts.
This is not my first trip to the traveling pony show. I have successfully packed this family of 6 for many a trip. Trips abroad. Long, extended car trips east. Trips to New York and Florida utilizing only carry-on luggage. However, this Alaskan trip has been the hardest packing experience of my motherhood journey. [Hmmm, maybe it's tied with the trip I had to take by myself from Chicago to Jamestown, NY when the boys were 1 and 3. Double stroller, car seat, diaper bag, 2 kids and one large backpack (on my back!) with all the clothes I needed for the 3 of us for 2 weeks. I literally had to carry everything and everyone through the airport by myself after parking my car and catching the shuttle to the terminal. With all the stuff. Good times. Almost as good as flying with a newborn and a dog.] But this trip has been harder. The hardest. 7 day cruise with needed formal wear. (Seriously??? I need to find suits and dress shoes to fit growing teenagers?) And not the sunny kind of cruise that's actually a vacation. The cold Alaskan kind that necessitates warm winterish clothing. (Yes, winterish. I live in Southern California. 55-65 degrees is winter for me, OK?) Then 7 days of touring Seattle and Vancouver because: "We might as well stay and see the Pacific Northwest. After all, we've already paid for the airfare. When else will we be back?" PLUS the EXTRA day in Seattle due to the little calendar mix-up. That's what every mom wants: an added bonus day in a hotel before the 7 day cruise extravaganza. 24 hours of kids destroying the carefully, meticulously packed suitcases (that were checked, and paid for - thank you very much. "No, Brian, I really can't pack a kid for 15 days in a carry on.") And no laundry services along the way. Unless I spend an afternoon of my "vacation" at the laundromat. Which will probably happen. Joy.
I'm sure things have been forgotten. I'm sure we won't have enough of *something*. I have passports and a credit card. And plenty of underwear (which we will be throwing out as we go. Gotta make room for souvenirs with moose and bears stamped across them. I myself plan to find the tackiest, most touristy sweatshirt I can find and plan to wear it proudly. Bring on the moose tracks.) and benedryl. Passports, Credit Card, Underwear, Benedryl. Do I really need anything else?
This blog brought to you by: Jackie, the guardian angel who flew in at the last minute to help me pack my own suitcase - which was dangerously close to not getting packed last night as I was one margarita away from not coming on the trip; and by airline wifi, for which I happily paid $9.95 - money I earned from packing 5 people for a 15 day extravaganza.
P.S. Today is June 24. Not June 25. June 25, 2011 Saturday, is the day the ship leaves. Today is not that day.
No comments:
Post a Comment