Packing for RTW - in a Carry-on????

Well this month I decided to tackle the task of seeing - if at all possible - I could put all my clothing into a carry-on bag under 40 pounds for my RTW trip. WHAT.....you ask!! Impossible....well, maybe not! I realize that I would have to wear some of the same things twice...well maybe three times...four? Okay, so what is wrong with mix and match? I mean come on...black is a basic color...2 black t-shirts and 1 pair of jeans can go a week - well they can - but they won't!

It was suggested to me by a retired colleague that I should take t-shirts I did not really like or ones that after I had worn a number of times I could just discard and use the room for things I bought along the way. Hey, now that is my kind of idea. But, I am a pack rat (sort of) - while I detest left-overs in food - I can see myself wearing something a number of times and keeping it...well I can!

Okay, lets get to the experiment.....the articles of clothing in the picture above include among other things 7 shorts, 8 socks, 9 t-shirts, 3 slacks, 2 jackets, 1 sweater, 1 pair of jeans, 1 swim suit, 6 casual shirts,1 sandals,1 sneakers, 2 walking shorts, pair of gloves & hat (I get cold in temperatures below 50) + 90 day supply of all my medications and my toiletries kit including a first aid packet.

Let's see what that looks like rolled and put into cubes....

Wow...you say....all into a Carry-on....NOOOOOOOO!  It would not fit -  even Dolly Pardon could not get that into that smaller bag.  So, I opted for this duffle type bag, but the good news is that it did all fit, and has a total weight of 34 pounds.  Hip Hip Hooray....I have achieved that benchmark. 

Next up - the real carry-on.  My backpack with electronic media.  That will be my feature next month....I will leave you with a picture of my bags....and the thought that 19 weeks from this Wednesday, September 29th,  I will be leaving IAD for SYD.........

"Moving right along......"

August has found me getting back to "Next to Normal".....well I have never even been close to "Normal"....no wait that is Broadway talk....but one hell of a play!! My normal in August has been putting my home life back in order after the rain. What a difference a month makes as you can tell from the pictures....it was not pleasant, but then those things do happen. Okay enough on that, and I hope you like the pictures....I was going to post my Glenn Beck collection of photos...but none of them came out - don't you just hate that!!

Travel is what we live for...well me at least! And so in August I began working with a firm in Austin, Texas (Amazon Adventures) who specializes in South American adventure. I am working on my trip to Machu Picchu in Peru as well as my journey to Easter Island from Santiago. Then I have decided that going to South America may not be complete without a couple days in Rio!!

Oh, the really awesome thing is that the One World Alliance of Airlines (my main carrier being American Airlines) offers a South American package allowing you to purchase visits to selected cities with reduced fares based on the mileage between the cities. I did a price comparison and found the One World prices to be a good value. Check it out.

This month I also received a confirmation on my hotel stay while in Dublin. I was very pleased about that since the property from all I have read is a great place to stay and has quite a history behind it. It is called Cassidys....so will let you know when I get there what "Bob's Trip Advice" would be...

Well September has me traveling during a couple weeks for work.....which BTW has only 49 working days till December 29, 2010. It will be here before I know it....Once I get to October 1st it will be a blur....things really pick up in October and I will have little time other than to pack my bag for another trip out of town.....Las Vegas....Atlanta.....Dallas.....New York...and one of my favorites Chicago for Christmas!!

Happy Labor Day to everyone.....Hugs (pass it on....)
Bob...

July.....what a month!!

Okay....planning for travel around the world is one thing. And, to be honest I think i have been very successful thus far in managing to stay sane and not get too excited. Well, in July that all changed....first there was the 4th of July...with a great group of friends and hearing the National Anthem sung to perfection by a graduate voice student from Tennessee (just happened to be Matt Johnson's nephew)....well the fireworks were a given right? Then there was a trip to hot-Lanta...for work of course...my next to last UCE trip...looking right in the face of October when the last trip will be made. Okay so where is this leading?....be patient...be patient...next was Christmas in July....yes Virginia...Christmas in July. A party to celebrate the festive time of year...but in July when it was 105 degrees and we were at my favorite restaurant in Washington (and probably nationwide)..CAVA...remember it...and if you have not been there...oh you must try it...you will get hooked really fast....did I say it was a Greek mezze? Small portions so you have have 4 or 5 different things...ummm....so so good. Okay...so we are sweltering on the roof bar of Cava and everyone I think did sweat...really...some more than others.

Now...the crowning achievement of July....on Sunday following Christmas (in July...remember) Washington DC has an afternoon down pour...a true "gully washer"!! So after the storm I am walking from the dining room into the kitchen when i feel and hear this sound of water under my feet!! I look down and it is water....WHAT...immediately I begin pulling up the area rug from under my dining room table...a few spots of water...but look in the corner and see water standing...yes my friends...water standing...oh my goodness....well I will not go on and on about this...but the outcome you will be able to see in the photo...removal of all the flooring and also the wallboard up to the chair rail.

How could this happen? I have never had water before...never! A couple of days later it was determined that it came from the adjacent house as the result of a drain that was clogged or inoperable causing the water to back up and the pressure forced the water to the adjoining property...me!!

Good does come from everything...right? It does...because had this happened while I was in Atlanta or Spain or Australia....I would have come home to water soaked carpet and furniture...and eventually mold.

August...you dog day of summer months...I cannot wait for you to arrive....booking for the 2nd half of RTW in 2011 will begin in earnest....

As my friend Linda Elerbee would have said....."....and so it goes...."

Around the World Part 1 is booked

Whew.......I have just completed work on the first of 2 parts to my Around the World journey. After many months, days and hours of reading, researching and doing background on a whole host of places I have finalized my Part 1 itinerary. Part 1 will take me to Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, China, India, United Arab Emeritas, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales over an 85 day period.

Airports of call on this first leg are IAD , LAX, SYD, CHC. AUK, MEL, HBT, BKK, DEL, BKK, HKT, DBX, LHR. My journey begins on Februay 9th from IAD (Washington Dulles International Airport) to SYD (Sydney, Australia)....and ends with my flight from London (LHR) back to Washington (DCA...opps....that is Ronald Regan Washington National Airport).

But my journey will not all be by air....it will also include bus, ferry boat, train, automobile....and who knows maybe a horse or elephant thrown in for good measure. Accomodations will go from the Hyatt and Inter-Continental to a number of quaint botique bed and breakfast locations. If you are interested in meeting me at any of the exotic and interesting places...let me know

Okay....back to work on Part 2...which will commence in September 2011 and conclude with my return to Washington in January 2012!!

Getting up to speed with a Blog.....

Okay....if I can do this anybody can do it! I decided that it was time to get this blog down before I venture into my new job - retirement. It will also give me the opportunity to let you in on my advance planning for my "Round-the-World" trip in 2011. So I hope you will check back and see how things are going...or not going.