Getting there is half the problem

Well, you perhaps know that I was to be on a flight at the moment... due to a holiday block on pass riders, I am not. Here's where the plane is... 59 minutes from landing...

I, however, am watching TV here in Texas and doing some last minute packing and organizing. I'm like that you know.

This was actually a blessing in disguise. I was very much not ready, not packed, no groceries for the house sitter, needed another card for the camera, kinda needed an iPhone case with the built in battery as I'm planning on using several of Rick Steves' audio tours. All of that got done today, along with some last minute work tasks and some new apps suggested by Debi, co-worker and fellow travel / photography buff.

Examples of travel happiness:

Here's my purse, loving loaned to me by friend Moira, who took this very purse to Rome last year.  Also pictured is a really cool pad I got a garage sale recently for 50 cents. Very thorough. I feel comfortable that nothing will be forgotten. Roma has a Wal-mart, though, right?

(If any of you blogging experts can tell me why I have this big space here, I'd be most appreciative).

And here's my groovy new 3-1-1 bag. Now it looks like a regular Ziploc but you'd be mistaken if you thought that. It's heavy plastic, super heavy zip, flatter bottom and came with bottles that are tapered so it holds twice as much as a regular Ziploc. I highly recommend this item, which was $9.99 at Dillard's but half off at Penney's.

Not pictured is my new suitcase. Another blessing as it was just delivered this morning by UPS. See, if I had gone tomorrow, I would have had to use another suitcase.  (Ma - although your's is remarkably similar and wonderful).

As it is approaching midnight, its probably time to curl up with my new Rough Guide Italian. I'm more paranoid about the language that I've ever come close to being on previous trips. My friends who went last year on their pilgrimage says I should not worry. More of a worry will probably be my extremely tight budget which might prove interesting for you voyeurs to watch. Guy at work says I should write everything down and blog about it so that maybe I could right the trip off on my tax return. I'm thinking I won't spend enough to being itemizing however.

Thanks for reading and I hope you'll follow me on my journey this week. This blogging thing seems pretty easy here at the casa. Not sure how easy it will be at the hostel but I'll try my best to update as often as possible. I just re-read part of my journaling that I did in Ireland and England a few years ago on a trip with the kids and it was mildly entertaining, if I do say so myself.