Starting a trip is always so exciting, but starting with a trip to the emergency is even more so.

We have been planning our big vacation for  months. But, the day to finally get on the ferry to Seattle did not seem like we started this ‘big trip’. I think it had to do with the fact we have been to Seattle three previous times. We even ended up going to the same restaurant we have been to each visit, ‘Purple‘.

Dirk and I were questioning when this feeling of vacation going to start. I would say the next day during lunch.

Dirk was experiencing pain in his male region, enough that he turned to me and asked where I thought the closest emergency was. Now, I am freaked out. Dirk is the last person to ever go see a doctor. We end up calling the closest clinic. They sent us to something called ‘Urgent Care’. While Dirk was checking in, I am on the phone with our travellers insurance company. Just as I am being told this facility is not covered by our insurance, Dirk comes over to say they want us to go to another hospital, which coincidentally is the same one the insurance company is asking us to go too.

Once there, he is immediately looked at by amazing staff. I also quickly note that this place has no hospital smell, so I like it already.

The entire time we are at the hospital, it is slowly getting closer to our train departure time to Portland. We, well Dirk, devises a plan for me to run and get our bags from the hotel so we can go immediately to the train station. Getting to the hotel was easy and quick, but walking back, was uphill the entire way. Steep uphill walking carrying both our packs, my legs were jelly by the time I got back.

Once I get back, all the tests have returned and he is good to go. Everything is fine, total clean bill of health. Just some  random mystery scrotum pain that will be eased with Advil. We end up back at the hotel to get a cab. Never needed to kill myself carrying those damn bags.

Dirk had wanted to kill time in Seattle before our train left, so goal accomplished. We arrive at the train station at the exact right time, we are off to a city we have never seen.

Now I feel we have started our adventure.

Travel Tip:

Ensure you have travellers insurance. Never say to yourself: ‘I never get sick’ or ‘I never go to the doctor’. This is not a chance you want to take, especially outside of Canada. Insurance is not expensive and will give you piece of mind.  Most benefit plans have travel insurance, but ensure you call first before you leave. You need to make sure what they actually cover, how long you can be out of the country, and how to report a medical incident. Make sure you read the fine print.

One of the many tasks needed when travelling for 8 months is packing. It isn’t just throwing your life in a bag and hoping you brought enough underwear. It takes planning and a few tears.

We decided to rent our place as a vacation rental. There were many reasons for this, the obvious was to have income while we travel. Another reason was to simplify the packing process by not having to pay for storage of our entire home. What really sold us on the vacation rental was having someone fully invested in taking care of our home while we were away. Hiring a rental company meant that they would ensure if a pipe burst in the middle of the night, they are there to handle the repair. This peace of mind is a no brainer when you are on the other side of the globe.

But holy shit, getting a house ready for executive rental is a whole other ball game, let me tell you. There are rules (they say requirements – I say rules). Number of towels – colour of towels. Number of sheet sets per bed. Number of plates, forks, knives & spoons. The list was endless. We even needed a coffee maker! I have never been to the store that many times in such a short period.

The purging was tiring, but releasing. You know how much crap the average person hordes? Well, neither do I, but I am sure it is a lot. We had stuff we had been carrying around for over 9 years. I guess I was hoping for the day that I might get serious about the candle making kit and turn it into a full time career. Clothing was visited and revisited. Items were donated, while other items were sold.

On the flight from Phoenix in January, I saw an ad about ‘packing cubes‘ and how it helped with ‘suitcase creep‘. I was immediately sold – organization for travel – I’m giddy. Plus, I also go bonkers when my suitcase gets messy and it ends up across two thirds of the room. I needed these. So the next week was spend searching, comparing, and finally purchasing. Dirk was sceptical.

During our day of packing, I neatly folded and rolled all the chosen garments into my cubes. Pants and shorts in one. Tops and tanks in another. Wow, I have 8 of the cutest and organized cubes staring right at me and they all fit into my bag perfectly……

…….but Shit, I can’t lift my bag.

It weighs too much. My first thought was, maybe Dirk will carry my bag and I carry his little bag. It was quickly followed up with, better not chance that, so I go find a smaller bag. Purge the my clothes, and hand Dirk two empty cubes. So now I have 6 of the cutest cubes staring at me, neatly organized in my smaller bag that I can carry.

Travel Tip:

Packing is always the tricky part of any travel plans. How many shoes, pants, shorts, shirts, and underwear to bring overwhelms travellers that are moving around frequently. Remember, people around the world dress like us. So travel with jean, shorts, and lightweight shirts. There is always somewhere to do laundry, but no one knows you so you can wear the same thing over and over. Just pack what you would wear at home, then cut it down by half.

This is the first time Dirk and I have planned a long trip. We have discovered easier ways of doing things on our own, but we have also been given great tips along the way. This page is dedicated to helping out new and even seasoned travellers by sharing all these tips.

Please feel free to add to any of the tips I will be posting along the way.