Do you like how I did that? Got two days of required blogging done in a matter of mere minutes? Magic!

As I mentioned in my last post, I’m flying to Naples this week. I’ll spare you some of the bitching I’ve done to everyone who lives or works within a 3 mile radius of me, but not all of it.

Flying sucks. I remember when I was younger, I thought how cooooool it would be to travel often! What I didn’t count on was the constant aggravation of being in airports for 5 hours at a time, waiting in lines, filling out forms for lost luggage, having to wake up at 4:30am to get be there at 6 for a 7am flight, the resulting tiredness that follows that schedule (especially when you factor in the actual flight which always wipes me out), canned air, stressing over not making a connecting flight, worrying that you forgot to pack something, finding out upon arrival that you indeed did forget your toothbrush, and all the yicky hotel toiletries since you can’t find a decent travel set for your own stuff. And then there’s sleeping in a bed that’s not yours, with no one to talk to, with little to do when you’re not the go-out-late type. And let’s not forget the crappiest part, missing out on things like school conferences, last soccer games of the season, hugs and kisses goodnight, home cooked meals, a few nighttime snuggling companions in all shapes and species, and a shoulder and ear to rely on for all the bitching you would like to do about traveling, except that there’s no one there to listen.

Of course, there are definite perks: people watching is usually fun, duty-free shopping kills time, sightseeing if there’s time, eating out which there’s always time for, and taking pictures. Unfortunately, that’s a rather poorly balanced list and I always end up dreading traveling.

I’m packed, with my dress blue uniform shoved into my carry-on because I can’t rely on my luggage making it back with me. I think I have everything, except my hat which I know I don’t have because there’s simply no room for it. I’ll just have to stay in the office for the whole day or borrow a hat while I’m there, because I’m sorry, but I don’t have time to wait on the phone for 2 days to find out if my luggage has made it yet. I always have my ultimate list of absolute must-have items that I cannot be without:

iPod
Tickets & orders
Passport & IDs
Money & credit card
Migraine medication
Tweezers
(I have learned to be OK with forgetting my toothbrush as every hotel has a free one in the room)
Camera and lenses, batteries, CF cards
Thumb drive

Clothes are always a bit hard to choose, especially shoes since my hideously ugly uniform shoes are enormous and take up more space than they deserve. But lucky lucky me, I finally splurged and bought the shoes I’ve been lusting after for the last 6 months and was sensible enough to buy them in black - and they’re perfect, because they can go casual or semi-dressy and are surprisingly great for doing tons of walking, so they’re really the only shoes I need. The forecast for Rome for the rest of the week is a high of 60°, so I packed 2 light sweaters and will bring a jacket that is a few days past its prime but more comfortable and sensible for photography than my leather jacket.

Looking forward to: Dinner in Naples and potential trip to see the … drumroll please … Sistine Chapel! I have my camera ready to go and all batteries charged and I will be bringing my camera to all my meals…