I would say that I travel frequently and have flown probably hundreds of times (despite my fear of flying). 

So let me break down for you how ridiculous (and unnecessarily so) this trip to Turks and Caicos was (so ridic that I'm typing from my phone so I won't forget my impassioned injustice)

First of all, American Airlines and US airways have "supposedly" merged. That's important for this story. I have a US Airways CC so I can get free first checked bag + priority boarding. I booked my and my sisters flights on orbitz, but it wasn't like a "change airlines" thing, it was just: my first flight is American Airlines (really American eagle, AA's regional provider), second flight is US Airways. Everything from picking seats to checking in online was a mess. I would go to AA and it would only let me check in/pick seats for my first flight. So then I go to US airways to pick my seat:check in and it says it's an aa flight so I have to go to aa and it will redirect me. Mmmmmk.

Bottom line: I was never able to check in for my second flight. Whatever, I'll do it at the airport bc I'm checking my bag anyway (btw, the online checkin never asked me if I was checking a bag, but I looked and it said that international flights were free first checked bag.)

I get to tallahassee airport brigt and EARLY and there are like two checkin counters there - delta and us airways. I'm like, okay, us airways should be good, especially bc te sign when you walk in had BOTH company logos on it. I tell the guy (after waiting in line) that my second boarding pass (which is actually on us airways) wouldn't print. He tells me I have to go to the AA desk. What? There's an AA desk?? Yep. Sure enough, behind where you have to drop your bags off. This line is massive. I wait in that. Explain the situAtion. Get charged $25 to check my bag. Excuse me? This is international plus I have this credit card. No, technically it's not international because were going tally to Miami 😳. Okay, whatever, I'll write a letter later. then he tells me he can't print my boarding pass and I have to go to the us airways desk in Miami. What the actual fuck.

So, I get to Miami, go to the desk, the guy tells me he'll help me an hour before the flight departs. REALLY? You can't just print my boarding pass?? So then my sister and I go to the bar and when I go back right before boarding and ask him to print my boarding pass, he gives me a kind of knowing smirk and says "soo, what happened to your boarding pass?"

Oh no he didn't.

Now my flight is mega bumpy y'all. This is a good distraction. This is what I wanted after all..: for my flight not to get cancelled / delayed as I fly into a tropical storm.* No big.

Okay, but with a view like this, I almost (almost!) can't complain!!

Xox,

Kimbo

* were not flying into the trop storm ( at least not yet) but there was a trop storm warning in Turks and Caicos and it hit yesterday.

Preparing to Leave the Country

So, I'm heading out on Saturday morning (my first flight leaves at 7:20am. WAHHH) to Turks & Caicos. Every year my sister and friend Steph and I (and sometimes others) go on a trip that centers around August 4. The past trips have been London, Ireland, and (last year) Iceland. For my 30th birthday -- which is next year -- I want to go on an African Safari! #bucketlist. So, the idea was that this year we would stick close to home. I saw on TripAdvisor that they did an article on the top 10 beaches in the WORLD, and Turks and Caicos was on the list!

I didn't even know where Turks and Caicos was before I started researching this trip. Turns out, it's right there in the Carribbean.

So, what started out as a sticking-close-to-home-to-save-money trip, has basically turned into possibly the most expensive of all the trips we've taken!! I can't believe it. But, t&c is pretty abandoned, in terms of, it hasn't been overrun with tourism yet (win!). We got an oceanfront room, so I'm veryy excited!!

But, before I go on a big trip I have a few things that I ALWAYS do, no matter how much I try to resist.

#1. ONLINE SHOP like crazy

I cannot seem to stop myself from buying everything that I think I might actually possibly maybe need/use.

This time, I bought a Lo & Sons bag. The MOST expensive bag I have ever bought, and I am REALLY hoping that it lives up to the hype. And by hype, I mean my own research that I did about it. The biggest perks of it are the strap on the back that lets it easily be attached to your rolly luggage + all the pockets!

I also went on an old navy shopping binge. I got enough clothes to wear something new every day. Soooo I might have gone overboard.

Victoria Secret bathing suits. Ahhh. Unfortunately the bottoms are too small, (i think?) . . . it's hard to tell with bathing suits bc I feel like if you get a size that feels good, when it gets wet, it falls off, and if you get it a little smaller then you're like, why is my fat being squeezed out of me.

#2. Get my nails did!

Haven't done this yet - I think I'm gonna go Friday and get NEON EVERYTHING!!

#3. Pack the night before or the day of (depending on flight time). 

I really don't understand these people who are packed like a week before they leave. What if you need the stuff you've packed? I'm actually a pretty good packer although I ALWAYS bring one or two things that I NEVER wear. I'm gonna try to beat that this year.

#4. Charge all the things. 

Cameras, iPad, eReaders, phone, portable battery stick. Nothing worse than your charge dying, ESPECIALLY on the cameras.

#5. Obsess over TripAdvisor

If you travel and don't use TripAdvisor, YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG. Seriously. That is the best wesbite/app of all time! Unfortunately, I am always really bad about actually writing my own reviews, but it is absolutely the best resource for what to do, where to go, when to eat, etc. I spent hours the other night looking at people's photos from the resort we're staying at!!

BONUS #6 - Panic about flying. 

You'd think with the amount of times I've flown (100s, if not 1000s), this would not longer be an issue, but no. I'm semi-excited this time because I've been working at it with my therapist so we'll see how it goes. I think I make myself out more scared than I am, and usually I go to the airport bar before the flight so it's not a HUGE issue, but still, it would be nice not to think the plane is going down every time there's turbulence.

(A hilarious post that I swear I could have written -- esp. #12 -- about what freaks out nervous flyers)

& there you have it. All the things I do to prepare for a trip! What about you??

August Trip Unveiled!

 

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For those of you who have followed me from my other blog, you'll know that every summer in August, my sister, friend Stephanie, and I go on a trip somewhere. My sister and I started the tradition to remember my Aunt (whose birthday was Aug 4) and Steph has been around for the ride ever since. 

My aunt passed away in July 2010, and in Aug 2010 I just happened to be hiking the Inca Trail on her birthday

Aug 2011 = London (*plus Contiki European Magic Tour)
Aug 2012 = Ireland (* Scotland)
Aug 2013 = Iceland (*Turkey)

(*Steph and I also continued on our own from all those places).

Next summer is going to be my 30th Birthday (SAYYY WHAAAAA) and I have been planning for at least three years now to go on an African Safari for that!! (bucket list much, yall?). So, this summer we thought it would be good to stay close to home, but still go somewhere that not that many people talk about.

Have you figured it out yet??

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The beautiful Carribbean island of TURKS & CAICOS!

As far as I can tell it looks basically deserted year-round, and at less than a 2 hr flight from Miami, it's perfect. I got a little spoiled floating around on the Turquoise Coast last summer and realized that relaxing vacation = incredible. Last summer was the first time I ever TRULY relaxed on a (part of a) vacation and I could get used to it! Especially after this crazy first year of law school (lol I started to write teaching. #flashbacks).

I used to feel a constant need to be traveling somewhere new,  never content with just sitting still and appreciating what I had going on in my life at that moment. While I absolutely will never stop dreaming about my next trip abroad and all the beautiful and amazing and breathtaking places that I still have to see -- I'm happy that I have also learned to be content in appreciating the here and now as well.

Have you ever been to Turks & Caicos? Anywhere in the Carribbean? What's your favorite type of vacay? Beach/Mountains/City Adventure/Relaxing/A mix (I'm definitely a mix of both types myself!)