I'm trying to convince spouse to travel light for the trip. Inevitably, we always pack too much and don't use half of the clothing options we bring. So I pitched the idea that we only pack carry-ons and then we can avoid any baggage problems. He was rather alarmed at the idea since we'll be gone for weeks. The way I see it, we only need to pack for a 5 day trip. On the cruise, there are laundry facilities, and if we want to buy things, we can check-in bags for the trip home. Who cares if the luggage is delayed when you come home?
The usual pre-trip dynamic is something like this. I meticulously plan what I consider "salient details", while spouse accuses me of "stressing" before vacation. See, he doesn't care if it's cheaper or not to buy a transit pass in Paris instead of a packet of tickets. He doesn't want to look through the stack of guidebooks I brought home from the library. He's not concerned with the logistics of getting to the airport in Paris by 5:30am for our flight to Rome. So when I bring up how we're going to get to the Paris airport at 5:30am, he becomes cross for my upping his stress. (Incidentally, apparently I'm a freak for printing up the terminal plan for Charles de Gaule airport.) "Don't worry, we'll deal with it when we get there," is his constant refrain. He says the word worry like "be such an idiot".
I made a calendar for the trip, but I'm keeping it hidden for now.
26 comments:
See, I am like you, PLAN PLAN PLAN. Mrs Coffeedog is not so much of a planner, but she does do a little bit of worrying. You can cab it to CDG, non? At least you guys are lucky in that you speak french so the French won't treat you like step-children!
It is great that Torn worries so Serge don't have to. I think the French consider Canadians to be beneath them. The people will be aloof. The sights will be f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! Ed
The French will merely treat them as inferior, unrefined, poor cousins. Someone here said Parisians are
"snobby?" Arrogant, rude, and condescending are better words.
There is nothing wrong with planning and being cautious. Obviously, that's your job and Serge is probably secretly relieved that you're doing it.
LOL. This is very close to what my partner and I are discussing right now, too, as we prepare for Rome and Tuscany next week. OMG! NEXT week! Brad is great with maps, metros, schedules, etc. So I usually leave most of that stuff up to him. Any receipts or reservations we print out, though, he gives to me for safekeeping. He'd misplace them within hours. I'm more into food, so I pick out the restuarants and he figures out how to get us there.
And we are both travelling VERY light this trip, too. One small carry on each and a checked duffle bag.
Wow...this might be why we haven't actually done the travel thing. Breathe deep...
I'm sure all will work out and you'll have a great time...but no matter what, you'd better wake him with a song on that early airport morning!!
Now I've got the Paula Abdul classic "Opposites Attract" stuck in my head!
You two are just like Derwood and I. You have to have balance, one worrying, one going with the flow. I'm like you, I need a plan!
Just try to live in the moment, dear.
-Rox
I'm so with you about the packing light and one bag each, but ... you're going on a cruise afterwards, right? You might just want to check its dress code. I've heard some have formal clothing requirements for the main diningroom.
I am a map freak and would be looking at/printing them out just for the sheer enjoyment of it.
sometimes you just have to, as you put it, "meticulously plan" and not bother telling him anything. Then if he should panic at the last minute you can look like the hero that you are and say "I've got it all under control, don't WORRY."
Enjoy your trip
maybe i'm more like serge in this way. i like the spontaneity of traveling and being in a new place. the first time i went to paris, i arrived at 5am, no hotel booked, no idea what was where. i just got on the train and headed towards notre-dame, arriving when it was still dark.
had a GREAT trip!
i have perfected the art of "seeming" like I haven't planned too much but "steering" the group to places i think we would like.
I do all the travel arrangements and everyone seems to be relieved about that!
have fun, eat lots of pate and drink lots of wine!
donna
I don't consider any trip to a foreign country complete if I don't get to do laundry in that country. While the clothes are washing or drying, I'll sit in a cafe, drink some wine, and make notes about the pictures in my digicam so I don't forget where they were taken or what was going on.
My partner thinks this is crazy, but I let him spend the time in a museum, since he generally wants to spend twice as much time in them as I do.
I'm somewhere in the middle. I plan out rough itineraries and get a general idea about a place, but guidebooks bore me. I'd never print out, or even look at, a plan of an airport I was going to have to negotiate through. But I normally pack light, sometimes too light.
Oh how I love the planner in you! And there seem to be more planners here in the comments so ha ha, Serge!
I love the maps and the books and the pre-travel stuff. It's as much a part of the trip as the trip, itself! Who wants to get there and have no clue what the options are and waste time trying to learn things like transit and customs and such? Evidently Serge :)
I say bring the calendar out of the closet. I dare you to laminate it, just to see his face.
Just to even things out, I'm with Serge -yo're going to Paris, not the moon, so how hard do you really think it will be to figure out getting to the airport? There are all sorts of options, from the tain to the Air France navette to the taxi (although that might be a little pricey), and if you're at a hlaf-way decent hotel they can give you advice specifi to your location, so no need to worry too much. My prep for trips is usually simple: get the lonely planet guide, pack passport, tickets, and credit card, throw some clothes in a bag; anything I forget can always be purchased on site or done without. travel is supposed to be an adventure! And while I'm being contrary (sorry): I agree tha Parisians tend to be overwhelmingly obnoxious, but my experience in the rest of France has always been totally different.
I am totally on-board (no pun intended) with the carry-on bag option. If you really need more clothes, you can always buy them (and then they will be from Paris, which has its own cool). The simpler you can make the packing, the better.
Don't be such an idiot.
Well, SOMEone had to say it.
We found that packing carry-on bags can be a great way of travelling. I used to pack the kitchen sink and everything else I thought I would need only to find that I too, didn't use half of the things packed. Once there, you can buy a suitcase and fill it with the items you purchase and bring it back or have the shop ship it back ( if they will do that ) so you do not have to lug it around when you are travelling. If you are taking any medications, make sure you keep them in the prescription bottle they come in and put all medications in your carry on bag. I'm getting excited along with you in this prestage of your travel.
The less you pack the less you have to haul about with you. There are launderettes (full service) throughout Europe. Drop the clothing off in the morning and it's ready before you're off to supper.
Your French will help quite a bit, but the Quebec accent is not held in much esteem. However, they won't be able to insult you without your knowing it. Perhaps that's not a good thing :-)
Plan on! The last thing you want is for your vacation to be lessened by not making connections or getting lost with no time to make a correction.
I don't know, do you REALLY believe that you are going to want to do laundry while on your cruise?????!!!! I just don't see it happening. Take the extra bags!
I have to laugh though because you and spouse sound like carbon copies of me and R. I'm the "planner" and he's the "fly by the seat of your pants-er". I guess opposites do attract.
Go with carry-on luggage, but remember the liquids rule...it's a pain in the ass!
Take a cab to CDG, and make sure you know which terminal and which hall, the taxi driver will have no idea.
And who keeps saying nasty things about Parisiens? They're as friendly as any other big-city people, you just need to be polite and try to speak french (no prob's for you two).
If you ordered breakfast from a New York waiter in french, how friendly do you think he'd be?
Have a really, really great trip.
I like you am all for planning and my husband is like yours. We'll deal with it when we get there. However I have found that when we get there and it doesn't run so smoothly the first one to lose it is the husband. Who's the idiot now? I'm just sayin
Like Cooper, I just love maps. So I'd get them for the fun of it. I'd also print out the plan of CDG, but primarily because I love architecture and plans and such. As for the planning, eh? I like adventure. Within reason.
Like Serge, I'm less of a planner and more of let's see what happens when we get there.
But I can see your POV. Crazy as it is, but I see it.
Breathe Torn, breathe.
I am more of a non planner I guess. And mostly cuz I'm lazy but also because I don't want to fret. It's overwhelming to plan too much, but I always appreciate when hubby does it, even if it bugs me while he does it. I know I know, I'm an idiot. ;) So exciting to be going on this trip, I can't wait to live vicariously and see all the gorgeous pics.
This sounds all-too-familiar.
Mark :-)
I went to Thailand with two guys like Serge. Planning anything tied them down too much, and they wanted to be free and spontaneous. So we'd get into a small town at 8:00 at night and start looking for a place to stay. Drove me nuts.
They later went to Egypt and Israel (without me) and spent way too much time most days looking for another place to stay because they hated the place they were forced to take at whatever hour the night before.
IMHO, planning (taking care of boring but necessary details like transit passes) gives you more time to play tourist, so you miss less.
One could use the same argument for not doing laundry, but I'm with you on that one, too.
-Gary
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