Mom and I go on a Norweigan Adventure!

Beginning a week from next Tuesday, on March 9th, 2010,  My mom, Mary, and I will be leaving on a Jet Plane to travel to Europe for our first time ever!  We are beginning with an 11 hour flight on Virgin Atlantic LA to London.  Before moving on to I am sure is THE Coldest Place on the Planet.  I am just sure of it which my husband can attest to by all the winter sales I have been hitting online.  

We are going above the Arctic Circle,  a place I would never have thought I would be,  and when I checked the weather last it was a brisk -14* F, with wind chills making it -30* F.  Now the people in Norway are telling me not to worry that March is *nice*, like spring, they tell me...  What I want to know is WHO'S  spring.  Certainly not mine......  I live in the Mojave Desert in California...  My winters are probably warmer than there summers....   :-)  But I digress.

I have posted the general itinerary below so you can get the gist of where we will be and what we are doing and I have done everything possible to hopefully be able to blog right from my blackberry to the blog from wherever I am.  Now, having said that........  I said hopefully.

I did order a RedFly for my Blackberry last week which I had great hopes for...   Unfortunately I couldn't find the current model available anywhere sooooo I ordered someone's used one on EBay hoping to save me a few bucks.  When I got it the screen has been cracked.  I really think it must have happened in shipping and will try and get my $$$ back but now I am stuck with trying to get another keyboard in time for my trip.  

I think I am going to go with the Freedom Pro for now and then sell it when I can get my hands on a new RedFly CN8.

I really want to be able to do my e-mail communications and writing from my BB with no internet connection time being used on the ship, etc.  It would make life so much easier, less cumbersome and less expensive for me...

OK,   so we are working on that...  One week to go.

Now the packing and luggage is another story.

Since we have 5 different flights, 6 different hotel stays and 2 train trips, we needed to travel light....... BUT stay warm, which entails, heavier, bulkier items.  We decided one checked bag which can only weigh 44#'s for international flights on SAS, and one carry on.  I am also bringing a photo, laptop combo backpack for my technical equipement.

So I went on a mission.  

I have been meaning to rethink my luggage for awhile.  Having been on 8 different ships in the last 5 months and all the hotels, trains and airplanes that go with it, I decided I needed to do something about my luggage.  The constraints that the airlines have put on us was taking it's toll and especially with my traveling solo a bit of the time it makes life harder in airports, etc if you have to much with you...  Taking all my stuff with me to the bathroom just had to stop!

My final choices had to meet these criteria: 


I wanted ONE bag for check on that was:

• as light as possible
• as roomy as possible
• no hard sided luggage (no possibility of cramming more in)
• good wheels (preferably spinners but not mandatory) 
• had outside pockets
• durable
• had high ratings with reviewers
• under $175
• was not ugly 

I wanted ONE carry-on that was:

•  #1  HAD TO BE SPINNERS  to go down the aisle sideways.  I am tired of carrying my bag through the airplane aisles.  Dr say's NO also.
• as large in dimensions as allowable
• easy to pack, not alot of inside pockets (I have my camera backpack for laptop, fragile items)
• no hard sided...  see above.  easier to fit in overhead bins
• high ratings
• outside pockets for travel docs
• was under $125
• again not ugly

This is what I ended up with:  and I am THRILLED !!!!!!!!

It is the Sub-0-G  weighing in at 6.4# !!!  It is light as a feather and really big inside.  I will tell you how it works when I get back.  I bought it here E-Bags $89.00 and free shipping.

I also bought THIS for my carry on...

Here is the link for it....It is an International Traveller Brand

 This is the Camera Laptop Bag that I got Joe for Christmas for his Camera.

It is a Case Logic Brand.  We have been using it and we love it!  Sits flat on the ground, you can just open it enough to grab the camera out of the top for quick access.  Very, Very nice..  It fits a Laptop in the back of it...plus all the cords, etc. 

  Ok....  so, now you know what I have been spending time on.  In my spare time.  I get a bit obsessive just so I can report back to you.  I will also share with you later some of the other travel gadgets in my arsenal to make life easier on the road!