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| On this date in 2016, we posted this photo of a vegetable stand where we purchased most of our produce during the 28-day stay in Pacific Harbour, Fiji. For more from that date, including final expenses for Fiji, please click here. |
With the new year upon us and only 26 days remaining until we leave for India, we’ve begun to put the wheels in motion to get everything for our departure.
Last night, I began compiling for our departure, including the following:
1. Compile a box of cold weather clothing and ship it to our mailing service in Nevada to hold until we need it again. We are glad we’d purchased warm items in Minnesota, Nevada, and Arizona with the cold weather. This morning it was 35F (1.7C). It makes no sense to bring these items to India, but we may need them again during the year.
2. Order the box of supplies we have awaiting us at the mailing service in Nevada.
3. Contact an immigration attorney to begin working on our visa waiver for South Africa.
4. Contact United Healthcare Global with questions, and purchase an annual health insurance policy for the two of us.
5. Reorganize our supplies suitcase to lighten the load.
6. Purchase a list of items we’ll need for India and in the future; socks for both of us, a belt for Tom, and cool summery tops for me.
7. Start transferring data from our current Excel spreadsheet to our new workbook that is relevant for 2020 only.
Each of these items could take some time, but I must get to work with the days ticking down. The list falls into the categories of tasks that I perform, not Tom. He has “other fish to fry,” and his time will come soon enough to get to work.
Traveling the world isn’t a laid back as some may perceive. Last night while we had Shark Tank on the TV in the background, I scrolled through over 500 listings in Homeaway.com for Portugal.
With our next cruise departing from Lisbon, it makes sense to spend the last few months near Portugal before we sail away on November 10th. Last night’s research proved fruitful when I found dozens of possibilities in and around Lisbon. Today, Tom and I will go through these together.
With the European Schengen visa restrictions, we have to be very careful not to stay in Europe too long, especially when part of the cruise will be visiting a few ports of call in the Schengen area that count toward our total allowable days.
It was these restrictions that caused us an immigration problem in Australia when we’d been on the continent a few days too long due to being on a cruise. The cruise was considered a “closed-loop” when sailing from Perth to Sydney (with several ports of call in New Zealand), and all the days we were cruising counted toward our maximum time on the continent. We won’t let this happen again.
They are making lists that have always been helpful to me. Although they are hardly New Year’s resolutions, our timing precipitates getting them done.
Today, we’ll work on more research, and I’ll try to knock off a few items on the “to do” list. So far, there are no plans for social activities tonight, but one never knows. They often pop up at the last minute in this senior community.
May your New Year list provides you with a sense of accomplishment we’re looking forward to over the next several days.
Photo from one year ago today, January 3, 2019:
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| In Marloth Park, one year ago today, one of our two favorite frogs took up residence in this cute little decorative basket near the pool on the veranda. We couldn’t stop laughing! For more photos, please click here. |