60 days and counting...visas, lists, and packing oh my!

September 23 will come fast. We have so much to do to get ready, visas, visiting the travel clinic, packing, planning, school prep, work prep, organizing, repacking.  My list seems never ending. One by one, day by day, items get checked off the list and we our closer and closer to our Asian adventure.

China requires us to send away for our visas.  The process seems pretty straight forward until you add an underage child traveling without one parent into the mix. Then they want you to jump through hoops and back. Visa's applied for...check.

Next is a visit to the travel clinic.   The bad news is that many of the areas we are traveling to, both urban and rural, are home to mosquitoes carrying some virulent diseases which we would like to not catch. The good news is since we have already had some travel shots for prior trips, all we needed to get was a couple prescriptions "in case" and a week long oral dose for Typhoid.  Yay! No shots!  Bug spray with DEET however, will be a must to pack.  DEET spray...added to the list.

Trying to fit everything needed for two and a half months into luggage to be toted across the country will not be easy, to do it without having to pay for EXTRA luggage fees, will be nearly impossible. I will try my best to not have a suitcase exclusively for shoes, though the likelihood is not looking good. Maybe I will make it the smaller suitcase.  Organizing what may be brought and packed has already started. Piles of clothes, shoes, toiletries, and misc. needed items have begun to take their place around the house. The piles will be organized and reorganized many times before the final cut is made. My limit; two suitcases, a garment bag and a carry-on.  The same for Ty. I hope I am up for the challenge!

72 day Itinerary

First things first...Here is our itinerary:

Date                      Port/City

Sep 23                  Los Angeles, California, US

Sep 24                  At Sea

Sep 25                  At Sea

Sep 26                  At Sea

Sep 27                  At Sea 

Sep 28                  Hilo, Hawaii, US

Sep 29                  Honolulu, Hawaii, US

Sep 30                  At Sea

Oct 01                   At Sea

Oct 02                   At Sea

Oct 03                   Cross International Dateline (no Oct. 4th for us!)

Oct 05                   Majuro, Marshall Islands 11:00 AM

Oct 06                   At Sea

Oct 07                   At Sea

Oct 08                   Chuuk, Micronesia

Oct 09                   At Sea

Oct 10                   Guam (US Territory), Guam

Oct 11                   Saipan, Marianas Islands

Oct 12                   At Sea

Oct 13                   At Sea

Oct 14                   Kobe, Japan

Oct 15                   Kobe, Japan

Oct 16                   At Sea

Oct 17                   Naha, Japan

Oct 18                   At Sea

Oct 19                   Shanghai, China

Oct 20                   Shanghai, China

Oct 21                   At Sea (we will be overland in mainland China)

Oct 22                   At Sea (we will be overland in mainland China)

Oct 23                   Hong Kong, China

Oct 24                   Hong Kong, China

Oct 25                   At Sea

Oct 26                   Nha Trang, Vietnam

Oct 27                    At Sea

Oct 28                   Singapore

Oct 29                   Singapore

Oct 30                   At Sea

Oct 31                   Muara, Brunei Darussalam

Nov 01                  Kotakinabalu, Malaysia

Nov 02                  At Sea

Nov 03                  Manila, Philippines 8:00 AM

Nov 04                  At Sea

Nov 05                  Cebu, Philippines

Nov 06                  At Sea

Nov 07                  At Sea

Nov 08                  Yap Island, Micronesia

Nov 09                  At Sea

Nov 10                  Crossing the Equator

Nov 11                  Rabaul, Papua New Guinea

Nov 12                  At Sea

Nov 13                  Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

Nov 14                  At Sea

Nov 15                  Luganville, Vanuatu

Nov 16                  At Sea

Nov 17                  Lautoka, Fiji

Nov 18                  At Sea

Nov 18                  Cross International Dateline (why yes, we do have 2 nov. 18th's)

Nov 19                  Pago Pago, American Samoa

Nov 20                  At Sea

Nov 21                  At Sea

Nov 22                  Bora Bora,

Nov 23                  Papeete, French Polynesia

Nov 24                  Papeete, French Polynesia

Nov 24                  Moorea, French Polynesia 8:00 AM Ship Arrives

Nov 25                  Rangiroa, French Polynesia

Nov 26                  At Sea

Nov 27                  Nuku Hiva, French Polynesia

Nov 28                  At Sea

Nov 29                  Crossing the Equator

Nov 30                  At Sea

Dec 01                   At Sea

Dec 02                   At Sea

Dec 03                   At Sea

Dec 04                   Los Angeles, California, US