Packing update

UPS picked up two of my cases today.  I'm wondering if their delivery will take longer because of Hurricane Ian.  Normally, they arrive in Fort Lauderdale in two or three days.  I will be tracking them to see how it goes.  They have 12 days to get there so I am not worried.  Now, if all the rest of my junk - I mean, totally necessary items - will fit in my other two cases I'm good.

My to-do list is getting shorter and shorter and a number of items left are ones I can't do until the last minute (like get a COVID test).

Smooth sailing until next time!

 Packing, Packing, Packing!

My little house looks like a hurricane and a tornado met inside it!  There are suitcases everywhere - the ones that I need for the first ten weeks and then two for the rest of the time.  

I had hoped to make it with three suitcases (for the first part) but soon after I brought the cases into the house, I realized that was not going to happen.  On a cruise I cannot pack light.  I need all my creature comforts as well as my "what ifs".  On a ship you can't always find what you might need so I come prepared for sewing emergencies, eye glass repairs, various infections, knitting problems, poor light in my cabin, sore feet, etc., etc., etc.

For the 140 days on the Zuiderdam, I need to pack more books (just don't love reading on a device - I need to hold a book), most of the Linus blankets I have been making for the last two years (leaving some home for the 2024 GWV), and my clothes for the cooler (possibly cold) weather we will have when we get to Europe in April.

Two of my suitcases will be picked up this Wednesday (September 28) and then the two for the Zuiderdam will be picked up from a friend's house (thank you, Carolyn!) in December.  Holland America is using Luggage Forward this time.  In the past they arranged to pick up the luggage through FedEx but have now changed.  I do not qualify for the free service (I don't have a high enough cabin category) and the prices are higher than in the past.  Not sure if this is just because of inflation or a change of company, but it is worth it to not have to wrangle all that luggage numerous times.  I will still have to schlep it at the end of the first cruise but more about that later. 

As of tonight, I have finished packing the two cases leaving on Wednesday.  Both come in at about 45 pounds so if I find anything small I can still stuff it in but I think I have everything that needs to go in them packed.

Two weeks from today I will be in Fort Lauderdale (provided I pass my COVID test on October7) and ready for this adventure to begin!

Smooth sailing until next time!

 On September 1, we received an e-mail about changes to the itinerary.  

Due to operational reasons and port restrictions changes have been made to this itinerary. 

The departure time from Casablanca, Morocco on October 21 has been changed from 19:00 to 21:00; 

the overnight call in Victoria, Mahe on November 8 and November 9 has been replaced with Days at Sea; 

the Days at Sea on November 10 and November 11 have been replaced with an overnight call to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; 

the call to Mamoudzou, Mayotte on November 15 has been replaced with an additional overnight call to Andoany (Hell-Ville), Nosy-Be, Madagascar; 

the departure time from Maputo, Mozambique on November 19 has been changed from 17:00 to 15:00; 

the call to Richards Bay, South Africa on November 20 has been replaced with Durban, South Africa;

 the call to Dakar, Senegal on December 9 has been replaced with a Day at Sea 

and the Day at Sea on December 10 has been replaced with a call to Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde.

None of the changes were bothersome to me although I did have an independent tour booked in Dakar, Senegal with "Across Africa".  I have only paid the deposit, so I expect they can subtract that from the balance I owe on the other excursions booked through them.

Here is our new map.

We are down to 5 weeks before the cruise and the only fly in the ointment is getting a negative result on the COVID test prior to the start of the cruise.  No decision has yet been made as to what happens if you test positive within three days of the cruise.  I have an appointment later this week to get the new Omicron-variant booster shot, so I hope I can avoid COVID for the next few weeks.

Smooth sailing until next time!