Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A little CONTEST! With Prizes! Travel-related amnesia.

Today is my last day at home until Sunday night. At least this time I'll be staying at a proper hotel, with a real bed, an en suite bathroom, and air conditioning. The air conditioning is a huge plus, since the hotel is in Savannah, Georgia. In July. I can feel the melting coming on already.

I originally thought to bring my typical wardrobe of Goth-Meets-Southern-Belle-Commando, but after seeing the extent of our walking tours (basically 9 am to 9 pm every day, all around town), I've reduced myself to Tourist Clothing, including the loud, inappropriate socks. It's just too hot to be parading around town in petticoats, even knee-length varieties. I did get a new pair of sneakers, so at least my feet will be happy. Happier than they would have been in my Disney World-tested Fluevog heels. I swear, I wore these for a week, and never felt pain. At DISNEY WORLD, PEOPLE! But I'm not sure how well-paved Savannah is, and the Vogs just don't perform in off-road environments. So, new Chucks, it is.

Fluevogs of Happiness, pretty much the most comfortable shoes ever. I have them in pink, too.
Old Chucks, done in by working at baseball games, and New Chucks, so bright and shiny they practically glow.
Screw it. I'm bringing the Vogs, too.

The other nice thing about this trip compared to our usual Girl Scout trips, we're taking chartered buses, which sounds horrible at first, but then I realized I wouldn't have to drive, or haul all our luggage in my truck like I do when we camp. I can bring a proper suitcase, and I don't have to pack a tent or a sleeping bag, or any other camp stuff! I have SPACE IN MY LUGGAGE FOR ALL THE THINGS!

Ooh, another nice thing. Savannah is a city. Cities have cell phone service! Our hotel has free WiFi! I won't be cut off from the beautiful internets! In fact, after 12 hours hiking around town in the sweltering heat with 85 other people, I'll be grateful to escape into the internets for a little while.

I'm taking my computer with me. Even after bringing it to camp and then never even opening it up (not even once!), I've deluded myself into thinking I might actually get some editing done while I'm there. I'm a night owl, and I don't sleep much. I have to have something to do between 11 pm (lights out, noises off), and 2 am when I normally start to get sleepy. We'll see how that goes. Probably better than camp did. At least with WiFi, I'll have the internet to keep me company if I can't get to the editing...

The only problem I'm having is that Friday is Lulu's real birthday. We celebrated her fake birthday today, so we wouldn't deprive the Helper Monkey of cake. Friday I need to find a bakery in Savannah where I can get a cake to feed about 30 people. It's only fair she gets to have cake on her actual birthday, too! If anyone knows a good bakery in Savannah, let me know. Otherwise, I'll probably ask for directions to the nearest grocery store and buy cupcakes. :)

Now I have to get packing. There's only 13 1/2 hours left before I have to wake up. I hate that. Remember, I'm a night owl. I am definitely not a morning person. I don't think I'll like 4:30 am as an alarm clock setting.

There we go. I think that's everything for this post. My head contains a whirling tornado of to-do lists and anxiety. I'm finally coming to terms with my basic problem with travel: I always forget one thing. It might be small and easy to replace (toothbrush), or strange (I once forgot to pack a single pair of underwear for the Helper Monkey. I blame him for not setting them out with his clothes). Nevertheless, I usually forget something. It used to cause panic, but I've started seeing the fun in discovering what vital thing I left at home.

Let's play a game! Everyone take a guess. What will be the one thing I absolutely need on this trip that I will leave at home? Put your answer down in the comment section (U.S. and Canada only), and I'll buy the lucky winner a souvenir from Savannah.

For Bonus Points, why don't you also vote on what the souvenir should be? Hint, it should be something small, easily shipped, and rather generic. Suggesting I buy a shot glass or a snow globe is on the right track. Suggesting I buy a life-sized stuffed tiger wearing a pink t-shirt from Fort Jackson is a little over the top, no?

Just to be fair, I won't read these comments until AFTER I leave for Savannah, and therefore won't be able to dash around stuffing numerous forgotten items into my suitcase, obviating the need for this contest in the first place! :) I'll hold the drawing Sunday night when I get home, so you have until then to enter.

GOOD LUCK TO US ALL!

4 comments:

  1. A sweatshirt. People always forget that nights anywhere can get cool.

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  2. Hmm... You're going to *almost* forget your phone charger. But you will forget either makeup, or bug spray.

    If I won, I'd want as a souvenir, a photo of you posed next to the tackiest thing you can find. It has to be in a public place. We're talking something tacky where everyone can see it. You must make the 'wink and the gun' pose.

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  3. A hat and sunglasses! It's sweltering sunny down here and I never remember my hat or sunglasses. I finally put a wide brimmed one in the car to be safe. From your profile, I presume you may be at the Juliette Low House at some point - a 100th anniversary cheapie from there if so.

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  4. Well, the thing I forgot was a dress. I completely forgot we were going out to a "nice" dinner, and that I might want to wear something a little fancier than shorts and a t-shirt. So I had to wear my bus pants and a t-shirt. (Yes, my bus pants. I am secretly Sheldon Cooper. Without the crippling lack of interpersonal skills. I hope.)

    Since only three of you entered the contest, I went to random.org and had it pick a number between 1 and 3. I know, it was probably the hardest calculation it had to make all day. It picked 2. Congrats, Feaky! I'll be sending you a fabulous prize package consisting of a smashed penny from the Juliette Low birthplace, and a bookmark (since this is a blog about writing and reading) from the Tybee Island Light Station. :)

    Thanks for playing!

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