Organizing the Next Trip

We admire millennials proceeding to the departure gate, the airline staff scans the hand held device and they slip it back into a pocket or purse. The rest of us offer up paper copies of boarding passes.

Several weeks before our next trip, I review all information. Any recent updates from the airlines, confirm times/dates on museums, area festivals, shows and on our upcoming Canadian trip print a tide chart for the Bay of Fundy.

I have a calendar with one inch squares and make a copy for the weeks we will be traveling. Each date notes the airline, hotel and tentative plans. Behind this page in the file are sheets with flights, seat assignments, auto rental details and price, hotel addresses with confirmations, and ferry tickets.  

On the bottom right corner I pencil in a brief description (hotel 6/16) and arrange by chronological date. I can easily pull as needed and file to the back as used. Sprinkled in (with the proper dates) will be my printed AAA Drive Trips by area and travel magazine articles referencing our various destinations.  

When cruising, I use the same calendar method noting the port city and scheduled hours, excursions etc. On sea days we list special events, lectures, classes, movie times and dining reservations.

It's an easy glance at the day ahead and reminders of what to be prepared for on the next one. 

On road trips, we bring downloaded (library) audio books on a separate USB drive to help pass the time. To save funds we bring our GPS instead of depending on cell service. 

My favorite car charger offers multiple plugs for an IPhone, key pad for a tablet and IPOD. The last trip I forgot our USB wall adapter, glad we had the car charger as a back-up!