Jackets and Shoes for Alaska

[vfb2girls]

I know exactly how you feel when it comes to having petsitters, the last thing I want to have to worry about on vacation if my pets are being taken care of. I guess I have it made because my youngest daughter lives in the house right next door and does a wonderful job of taking care of my many dogs and cat and I in turn make sure that her dog, cat and ferret gets loving care when she is at work. My sister has the same problem finding someone to take care of her cats so they usually have a college age person from their church come in and watch the cats.

[emarismom]

I was in a panic over who would watch my yorkie when we go (remember the eagle bait HaHa). Finally made a deal with a coworker, I'll watch her Chiuhauha for five days in May, and she'll watch mine for ten days in June. I really owe her one for this, but I probably won't feel that way after her dog comes, Chiuhauhas are notorious yappers!!

[hopelea]

Okay, I got all my casual day clothing out. I don't think I like what I have!! I have two running suits, you know the kind that swish when you walk :eek: . Well, I am wondering how those will look in pictures!!!! I am thinking I may pack more jeans then the comfortable clothing. I am trying to think about pictures. :o

[emarismom]

Hopela,

I always try to pack with pictures in mind!! I even try to coordinate what each member of the family will wear so that all of our clothes "match". It doesn't tend to work very well as each of the kids and my husband always think they can wear "whatever they want". Oh the nerve.

Anyway, I have a question regarding layers. I always like the layers to coordinate or match well. I have a really hard time with the concept of

wearing things that don't go together. The tee (or long sleeve tee), has to go with the fleece or sweatshirt, which has to go with the jacket and whatever bottoms are being worn. (sometimes it even bothers me if the long johns don't match:confused: ).

 

How in the world can I pack for four, with everything coordinating, and travel cross country? In my mind I have played with dozens of outfits, and the amount of clothes I'll be taking is ridiculous, even though I'm planning to do laundry.

I do realize that I am making this a bigger issue than it should be, but as Hopela said "think about the pictures"

[lindalo5032]

When taking family pics, I have learned that if you stick with basic colors such as red, black, and white, you can mix and match, and it all looks good in pics. If you just pack these colors for your family, then they can choose whatever they want to wear and it will all look OK together.

[Scrumpy]

My advice is simple - take photos of people from the waist up. You'll have some incredible backdrops and the full-length shots we took on our last trip weren't detailled enough to be good pictures of the people in them. We'd have been better off having more of the top half or just head shots if we wanted decent pics of the people. For the bigger outdoor landscapes, they are often better without people. JMHO.

[emarismom]

Red, black, and white won't work because 80% of my 7 year old daughters clothes are pink or purple (her favorite colors). Maybe if I just make sure our jackets match, then take mostly close ups, everything will match.:rolleyes:

 

I think the real problem that I have is that June is taking way too long to get here, I have too much time to obsess:eek:

[hopelea]

AMEN!! TOO MUCH TIME TO OBSESS!!!!

[Scrumpy]

AMEN!! TOO MUCH TIME TO OBSESS!!!!

 

DITTO!!! I cannot imagine booking more than a few months in advance. I would be SLEEPLESS and OBSESSIVE far too long!:o

[Scrumpy]

P.S. Thanks for having a ticker! I didn't realize how "close" we finally were to actually getting out of here.

[emarismom]

I booked this cruise on September 30th. I have passed the stage of obsessive. I really can't wait any longer. I want my cruise to come more than I want the school year to end, and I am a teacher!!

[emarismom]

Scrumpy, speaking of sleepless, I have woken up at 2 or 3 am for the past two nights with my mind racing!!

Sorry about that green color, I didn't realize it would be so hard to see.

[Djaye]

Good morning from Florida!

Scrumpy - thanks for the tips on the healthy shoulder bag - I was considering one of those. Guess I'll stick with my backpack. Also, thanks for petsitter website - will check out along with local ads. I'm sure I can get a professional sitting service that will be fine. My others are just ladies I know that love animals and do this on the side and my dogs are used to them. Cannot believe you got snow so recently in CO, when I have to get out for walks before the sun gets high to avoid the heat!

Hopelea - I'm pulling out a running suit I kept from our stint in Atlanta. Figured it would be good for drizzly days on deck when outside for viewing.

Any of you AL ladies from the northern part of the state? DH grew up in Florence and my family is from Hartselle.

If you have not read "Rituals" under "Fun Stuff" - there is a great thread on what people pack. I've got the clothes down - but some of the stuff for cabin was interesting.

For you folks cruising earlier - I've got to wait until AUGUST. Right now it doesn't feel as if it will ever get here!

[6Arabianhorses]

Thought I'd pass this along. Our Sam's Club has all their camping type stuff out and I just bought DH a rather nice rain suit for $27.98. Of course, his comment was, "I thought you already bought me stuff from LL Bean"! I said, "Yes, honey, I did, but that was your rain JACKET". LOL!! He still doesn't realize this whole challenge of packing for Alaska.........:p

[emarismom]

My husband thinks I'm crazy, so I think I will just let him pack for himself!!!

I'd love to see how he does;)

[vfb2girls]

So I received the purple goretex coat that my husband bought for me on e-bay and it really isn't that bad, the color is more toward the bluer shade of purple but the problem is that it does not have a hood, so I am kind of bummed about that. I really need a jacket with a hood. So I figured I would wear it fishing this year and keep looking for another jacket. As far as rain gear I am going to invest in a pair of goretex pants, they don't come cheap but I hate the thought of being damp and cold. Our Sam's just opened up this week so I will check out the camping stuff, thanks for the tip.

[cruisin'mama]

You all have me cracking up. I don't feel alone as an obsessed travel geek anymore! I have read this entire thread and am getting NOTHING done around the house. Oh well! My problem is my husband decided right before it was time to make our final payment that he wasn't going. Now he'll be home alone for an entire week destoying my clean house!!! ( that I'll spend days cleaning before I go because I too am not a neat freak ) And, I have to not only pack for myself, but totally for my 15 year old with Down Syndrome and then try to convince my 18 and 19 year old sons that they may rather be warm than looking "cool". You know there might be GIRLS on the same cruise ( Mercury June 23 ). I visited my brother who was at Elmendorf AFB outside Anchorage in June 1992 and ended up having to buy shorts for my boys because I packed for the Northpole and it was warm! That's what they'll probably remember and refuse to pack anything warm and dorky. ( which they don't own anyway with us living in so. Calif. where summers are 100 and dry ).

I already have a duffle full of items recommneded NOT to forget like the power strip, night light, umbrellas, cloth pins to weight down the shower curtain, etc. That duffle bag alone is already heavy enough to not pass the weight limit on an airplane. Forget trying to take my required bottle of Asti Spumante for Sail-Away. My luck it would explode on the airplane anyway!

Keep up with this wonderful thread. It's great!!!!!

 

Cathy

[Scrumpy]

Scrumpy, speaking of sleepless, I have woken up at 2 or 3 am for the past two nights with my mind racing!!

 

Sorry about that green color, I didn't realize it would be so hard to see.

Oh, I don't even bother trying to go to bed at a decent hour. I tell myself I'm just going to read "a few more threads"...three hours later, I am wondering if I will have to deal with x, y, or z - or if I should re-think bringing this, that or the other. :rolleyes:

 

The color is okay :-)

[Scrumpy]

Good morning from Florida!

 

Scrumpy - thanks for the tips on the healthy shoulder bag - I was considering one of those. Guess I'll stick with my backpack. Also, thanks for petsitter website - will check out along with local ads. I'm sure I can get a professional sitting service that will be fine. My others are just ladies I know that love animals and do this on the side and my dogs are used to them. Cannot believe you got snow so recently in CO, when I have to get out for walks before the sun gets high to avoid the heat! ... If you have not read "Rituals" under "Fun Stuff" - there is a great thread on what people pack. I've got the clothes down - but some of the stuff for cabin was interesting.

 

For you folks cruising earlier - I've got to wait until AUGUST. Right now it doesn't feel as if it will ever get here!

 

By August, I'd be in the nuthouse :eek: You're welcome; I was not impressed with the shoulder bag at all. I may take it anyway; depends how much stuff I have. My old backpack is coming unstitched and I use them so rarely that I don't want to replace it. We got a 5-piece luggage set last year. If I can find the two smaller pieces, I might use one of those.

 

Good luck with the petsitter! We only know a few people here - a very few, so it is hard for us and I am alway so nervous. Folks who don't have to deal with petsitters don't realize that it's harder to find them than it is to find a babysitter. I have a friend who flies her mom up here to watch her dog. Wish my mom would retire, so that would be an option for us!!!

 

We had snow all day Friday, then again on Saturday morning. Luckily, none of it stuck and the roads were okay. I always worry about late-season storms. Seems like we have one every year, but maybe the one we had a few weeks ago will be the last of the year.

 

One of the missing pieces from the luggage set is a small hanging toiletry bag. Folks highly recommend those and also the hanging shoe bags. I've never used either one. Could never decide if it was worth it, but we have a smaller cabin this time, so I think I will take it and see what all the fuss is about :D I will skip the lights for the balcony, tho :p

[Scrumpy]

My husband thinks I'm crazy, so I think I will just let him pack for himself!!!

I'd love to see how he does;)

 

Mine does his own packing. I cannot imagine him letting me pack for him, but I do make "suggestions". Oh, along the lines of, "You're not taking THAT, are you"? LOL!

 

I have a good idea of what we need. The problem is that I know we will get tees and sweatshirts along the way, so I don't want to over-pack initially. He is not as much into the souvenir stuff as I am, tho. At the moment, I'm thinking I'll end up with a couple pair of zip-offs, fleece-lined jeans, thin stretch jeans, and several fleece shirts and pullovers - then there's the clothes for nights. Got a dress, pants, and some formalwear. I'm hoping it will not be too much... I haven't worked out the shoes yet - trying to make it w/ one pair of evening shoes, but may have to pack a second pair :( . I don't want to take 5 pairs of shoes, but I'm heading in that direction...

[emarismom]

It's quite the mission to get my husband to pack!! I have to stand beside him to make sure he has enough of everything. I don't actually pick his clothes, because of course I pick clothes with pictures in mind, he picks clothes for comfort. He has not even asked once, what the weather will be like, what to wear, nothing:confused: . I bet he'd pack for the Carribbean, and then as an afterthought, throw in a jacket.

 

As for the petsitter issue, I have had a real hard time with it. I travel alot, so it's hard to keep asking the same person to keep the dog. My dog is soooo spoiled, that I feel really bad leaving her.

Scrumpy-I just had a thought, imagine we could get paid for the hours we spend on these boards!!! That would be "the bomb" as my kids would say.

Work from home, have my coffee in front of the compuer each morning, noone to get annoyed that I'm on the computer all day!!!!

[Boulder]

Computer has been down for almost a week only got it back on tonight. Have really missed reading the boards (but got loads more work done!) and glad to see you're all still around.

 

Made a start today - bought the suitcases!! also took DH shopping for clothes (not one of my better ideas) but at least he has some things to wear.

 

Ordered the shoes from Lands End that someone recommended and they are fine. Still trying to cordinate colours - black, white and red seemed to be a good idea till I decided to throw in some pale blue, lilac now I'm undecided again. Have got the shoes down to eight pairs upto now.

 

Four weeks tonight we shall be in Banff for the first leg of our holiday.

 

Met a family today who are off to Thailand, offered to swop holidays with them, well packing for that would be so much easier!!

 

Glad to hear there are other insomniacs out there.

[ncamy]

OK I confess I haven't read the entire thread. I was up to date about a week ago, then things got hectic at work (school, I teach.)

 

Our cruise is in July. I started buying the layers of clothing about two months ago. So far I'm pleased with what I've got but still have more to buy. I'm NOT a light packer. Originally I wanted to hold off buying new stuff because I hoped I would lose weight. Well that didn't happen so we have to face reality and live with it.

 

I, too, always pack with pictures in mind. Yes, even to the point of being obsessed. I type out a chart of what each member of the family is going to wear so that we coordinate but NEVER MATCH. My husband won't go for that.

 

Shoes and alcohol are my downfall. I will be sure to pack plenty of both and doubt that I can cut any corners there. I'm not worried about the plane or the ship, but I am worried about how many pieces of luggage we can fit into the rental car. The largest car we could rent from Vancouver back to Seattle was a full size and we'll have three adults and one 12 year old.

 

I saw that you guys mentioned pet sitting. We are getting a new puppy the middle of June so I was particularly concerned about what to do with a new born but I was fortunate to find a teacher I work with who was willing to house and pet sit in exchange for the use of our boat while we are gone. She says it will be like a vacation to her!

 

Anyway, thanks for letting me jump in.

[Scrumpy]

emarismom - We travel pretty well and only over-pack a little ;) DH travels a lot for work, so he is a quick, efficient packer. I remind him about anything exceptional and request he doesn't take certain things if I don't like them. Luckily, after all these years, most of his pre-marriage yucky stuff is gone!!! I don't travel much any more and one reason is the animals. The dogs, also horribly spoiled, were hard enough, but now I have the horses at home. A person has to be able to cope with them, too. I dread any emergency trip; the dogs would have to go to a kennel (which we all hate), but I imagine I'd really be stuck in regards to the horses. Someone could stop by once a day, but the 4 times a day feeding and regimented pasture turn out would not happen! One of them always seems to get sick or injured while we're away, so I'm pretty nervous. Oh well, at least the cats are self-sufficient and the lizard is low-maintenance. We used to have a bird, too and although I miss her a lot, she was one more "baby" to worry about when we were gone. One gal didn't use the twist-tie to keep her cage door closed and a day after we got home, she suddenly opened the door and started flying around the house. Thank God the dogs were outside or she'd have been a goner!

 

Boulder - glad you got the computer back! I'm a night owl, but sometimes still get insomnia! Good job on the suitcases and shopping. Hope you got some great stuff! What color are your shoes? I was tempted by some of the colorful ones, but ended up with plain old white...

 

ncamy - Welcome and congratulations on your upcoming puppy! They are too cute:)

I am sure that you are more than ready for school to end. I have a couple of friends who teach special education. They look forward to summer, but there are always last-minute things they have to do. Seems to be more for the administration than the children. We are hoping to pick up some wine and/or champagne before we board. I carried a 6-pack of Mountain Dew all the way to FLL from Colorado last year. Triple-bagged and in my carry-on, but I was scared to death that it would leak. Don't think I'll do that again:eek:

 

I am SO ready to go!!! Showed DH the clothes I already have set aside in the guest closet. He thinks I'm loony, but he married me for entertainment value anyway:rolleyes:

[pungo3]

Gee, I've read all 17 pages of this thread and now I'm more confused than ever. I think I've learned the following.

 

1. Jeans will be o.k. for excursions. I noticed some of you are purchasing Gortex pants. I'd like to know what the two lovely ladies from Alaska think about this.

2. I believe everyone agrees tennis shoes are fine. Just take two pair in case one pair gets wet and needs to dry.

3. Dress in layers. I was planning on t-shirts under sweatshirts and a gortex jacket over that. Does this sound appropriate?

4. If I forget something, look for Walmart. If there isn't one, be sure to purchase from a locally owned store.

 

Have I covered everything? I must confess, this is my most difficult cruise yet for deciding what to pack. I'm glad to know I'm not alone. Being a true Floridian (born here and lived here all my life), I'm not very good at planning for cold weather destinations.

 

Any more suggestions for me? All hints will be greatly appreciated. Oh, in case you don't see it in my signature, I'm on the June 4th sailing of Sun Princess.