Oh how frequent travel changes how you pack and plan. My first trip to Mexico a little over a year ago, I was a nervous wreck. I was traveling alone with my just turned two year old. I had never traveled internationally or with my son alone. He had flown once before when he was about a year old to Disneyland, but he was still immobile, nursing and napping alot. Oh how nervous i was that he would cry the whole time, that we would miss our connections, that i would not be able to handle a months worth of luggage, a car seat, a two year old and navigating through foreign airports. I started the process of packing, unpacking, repacking and making lists about a month in advance. I was clueless about Mexico...would they sell shampoo? What about pop tarts? What if i forget something? Are there disposable diapers or do i need to pack those too?Will it be available out there in this unknown world? What if i forget something?
The morning of travel finally came and all was well! My son was a champ on the 6.5 hrs of flights. Plane changes went smoothly. Kind people were willing to help. Daniel did not cry or annoy people. He sat happy in his seat with his new toy, new book and portable DVD player. On the many Mexico trips to follow i knew i could just buy soap and diapers there. I started packing a week in advance, than just a couple days. No more lists. If i forgot it i would just buy it there. My son know can even carry a little backpack with his own treats and toys for the plane.
Rather than fear travel, i feel prepared. I know what to expect. Granted i don't look forward to it. The plane ride is hard. Keeping my son entertained is not much fun. I don't usually get to read my own magazines or books, because i am entertaining Daniel. When he finally does nap i usually just flip through SkyMall.
In three weeks, we are headed South of the Border again. While i have packed two of my four giant suitcases, the only reason was to get the stuff out of my room. (No i don't need that much luggage for a two week vacation. It is all either gifts for other people or stuff i am planning on leaving there for when we move in November. Figure i might as well take us much as the airline allows me and leave it there than worry how we will move our stuff later.) I will probably pack what i actually need for the trip the night before 8)
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same here rebecca. i now pack about two days before...my biggest concern now is what will the weather be like? do i need flip flops or boots.....do i need long sleeve or hoodie or tank top...(which no one wears despite the sometimes/but brief 90 degree weather during the day on last trip...) my fiance lives near an inactive volcano at a high altitude that is not tropical in the least. so the weather is actually much cooler than the 90s which we are seeing here in the southern us! yuck! so i've been monitoring the forecasts so i can have the right clothes pack. but less is more for sure! i hate lugging around the heavy bag and backpack around for the trip home form the airport. we take a nice tour bus for an 1.5 hours from the airport to the next city, toluca. then a cab from there for about another hour home to his town. so the less we have to drag around with us is so much better! it is nice that i have left things down there on past trips that i use all the time. plus a walmart is about 40 mins away if i need anything american. lol
18 days and counting here!!
woohoo!!
amber from charlotte,nc
Ha ha ha, I loved this post. The first trip I took to Mexico alone, I drove from Central Oregon to Tijuana, parked the car, walked across the border with my 4 year old daughter Erika, my 4 month old baby Mia, a huge suitcase, and a car seat! Then I caught a taxi to the Tijuana airport, felt like an idiot trying to negotiate the foreign airport and get on the plane. Then I landed in Guadalajara and my ex-husband wasn't there at 4am. My daughters were sleeping on the floor while I'm trying to figure out how to dial a mexican cell phone number from inside the country inside of the US. OMG, I was ready to turn around and go right home. Now I've made four trips down and feel like a seasoned traveler too, lol.
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