Still packing, still planning, still fretting

My last day of work before I leave was yesterday.  As anyone with a job and a huge impending vacation knows, it has been very busy at work trying to get a bit ahead.  So much fun writing out comments on policy because you won't be in the meeting.  Actually, that is fun but that might just be me.  

(Shout out to Robynne who is covering for me at the busiest time of the term while I'm away, and the rest of the team who will also be living the chaos. Sorry!)  

Packing:  bah!  I just rummaged around in my storage closet to find my bigger backpack.  I haven't used it in years because I never need this much stuff.  Plus,  it is too heavy when it is full.  It's just on the packing bed, not in use yet.  We'll see.  I'm not too worried about the packing.  It is just a matter of getting the majority into the bags and the minority out of the bags.  

Planning:  Amy came over the other night for a 'planning session'.  There are two sources of stress for me.  Technology and flight connections

Planning session.
Pigeon is helping by standing in for the Thurple.  

Amy, who is technologically wiser than me (not hard to be but also part of her actual job), She has discovered this cool site called Google.  On this site, she discovered that there is a BlogSpot App which I can download to my phone and Chromebook.  As I mentioned before, I bought a  little laptop which apparently isn't a laptop at all, or even a tablet, it is a Chromebook which is something else altogether and has NO storage.  Amy did the same but she just cut bait and started again with a different little computer.  I am way too cheap for that.  I will make this stupid Chromebook work if it drives me crazy and risks the blog (aka my trip memories).  

I uploaded all of the pictures in this post from my phone to the BlogSpot app.  Saved, and then had access to the updated post on my computer.   So, so far so good.  

When we are on the cruise, no wifi!  NO WIFI!!!  So, I can't upload my blog.  I can't even access it.  So, my plan was use Word docs.  Nope, you need wifi to save word docs to google cloud if you are using Chromebook.  Bah!  but I can access the blog with the app.  I can't save though. What I don't know is how much storage the app has.  It is the level of storage on my computer?  If so, hmm, not great. 

I can close the app and the draft post is still there (at least the little bits I have created so far sans wifi)  but I can't access it from any other device (aka my phone). As soon as I have a scrap of wifi, I can go in and save.  That won't take much so maybe in the Falklands, and fingers crossed for South Georgia.  Uploading takes a lot more power, so is unlikely until we are in Ushuaia. 

(update, last night I tried uploading some giant pictures on the app and it let me and they were still there when I closed it and reopened it without signing onto wifi - cautiously optimistic)

We leave in 4 days, almost to the hour!

Back from a trip to the mall.  A pedicure and a few supplies (mainly a silicone water bottle cause I can't fine my collapsible bottle).  

Next day.  Yesterday got away from me a bit there.  Now we are down to three days!  

This is it, the end of time (or at least time is running out), I have resorted to writing lists!  I'm gonna say when 'make decisions' is the first thing on your 'to do' list, it's not a great organizational tool.  

This is how bad I am at lists.  I started this one at work on Thursday.  I got a few things done and then I lost the list.  This photo is my only record.  

We're already well into Fretting but my last thought before I go off and 'make decisions' is to mention my new plan about my flight connections.  Two hours in Vancouver with US Immigration is making me very nervous.  I am going to go to try to speak to an actual Air Canada person to try to get my 10 am flight (Vic->Van) moved to 9am.  

There is nothing to be done about the one hour layover in Houston.  Amy is choosing her bags based on how easy they are to carry while running.    One last shout out to how much Air Canada sucks.  Actually, doubtful that is the last but let's hope.  This is all their fault for cancelling the Calgary to Houston connection.  

United, on the other hand, sent me an email asking if I wanted to pre-choose my meals.  Oh, I was so excited!  Business class meals!  

so exciting! 

And then I signed it.  And discovered that the meals are really nothing better than I've ever gotten at the back of the plane.  Boo.  I chose 'I'll choose on the plane' hoping their will be better options.  Now I see that things are even worse (sold out!).  They're going to feed us right?  It's an 8 hour flight!  I bought some tootsie rolls and babybels just in case.  

So not exciting

Ok, I'm off to try to finalize some packing decisions/actions.  I'm sure I will be able to get one more post in before I go (although someone may have to remind me why I bought a ticket to the opera for Monday...)

Just a random jumble of thoughts etc.

At this point, two weeks before we leave, I am just pinging ideas, plans and actions around in my head without any rhyme or reason.  This post, I'm sure, will be as disorganized as my thinking.  

1. Flights.  Air Canada keeps moving our travel times around, just a bit at a time, but now we have less than two hours layover in Vancouver on our way to Houston.  We have to go through American border in that time.  Amy has Nexus, I do not.  

I called my lovely RBC Travel agent to see if we (I?) could leave on the 9am flight from Victoria to Vancouver, instead of the 10am, adding an hour to get through customs.  She tried but she said if she changes even that one short jump, I am looking at the current price of the tickets.  Which is many thousands of dollars more than when we bought them.  So, no.  New plan, as yet not discussed with Amy, go to the airport crazy early (this was already my plan) and try to sweet talk my way onto the 9am.  I looked on the Air Canada website and the 9am flight is cheaper than the 10 so I assume this means there are more seats available.  I'll let you know how it goes.  

There is also only one hour layover in Houston on the way down.  I figure we'll be lucky to make the connection.  It will be a miracle if our checked bags do too. So, with that in mind... 

2. Packing. My plan is to pack like this trip is actually two trips.  One bag with Antarctic/cruise only stuff and the other with Buenos Aires and total trip stuff.  I will check the Antarctic bag with the assumption that it will be delayed.  So, boots, rain pants, base layers, mitts, toques etc. And then daily clothes, camera, binoculars, and electronics in my carry on and personal bags.   

I have been throwing things at my spare bed as my ever efficient and organized packing system.  Plus, of course, the things I would remember to throw at the bed at a later date.  There was stuff on the bed that was never going to go and stuff not on the bed that definitely needs to go.  

My friend Val, experienced traveler and way more organized person than me, came over last weekend to make me buckle down.  She gives me someone to bing my ideas off of and forces me to actually create an organized plan.  

Although, here she is dressing Pigeon up in my cowl so maybe not all organization related but we did get there eventually. 

This is more organized than it looks

Pigeon was surprisingly ok with this child abuse

3. Ablutions: I got a haircut and I booked a pedicure. I need to buy SPF Chapstick. (update - can you believe a tube of wax costs $6!)

4. Clothes.  I hemmed a pair of quick dry travel pants.  They are my 'Antarctic pants' because they are too big for me so there is room for many base layers.  They are purple so you get to enjoy my Joseph's Coat of travel wear in my pictures (or more likely Amy's pictures).  

I also went to Value Village to find a fleece jacket.  I wanted a light weight one with pockets.  I found an LL Bean one but it is cream-coloured.  Not my favourite but right size, right weight, good enough. 

I also bought the ugliest belt.  Again, right size, right weight but so ugly, I may just take my regular one 

I didn't even bother to cut them, I just folded up 
and hemmed them from there

Seriously, so ugly! 

I have multiples of everything.  Which pants, which sweater, which t-shirts, socks, pajamas, undies, so many decisions.  Must not spiral.  Who am I kidding, the belt-decision (or lack thereof) just about did me in.  

5. Rain pants.  You knew this was never going to end.  I still have two pairs.  I think I will take the pair that packs smaller in my carry on and the proper ones in my checked bag.  I am getting paranoid about the possibility of losing that checked bag.  No rain pants, no shore excursions in Antarctica.  I can borrow the boat boots but I can't borrow boat pants.  Always have a back up plan I tell my students.  Or in this case, back up pants.  

6.  Vaccines.  I got my fourth Covid vaccine dose today.  Yay, my whiffle-waffling on when to book paid off and I managed to get it done two weeks before we leave but late enough to get the super-charged bi-valent.  I also got a Shinrex vaccine (not required for the trip but a very good idea no matter) and will take my Dukoral tomorrow.  

7. Technology.  Word. Stupid Microsoft Office.  Remember when you bought a computer and it has Office installed and you could just open it up and all was good.  Now you have to sign in and it saves to google documents.  and all of that requires Wifi!  At least I get it free through work but that won't help me when I am trying to keep track when I can't get online.  

At the moment, my plan is to create a bunch of word documents on my travel computer and save them to my work account and then download them to my travel computer.  It's not a great plan.  And it means I have to have my work account on my travel computer.  Are we all just fodder for our google overlords?  Don't answer that, I don't want to know the truth.   

8. Other. I am trying to do things as I think of them.  Renew prescriptions.  Done although I had to sign a form to get them early due to travel.  Buy cat food.  Done.  Request mail-in ballot for the civic election.  Done but not received yet. Sign up for banking auto payments so I don't miss bills. Not quite done yet. 

Now when I buy things I say to myself, will this tank of gas/gallon of milk/bunch of bananas last until I leave? 

9. Blog.  That's enough for today. 

Aaackk! 

Planes, Trains & Automobiles (and Boats!)

Lord love a duck! (or I guess a penguin) Things are getting serious now.  Less than two months to go!  I feel like we dropped a tiny pebble at the top of a mountain and it slowly rolled down for a couple of years but now it is a giant snowball crashing towards us at warp speed.  

Don't get crushed by that 'TO DO' list!

Where to start... 

I've been booking accommodations on Bookings.com. They consider me a third level genius.  Who am I to say no to such praise! 

I wonder if I book harder, maybe I can make it to Genius Level 4! 

We know when our plane lands in Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We know when our cruise leaves Montevideo, Uruguay.  The bit between was a bit blurry.  I booked a two bedroom apartment for our time in Buenos Aires but I kind of missed two days and only booked until October 20. And our place is no longer available for the next two days.  

And we know when our cruise arrives in Ushuaia and when we fly out of Buenos Aires but again, a bit blurry between those two dates.  I think at one point, I had three places booked, maybe four?  How long in Ushuaia?, how long is Buenos Aires?.  I had looked at so many places and dates, it was all starting to swirl.  

But the real issue isn't where to stay.  It is what to do with our luggage. 

I'm not sure if I have mentioned our luggage situation.  Not so much of a situation, just different rules for different modes of transportation.  We are business class on our flight down (as if you forgot!) which means we are allowed a ridiculous amount of luggage.  Two checked bags, a carry-on bag and a personal bag.  Those of you who know me, know I can do a month long trip (at least before I start shopping) with just a carry on.  So, this is luxury.  We are going to need to take at least two bags because we need a lot of bulky stuff for the cruise:  Boots, mitts, base layers, rain pants, toques etc.  

Side note on the luggage.  We have a one hour layover in Houston. ONE HOUR!  So, I fully expect our checked bags to not make it to Buenos Aires at the same time as us (I barely expect for us to make it, any delays will do us in but I digress from my digression).  Anyway...  

My plan is to pack Buenos Aires clothes in my carry on, with essentials - camera, tablet, medications.  And then pack my 'winter' Antarctic stuff in my checked bag.  With the hope (and prayer) that it makes it to Buenos Aires before we leave for the cruise. 

But the cruise only lets us have one bag, soft sided, that fits in whatever tiny space they allow us.  And flights from Ushuaia also only allow one bag. So, we are going to have to leave our Buenos Aires stuff somewhere pre-cruise.  

G Adventures kindly let us know that we can leave our stuff at the Dazzler.  But the Dazzler is in Montevideo.  Which would mean we would have to get back to Buenos Aires from Ushuaia, then over to Montevideo, then back to Buenos Aires for our flight home.  Buenos Aires to Montevideo is somewhat like Victoria to Vancouver in distance.  The quickest route is a 2.5 hour ferry which only goes three days a week.  So, even if we wanted to go back to Montevideo, the ferry times means we would have to stay overnight and then get back to Buenos Aires the day of our flight.  Not a good plan. 

Penguin break: here is a penguin on a plane. 

No carry-on luggage for this guy

Amy, who is smart, came up with a great plan.  Remember back when I said I forgot to book anything between Oct 20 to Oct 22 when we go to the Dazzler (I do love saying the Dazzler).  Ok, let's just say it, Amy is smart(er than me).  Amy suggested we book into a proper hotel near the ferry terminal before we go to Montevideo and when we come back to Buenos Aires and hopefully they will keep our second bag for the three weeks between.  

I booked in at the Waldorf Hotel (not likely affiliated with THE Waldorf hotel) for two days before the cruise and two days before we leave for home.  And then emailed them to ask if they will store our bags.  Yes, they said they will.  So, that's good.  

All of this also forced us to plan those last little connections. Ferry from Buenos Aires to Montevideo, flight from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.  

The ferry doesn't go on the day we check into the Dazzler so we have to spend an extra night in Montevideo.  Book into the Dazzler for an extra night.  I called G Adventures.  If we book the extra night through them:  $200.  Through Booking.com: $97.  Booking.com it is.  Booked.  Must update reservation at the Waldorf to just one night October 21st (or 20th, I CANNOT wrap my head around the dates...) 

We also bought our plane tickets from Ushuaia to Buenos Aires.  Due to the time limitation, we will only spend one night in Ushuaia and catch an evening flight the next day.  It wasn't that much more expensive than the morning flight so we can still do the train and park tour. 

Whoosh, that was a lot. 

And now, for no reason at all except that you never know what you'll find when googling, here is a penguin train conductor: 

All Abird!  (hahaha, terrible)

Ushuaia - sure, why not.

Our cruise ends in Ushuaia.  I have heard two things about Ushuaia:  'it is awesome, stay as long as you can' and 'it is the worst, get out as soon as you can'.  Then there's my way of thinking:  'a hotel room is cheaper than the cost difference between an evening flight and a morning flight so we might as well stay overnight'.  

I guess it's not the worst view of a city

I had a quick look at the prices of flights from Ushuaia, where we disembark, to Buenos Aires, where we fly home.  Prices are surprisingly high. Well, I guess not that surprising since it will be cruise season and rich people are basically trapped there and will pay whatever.  I can't disagree, once you've paid a million dollars for your Antarctic trip, what's another $350.  But I'm not rich, and yes I can afford $350 but that just goes against my long honed generational instinct to spend the very least amount possible (cousin John will agree I'm sure!).  

Amy wandered by as I was researching over lunch yesterday.  We had a quick look at 'what to do in Ushuaia'.  There's a train!  El Tren del Fin del Mundo (the train at the end of the world!)

here's some history

The tracks were originally built to service the prison in Ushuaia.  My mom has been there and her main (only?) memory of the place was the looming prison.  Anyway, maybe I can have a better memory of the prison and the train from which it was born.  Wait, is there a prison tour!?  (searching...) Umm ya, there is!  Our one day in Ushuaia may get longer!  

Amy and I were looking at the train info and saw a tour on the train that goes through the national park.  Oh dear, it only leaves at 8am!  Yup, that's another night.  So, to save $80 on a plane ticket by spending $50 on a hotel, this online dive into Ushuaia is going to cost me $100s extra.  I am letting down the family thriftiness gene!  But I get to mail a post card from the southernmost mail box in the world!  I think it balances out.  

And down another rabbit hole:  price of stamps in Argentina.  Trip Advisor consensus - way too much.  So, ONE of you MIGHT get a postcard.  MIGHT!  If you're nice, a couple of you might get one from the Falklands.  

Back on track (train pun!).  Amy and I booked a room in Ushuaia.  New plan (you guys are really getting to see how the sausage is made when it come to my vacation planning in this post!).  Disembark from ship in Ushuaia morning of Nov 12: Prison tour, museum, city, etc.  Nov 13 morning:  Train and Park 5.5 hrs.  Fly out that evening. Damn!  I'm back to the expensive plane ticket.  Oh well, it's worth it for that one potential post card (and I guess some other stuff).  

Oh yea, some other trip actions. I sent off my medical and insurance info to G Adventures.  And ordered some petite waterproof pants.  

G Adventures has posted our hotel in Montevideo.  The Dazzler!  I don't know about the hotel but the name totally wins!  

a nice location to finally meet our thruple
(and tell her she gets the top bunk!)

AAAAAND, this is it.  I have hit rock bottom for online scrolling:  

Come on, you heard Dazzler and 
went here too (right?)

Happy Canada Day by the way.  

BUSINESS CLASS!!!!

OH MY GOD!  So, I have been tracking tickets to Buenos Aires for a couple of months.  And they have been cheap.  I have enough travel points to buy a ticket up to $2000 (not including taxes).  If I buy a ticket to South America, I use 100 000 points whether the ticket is $900 or $2000. So obviously, start big and work down is my 'flight search' policy.

happening!  

Business class tickets to Buenos Aires on my dates: $2179 (give or take $20 depending on the day).  I had to wait until my return date was finally available.  It seemed too good to be true.  I went in to see if it was true and got far enough into the booking process to see that the seats available were not in the business class section.  Oh, well, as I suspected.  I was at work, trying to research/book during lunch so I abandoned the process because I wanted to read the fine print (so unlike me but there are new 'cancellation' considerations these days).  

Today, I went in and started the process again.  This time, I think I chose the Air Canada version of the flight instead of the United version.  Same flight, different flight numbers.  I know this because the first time I was in the booking part, I could not choose my AC seats but I could choose the United seats and they were in the deepest, darkest, back of the bus, economy section.  But this time, oh glory be to the gods of wide seats and free booze, I choose the Air Canada flights (despite my well documented issues with Air Canada).  I could see the AC seat selection were Business, front of the plane.  I choose my seats.  But I couldn't choose the United seats.  Those are the important ones.  Flight down is 9 hrs, 50 minutes.  Flight back is 10 hrs, 25 minutes. It told me to go to United's website.  I got my confirmation email with my booking numbers.  I signed onto United and it let me choose my seats, which I figured was a miracle in itself.  Seats available:  BUSINESS CLASS!  No seriously:  BUSINESS CLASS!!!!!  Is it wrong to be this excited about my seats!  I don't think so.  

This literally makes me want to cry with happiness

All told, $200 bucks for my BUSINESS CLASS tickets (just the taxes).  Lie-Flat seating! With bedding and sleep themed amenities.  (I don't even know what that means, but I'm going to find out!)  Chef designed onboard dining experience!  Access to United lounge!  Two closets!  So many coffee stations!  

So, there you go, it is getting harder to say this might not happen.  Let's all hope and pray that Omicron (which we are not talking about) is quick and gone and no new, even worse, Covid variant shows up before November, 2022.  I was saying to Amy, if we had gone this year, we would have been in a bit of a safety bubble, mostly post-Delta and pre-Omicron.  Let's hope Oct/Nov 2022 is even better!  

Less exciting but still trip related, I have started doing a bit of research on Buenos Aires.  As in, I googled 'which area is the best to stay in...'.  Palermo is top of the one list I looked at.  Okey Dokey.  Booking.com, my old and trusted booking friend.  I found a two bedroom apartment in Palermo.  Not in the super-trendy Palermo Hollywood or Palermo Soho sub-neighbourhoods, but not too far (and about $1000 cheaper, thank you very much).  It is in Alto Palermo.  I can walk for trendy.  

The cool kids are in pink or aqua, we are in blue (with the 
smart-with-their-money kids).  

I booked this without consulting Amy.  We haven't even really talked about what we want to do in our week in Argentina before the cruise.  Do we want to stay in the city (which seems huge and diverse) or travel around a bit?  Staying in one place seems like to wise thing to do right now, but who knows in 10 months.  My booking.com reservation is cancellable until end of Sept so we have lots of time to consider our options.  

I have since has a one minute conversation with Amy to tell her I was sending her the flight info (so she can book with her travel money) and the apartment info and she said "if someone else wants to plan, I am all for whatever that plan might be'.  I am writing that down as a contract.  I may have completely changed the wording but the thought is probably, mostly (somewhat, maybe) right.  

Then I read the second paragraph in that one 'where to stay in Buenos Aires' site.  It says Palermo is not close to the 'sights'.  Next research:  how to get around Buenos Aires.  Super-duper subway system is how.  Called the Subte.  

Way up in the top left, by the green D, is Palermo station.  

Some cross referencing with a Subte map with some streets on it and the Booking.com map, I can see the place I booked is three blocks from the Bulnes stop on Linea D.  Linea D takes up to the Cathedral where we can catch Linea E with goes through San Telmo, where the touristy sights are (or some of them).  So, boom and Bob's your uncle.  I have started planning!  I'm sure there will be lots of Subte'ing!  Lineas H & F might get us to some good spots too.  Oh dear, now I am looking at San Telmo neighbourhood apartments.  Never read the second paragraph, it just complicates decisions.  

In shopping news.  It is snowing in Victoria right now so I have had to shovel my walk a couple of times and the weak point in my cold weather gear is my hands.  I ordered some expensive gloves (50% off boxing day sale and $10 bonus discount, so not too bad).  They should arrive in a couple of weeks, hopefully too late to test them in frigid weather (because I am done with Victoria having frigid weather!).  

We don't like the snow
 but we do like the live bird show

The Thruple makes her first appearance

The one year mark (Oct 22, 2021) before our cruise passed by and I barely noticed.  This trip has been so far away for so long, I kind of forgot to think about it.  

I am trying to read some Antarctic history books but the first one I tried was "The Worst Journey in the World" about the fateful (and fatal) Scott expedition.  But it is DENSE.  It is barely readable. I should be called "The Worst Writing in the World".   I have a new appreciation for editors, let me tell you.  This book is a solid  block of text, barely a paragraph break, let alone a chapter break.  Oldy-Timey books about exploration by ship involve a lot of weather reports and wind speeds and the word 'lee'.  

The bottom one might not be too historical 

I abandoned that one for a fun novel about an old lady who is bored so goes to the Antarctic.  After that, I dipped into some Cook diaries.  More weather.  Time to work on some Shackelton before I go back to Scott.  These guys are basically insane and suicidal but at least Cook and Shackelton waited to explore themselves to death on a different continent.  

Seriously!  Hit Enter every once in a while!  

On a more practical note, it is time to start considering our flights.  I am hanging out on Google flights.  Our dates aren't even available yet.  We are up to Oct 12 as the last day with tickets as of today.  I put an alert on our flight for Sept 2022 so I can see what is going on with prices.  I have $2000 worth of ticket with my Air Mile points.  

Business class tickets, to Buenos Aires return, have dipped as low as $2160!  They are bouncing up and down so Amy and I had a 'trip meeting' to decide if we want to book super early if the tickets are super cheap or wait until we have a better idea of what the world will look like in 11 months.  Book early and cheap is the decision.  I called my bank to make sure if I have to cancel, I don't lose my points.  I do not.  Done and decided. But not booked.  It is too early.  

prices at 12:15pm on Nov 17, 2021 

I bought a new travel computer.  It is teeny tiny (just one pound).  Of course, there won't be any Wi-Fi on the boat so expect to be blasted with 21 posts from Ushuaia.  

Oh gosh, I started this post on Nov 17 and now it is Dec 3.  I have been so busy.  I worked overtime three weekends in a row ,it is crazy at work.  And then I picked up a little 30 hour contract so I have been working a lot.  All for the penguin fund!  

Important shopping.  I bought these ridiculous slippers!  

Ridiculous yes, warm and comfy, also yes. 

So, that's it for now.  Just obsessively checking google flights even though November 2022 dates aren't loaded yet so there is nothing I can do but fret.  Two more weeks. Dates to Oct 28 today.  The world and/or prices just have to hang on for two more weeks!  

A reminder! Follow me to Antarctica!  

One more update (now it is Dec 11!).  Still waiting for flights (getting closer, just 10 more days, prices are holding steady) but I just checked G Adventures and our cruise is up to $22,400!.  It's like we are saving $7000 now.  And I see that our 'third bed' in our Triple room is sold.  Our Thruple exists!  We just haven't met her yet. So exciting.  

Hello Thruple!  You will probably read this one day and know we are/were keen to find out who you are/will be.  We may even stop calling you 'the Thruple' once we know your name (but I make no promises and I really hope you have a sense of humour!)  

10 months to go!  

No one say Omicron variant.