I have been running around like a psycho getting ready for my European Vacation. I have a massive checklist that I'm simultaneously checking things off and adding more. I am writing this little blog as part of my checklist; Update my Xoom (my Android tablet for those who don't know what a Xoom is). In order to update it I am loading some new apps like Blogger. This is my first blog using the device. I plan on blogging the trip daily like I did in 2011 when I last traveled to some of the same places. Don't worry though, there will be many different experiences and destinations as well. One huge difference between this trip and every other European vacation I have ever been on and that is my boyfriend. This trip will be chock full of romance so if you read my trip last time, this will be completely new.

Other things on my list of things to do are:

1. Update Xoom (as we went over above ) with movies, games  and TV shows for the plane ride and evenings in the hotel rooms.

2. Call all credit and debit cards and inform them about my trip. This way I (hopefully) do not have the cards shut down because they think the cards have been stolen. I say hopefully because I was in Paris one year and had my card cancelled despite having called them and informed them about being in France. So be ready for anything.

3. Along those same lines, I wrote down the phone numbers that are on the back of all my credit and debit cards. I keep that info in a cloud so I can access them from anywhere. This makes it easy to cancel and replace any cards that get lost, damaged or stolen.

4. I have an HMO that stores my prescriptions in a cloud based system as well so I don't have to write that down but I recommend you keep a document somewhere in your suitcase and/or an access able document like Google Docs.

5. See doctors. I make sure I visit all my doctors before I leave to make sure they know I will be gone and to get extra prescriptions if I might need them. I carry some meds in my suitcase for emergency but all my necessary medicine is always in my purse right next to me.

6. Pay rent. Even though rent is not due for over a week from now, it will be due while I am away so I sent a rent check post dated for the first of the month. I also alerted m y landlord that we will not be here and to look out for our house/pet sitter.

7. Have the mail held. You can just go online and have the USPS hold your mail for a specified set of dates and then choose to have it delivered or arrange to pick it up when you get back. If you have a newspaper you can have them hold it or better yet, have the papers donated to local schools.

8. Make pet document. I keep a dog and cat document in my Google docs. I have the vet number, emergency vet number, maps to each from the house the animals are staying at, in my case, my house. I write the walking, feeding, water bowl, and litter box instructions. I leave a hard copy on the kitchen counter and email a digital copy. I go over the instructions with the sitter to make sure there all questions are answered. I also leave phone numbers of nearby friends or the landlord in case there is an accident or some reason the sitter can't get to the animals and they need to be checked on. I make sure all the shots and rabies docs are access able and up to date.

9. Clean out the purse. I normally carry a Swiss army knife and perfumes in my purse so I must make sure my purse is travel safe if I don't want my things taken from me. I also streamline the contents of my purse to keep it as light as possible because I want to have plenty of room for my purchases abroad, be it a souvenir t-shirt  or a picnic lunch.

10. Euros. I am fortunate in that my family and I travel often so we make a point to bring home two hundred or so Euro so we don't have to pay the expensive exchange rates to get the money here in the States. This trip my parents are in France so I can't get Euros from them but I did get some Swiss Francs. You can save a few bucks by waiting until you get to the European airport and use the ATM there but I do not do that. By the time I arrive in Europe I am a jet lagged zombie. It is worth it to me to get Euros here. I went to my bank and made a withdrawal of two hundred Euro. It cost me around $350 and some change total. They take a couple days to get the money and call when it is ready. I just went back and picked up the cash.

11. Pack. I picked out clothes a while ago. I lay them out and try to visualize the various outfits it hall makes. I keep in mind the activities I'll be doing, the weather and the degree of fanciness of the restaurants I'll be going to. This trip is more casual than, say, Paris or other parts of France. I am bringing two different types of jeans, one skinny, one boyfriend, a pair of grey slacks, a black maxi dress that I can pair with a black top to make it dressier. I have a trench coat, a leather jacket and a warm zip up for layering. I am bringing three three quarter tops, a strike, black and grey and a white tee. Two pairs of shoes, one ballet flats and one sneakers will round out my footwear. A couple months ago I bought shoe inserts to keep my feet comfy while walking so much. I made sure to re-break in my shoes after putting the inserts in because the inserts will change how the shoes fit.

Well, that is what I can think of for now and this is really just a test blog anyways. My next trick is to not only see what it is like posting from this device, but adding photos. I hope this helps people think about some pre-travel preparations as well as help me familiarize myself with the Blogger app from my Xoom.