HELP! I'm obsessed with this trip!!
Feb 27th, 2005, 10:05 AM
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HELP! I'm obsessed with this trip!!
We are taking our first (and most dreamed about) trip to Italy in June (with a few days in London also), and I cannot quit thinking about it. What and how do I pack, what do I wear, where do we stay, what is the food like, where are the wineries, what is the weather like, what kind of camera to bring and on and on!!! I am driving myself crazy! Has anyone else ever experienced this, or should I just check into the hospital now???
Feb 27th, 2005, 10:21 AM
#7
don't check into a hospital it will cost twice the trip. I had to pay over $3000 for an overnight.
Relax, wear nice as you would any other place.
Always ask your server for the "local" cheese, wine, food,
relax, be happy. June should be lovely in both places.
Relax, wear nice as you would any other place.
Always ask your server for the "local" cheese, wine, food,
relax, be happy. June should be lovely in both places.
Feb 27th, 2005, 10:42 AM
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May I suggest that you need to stop fretting and book your hotels?
As for the other sources of anxiety:
1. Try a dry run for packing. Get your clothes together. Put them in your suitcase. Don't forget your shoes, toiletries, etc. Do the same with your carry on bag(s). Does it all fit? Are you missing a key item in your wardrobe? Once you have a rough idea of what you are taking, you can be on the lookout for that one piece that works with everything and pulls it all together.
2. Start making lists of restaurants you'd like to try. There is plenty of info here on fodors.
3. Do some more research, on wineries, cameras, and weather. All those things are readily available on line.
But you do need to move from the frantic, flipped out stage into some organized form of getting things done. As a terrible procrastinator, let me warn you that June is not that far away.
As for the other sources of anxiety:
1. Try a dry run for packing. Get your clothes together. Put them in your suitcase. Don't forget your shoes, toiletries, etc. Do the same with your carry on bag(s). Does it all fit? Are you missing a key item in your wardrobe? Once you have a rough idea of what you are taking, you can be on the lookout for that one piece that works with everything and pulls it all together.
2. Start making lists of restaurants you'd like to try. There is plenty of info here on fodors.
3. Do some more research, on wineries, cameras, and weather. All those things are readily available on line.
But you do need to move from the frantic, flipped out stage into some organized form of getting things done. As a terrible procrastinator, let me warn you that June is not that far away.
Feb 27th, 2005, 11:54 AM
#9
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Okay you're a little delirious--happens to us all. Just make sure you have the important basic things thought out: travel arrangements, lodging, and finances--very important! Then just luxuriate in anticipation! I have loved every minute of every trip--despite any hassles (can't avoid having one or two)that have occurred. Buon viaggio!
Feb 27th, 2005, 11:59 AM
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nbbrown: i am going to Paris in a week. I am still planning and refining my plans. Going through my notes. Writing and rewriting my shopping lists. Packing and unpacking. Checking weather.com first thing in the morning. Obessions make life fun. Excitment is good for your blood circulation. Sit back and enjoy. Hospitals can't do a thing for you.
One thing about italy is that you cannot have a bad meal there. There is another reason to rejoice.
One thing about italy is that you cannot have a bad meal there. There is another reason to rejoice.
Feb 27th, 2005, 12:09 PM
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rbbrown, I thought your pretrip symptoms were a requirement to be able to travel, LOL.
Seriously, most people go through this. It just makes you normal.
Marilyn's post is a good one to follow.
BTW, I always, way ahead of time get whatever cash I want, and get all the documents etc. together along with whatever I am putting in my carryon. Just getting that done clears ones head a lot.
I make a list of the clothes, revise it more then once. Put the lingerie, shoes, accessories in my luggage. That way the only thing left is to pack your clothes and if you have a list and hang the clothes all together in their own space that packing will go quickly. I usually pack the morning of the day before I leave.
Before you know it June will be here. Do enjoy dreaming about your vacation.
Seriously, most people go through this. It just makes you normal.
Marilyn's post is a good one to follow.
BTW, I always, way ahead of time get whatever cash I want, and get all the documents etc. together along with whatever I am putting in my carryon. Just getting that done clears ones head a lot.
I make a list of the clothes, revise it more then once. Put the lingerie, shoes, accessories in my luggage. That way the only thing left is to pack your clothes and if you have a list and hang the clothes all together in their own space that packing will go quickly. I usually pack the morning of the day before I leave.
Before you know it June will be here. Do enjoy dreaming about your vacation.
Feb 27th, 2005, 12:24 PM
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Ah yes, the Magnificent Obsession--isn't it wonderful? The dreaming, the planning and finally the realization. Travel is the greatest.
I'm currently starting my "obsession" with our fall trip and hoping we will be able to book the hotels we want even this far in advance. Get busy and pick the hotels where you wish to stay and get them reserved.
Clothes should be easy for a mild month like June. Pants, a skirt, knit tops, etc. Not heavy like winter clothing so you can sneak in more (but don't overdo it).
Italy is a wonderful country and I know you will have a terrific trip!
I'm currently starting my "obsession" with our fall trip and hoping we will be able to book the hotels we want even this far in advance. Get busy and pick the hotels where you wish to stay and get them reserved.
Clothes should be easy for a mild month like June. Pants, a skirt, knit tops, etc. Not heavy like winter clothing so you can sneak in more (but don't overdo it).
Italy is a wonderful country and I know you will have a terrific trip!
Feb 27th, 2005, 12:36 PM
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WOW !!!!!! I am the same way. We finally made our hotel reservations and our flight is booked --but I am still SO excited. We are going in July--too far to have sleepless nights already--HA HA !!Any good packing tips ???
Feb 27th, 2005, 01:03 PM
#16
Oh my gosh! ME TOO. Some of the (crazy) things I do:
- Time my pre-trip haircut so my hair will be just the way I like it during the trip (I usually get it cut 1-2 weeks before departure),
- Dry-run pack like Marilyn. (My sister calls it "practice packing" - and she does it too.) Then write down everything I've decided on. Then the day before departure, pack the suitcase with everything on the list. And 1/2 hour before departure, start fretting, change my mind, throw in two extra tops that I don't wear and take out something that I'll end up wishing I'd brought. Never fails.)
- Make a day-by-day list of what I plan to wear (I know that's over the top - I can't believe I admitted it here on the forum! But I do. I'll figure out which pants to wear with which tops and in which order and at what point I'll need to do laundry.)
- Write down a day-by-day itinerary (For our first trip, I had it down to the HOUR. My daughter made fun of my obsessiveness. "Mom - what if it takes us longer than 2 hours and 37 minutes for that museum? That will throw off the ENTIRE SCHEDULE!!" Ha-ha. Kids - they think they're SOOO funny - and then 10 years later they turn into us! WE get the last laugh.)
I'm sure there are others that are eluding me at the moment - but your obsessions are perfectly normal (although maybe I'm not one to say what's normal!)
You'll have a great time, and much of what you obsessed over won't turn out at ALL like what you had thought. And when you get home, you'll have wonderful stories and lifetime memories. Have fun!
Karen
- Time my pre-trip haircut so my hair will be just the way I like it during the trip (I usually get it cut 1-2 weeks before departure),
- Dry-run pack like Marilyn. (My sister calls it "practice packing" - and she does it too.) Then write down everything I've decided on. Then the day before departure, pack the suitcase with everything on the list. And 1/2 hour before departure, start fretting, change my mind, throw in two extra tops that I don't wear and take out something that I'll end up wishing I'd brought. Never fails.)
- Make a day-by-day list of what I plan to wear (I know that's over the top - I can't believe I admitted it here on the forum! But I do. I'll figure out which pants to wear with which tops and in which order and at what point I'll need to do laundry.)
- Write down a day-by-day itinerary (For our first trip, I had it down to the HOUR. My daughter made fun of my obsessiveness. "Mom - what if it takes us longer than 2 hours and 37 minutes for that museum? That will throw off the ENTIRE SCHEDULE!!" Ha-ha. Kids - they think they're SOOO funny - and then 10 years later they turn into us! WE get the last laugh.)
I'm sure there are others that are eluding me at the moment - but your obsessions are perfectly normal (although maybe I'm not one to say what's normal!)
You'll have a great time, and much of what you obsessed over won't turn out at ALL like what you had thought. And when you get home, you'll have wonderful stories and lifetime memories. Have fun!
Karen
Feb 27th, 2005, 01:12 PM
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Obsessing over the trip is part of the joy of travel for me. It gives me something to think about on those cold, depressing days when everything else is going wrong.
We once had to cancel a trip to Culebra, PR at the last minute because of a death in the family. I had already thought so much about the trip, read everything I could find, etc. that to this day, I still feel like I've actually been there in some cosmic way, so it wasn't a total loss.
Enjoy your obsessing and use it to help with preparations! My husband obsesses by getting maps of wherever we will be and basically learning the city by heart. This is a great asset once we get there, although I tease him about being a geography geek.
So relax and enjoy this as just one phase of the trip.
We once had to cancel a trip to Culebra, PR at the last minute because of a death in the family. I had already thought so much about the trip, read everything I could find, etc. that to this day, I still feel like I've actually been there in some cosmic way, so it wasn't a total loss.
Enjoy your obsessing and use it to help with preparations! My husband obsesses by getting maps of wherever we will be and basically learning the city by heart. This is a great asset once we get there, although I tease him about being a geography geek.
So relax and enjoy this as just one phase of the trip.
Feb 27th, 2005, 01:24 PM
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Packing -- if you heed no other advice, heed this: PACK LIGHT. That means taking ONE (1) carry-on size bag and nothing more. These sites has some good pack-light tips:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/backpack.htm
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/womenpacking.htm
Since you are going to Italy, I would add 2 bits of advice to the above web sites.
1. Don't to bring jeans. Jeans in Italy in the summer is nothing but bad news.
2. Not counting undergarments, bring 2 day's worth of clothes. Not only will it help you pack even lighter, but you'll be forced to buy clothes in Italy. Oh the horror of shopping Milan for clothes!
Camera -- get a digital camera and buy at least a 256K memory chip for it (512k ideally). A simple point-and-shoot camera (3.1 megapixels) is under $250. You won't have to worry about buying or carrying gobs of film canisters because all the shots will be on the memory card.
When agonizing over whether to bring something along, always think in terms of what you can do WITHOUT. Don't pack something because it *might* be handy. For example, I seldom pack rain gear. I just assume I'll have great weather and won't need it, and if it does rain I can just buy one there.
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/backpack.htm
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/womenpacking.htm
Since you are going to Italy, I would add 2 bits of advice to the above web sites.
1. Don't to bring jeans. Jeans in Italy in the summer is nothing but bad news.
2. Not counting undergarments, bring 2 day's worth of clothes. Not only will it help you pack even lighter, but you'll be forced to buy clothes in Italy. Oh the horror of shopping Milan for clothes!
Camera -- get a digital camera and buy at least a 256K memory chip for it (512k ideally). A simple point-and-shoot camera (3.1 megapixels) is under $250. You won't have to worry about buying or carrying gobs of film canisters because all the shots will be on the memory card.
When agonizing over whether to bring something along, always think in terms of what you can do WITHOUT. Don't pack something because it *might* be handy. For example, I seldom pack rain gear. I just assume I'll have great weather and won't need it, and if it does rain I can just buy one there.
Feb 27th, 2005, 01:53 PM
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Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I isn't just the obsessing, but I just can't quit thinking about it all. We do have our flight tickets and also our hotel reservations. I am enjoying all the thoughts, but began to wonder if I was the only one that thought most of my waking day about it! Thank you all for the most wonderful advice... I definately will have to try a dry run on packing, and will try very hard to pack light. Thanks for the advice on jeans...I was wondering about that too!
althom1122, your post actually sounds like what I am going through!
Scarlett, I was so laughing at your clothes (and shoes) clamoring to get into your suitcase!
Thank you all again. I hope you don't get sick and tired of me before I leave!
Billie
althom1122, your post actually sounds like what I am going through!
Scarlett, I was so laughing at your clothes (and shoes) clamoring to get into your suitcase!
Thank you all again. I hope you don't get sick and tired of me before I leave!
Billie
