Saturday, October 2, 2010

Travel, Tourettes and BABY MONKEY!

Maybe you noticed that I forgot to blog this week.

It's true- I just kind of forgot, mostly because I was busy developing an obsessive compulsive disorder from watching a video which features a baby monkey riding backwards on the back of a small pig.




I have been watching this on a fairly constant loop for the past few days and it has caused me to break out in Baby Monkey Tourettes syndrome. I find myself suddenly yelling, "BABY MONKEY! THE WORLD HAS GONE INSANE!". There is no end to it. It's my new normal.

I have also begun to obsess about a trip which my family is going to take in about a month. We are going to Arizona to visit my mom and take in the sights. This trip gives me so many things to worry about.

1. Planes: Flying makes me very twitchy. Seriously, we are crammed in a metal box and we go hurtling through the sky and somehow do not fall down. shiver. Plus, I haven't flown since 2005. Back then you only had to take off your shoes to fly. Now you have to get naked and not carry toiletries. I don't like public nudity and what if they take away my saline solution? THE WORLD HAS GONE INSANE!

2. Footwear: We are going to be visiting a few national parks were I will need to be doing a lot of walking. I probably will not be able to rely solely on flip-flops. I do not wear sneakers unless I am exercising because, well, cute footwear is important to me and sneakers with jeans are a crime which I am just unwilling to commit. GRAB ON YOUR PIG AND RIDE!

3. Luggage: Well, not really luggage as much as what purse I should carry. I like to have a large slouchy handbag, but this seems impractical for such a trip. I do not want to be one of those industrial backpack toting, Merrell wearing, cargo short clad tourists with a fanny pack and a sturdy hat, yet I suspect that some sort of backpack will be the best option. RIDING BACKWARDS ON A PIG!

I need your help. We will be going to the Grand Canyon, Tuzigoot, Montezuma's Castle and Out of Africa. We are staying in Prescott Valley. What should I pack to be both cute and comfortable?


Also...

BABY MONKEY!

6 comments:

Cheryl said...

That movie gave me a migraine.

When I recover, I'll send along detailed instructions of what I brought so you'll know what NOT to bring.

Jack will send an email soon to let you know about hydration. So will your mom. They're kinda hydration freaks.

Julie said...

We've been watching this for 6 months http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P6UU6m3cqk

As for packing, if you know someone where you are going and are very likely to see them, consider shipping some or all the things you'll need. When we travel we don't pack toiletries at all, we buy the travel size when we get there. Do your best to not have to check luggage. An oversized purse helps because you get your carry on plus your big honkin purse. Check REI for backpacks.

Tracy said...

We are still talking like we 'just got back' from our trip to the US. In reality it was just over two months ago. 'Just got back' in international travel terms, I think!

I found that a huge handbag was not helpful on the plane or whilst sightseeing, even with passports and stuff. I had borrowed this bag that sat flat against me and the strap was designed to go diagonal across the body. It was SO comfortable and fitted heaps of stuff in it. We took a backpack with us, so that whenever we went on a day outing we took that along, stuffed with snacks and drink bottles.

You can get some cute looking comfy shoes that are runner-ish in usage, but look good with a skirt or pants. I, too, believe that jeans and runners should not be worn together. Or, something like the Born 'Susy'. As long as you can walk all day in whatever you've got on your feet you'll be fine.

A word on hydration. Drink LOTS, if you're going up to a high altitude. We spent nearly 3 weeks in Colorado Springs and Denver and initially found that we were a bit lightheaded. And even towards the end when we should have been acclimatised, we would find ourselves responding strangely after dashing upstairs too fast. DRINK LOTS. If you decide to drive to the top of some high peak. DRINK LOTS. Dizziness and feeling unwell are not enjoyable when you're sightseeing.

Enjoy your trip! I love flying, having grown up with a father who fixes planes. My favourite flights on this last trip were the ones over the grand canyon. It is amazing, even at 30,000ft!

Saguaro Chick said...

We are going up this weekend to Prescott for the fall festival, it is gorgeous up there this time of year. We need some cool. We hit a record high of 111 degrees last week! You could probably get away with flip-flops at Montezuma's Castle, depending on if it is warm enough, because there is not a lot of walking. I remember it just being chilly and breezy when we went in about November. You just walk up a path, I do not remember it being much of an incline, check out the amazing structure itself, and then go back down kind of like a loop. I do not remember it being a lot of walking. When you go into the town where the Out of Africa Zoo is, somebody told me they found coupons for getting half-off the entrance fee, you can ask around when you get up there. Also, we sometimes get coupons in our local flyers down in the valley, if I get some I will send them to you, unless of course your mom has some already. A great walking shoe that is sooo comfy and looks good with jeans is the Sketcher Shape-ups. They have come down in price too I think, and are well worth buying if you can. They have lots of cute styles too! Somebody told me recently they thought they had a cute black Maryjane strap style one now! Anyway, they are great for lots of walking and they look good, and I can say that because I, too, normally live in flip-flops 24/7, and the only other shoe I will wear for comfort and looks is the shape-up. It was a splurge for myself that I have never regretted and will probably last forever since I do not wear tennis shoes a lot. If you are going to bring a small backpack you can always throw a pair of flip flops in there in case you need them and want to get out of your shoes. I think I heard (but not sure) that at the airport you have the choice of doing the x-ray machine or still the regular walk-thru one. I hate flying so I avoid airports like the plague....you might want to see what you are allowed to take on the plane as far as snacks are concerned. Maybe prepacked stuff is okay, unsure though. A friend had food taken away, but i think it was homemade cookies in a Ziplock that they took. If you can buy your toiletries when you get here, that might be helpful too.

Jessica said...

Oh yay! A fellow shoe-loving homeschooler. I refuse to wear running shoes, too (and I'm a runner!) Don't worry, if I traipsed into the Grand Canyon in cute slides carrying a wiggly 2-year-old, you can too. :)

Just stopping by from the Hip Homeschool Hop!

Anonymous said...

Simples. Love mine.