Tuesday, March 30, 2010

East Coast Trip - "The Table"

When it comes to personal travel, I am a very inefficient packer. For some items, I pack way more than I need. For other items, I don’t pack enough or don’t pack it at all. Inevitably I forget something, and we end up stopping at Target or Walgreen’s or someplace like that to get what I didn’t pack.

We don’t have that luxury next week, which is why I am such a different traveler when I go on the East Coast Trip. My wife laughs at me, but I actually set out a folding table. On “The Table” I place my packing list and then item by item I lay everything out that I need. Deodorant: check. Toothpaste: check. iPod charger: check. Camera battery charger: check.

If you haven’t set up your own version of “The Table” yet, I urge you to consider it. Lay everything out in advance a few days in advance so you know what you have and what you may still need to get. Places like Walgreen’s are not always easily accessible with the places we’re visiting and the schedule we’re on. Hotel gift shops often sell toothpaste and batteries and memory cards, but it is likely at a significantly higher price.

Our final student lunch meeting will take place this Thursday, April 1, and I have PRIZES! We’ll play a quiz game that will test students’ knowledge of everything we’ve learned about the trip so far. Want to “study” for the quiz game? I will draw from every e-mail I’ve sent out, the pre-departure meeting, the packing lists and tips sheets. Basically, it’s everything that’s on my blog: http://trippolito.blogspot.com.

Students—I’ll see you on Thursday at lunch in Room B-7.

Parents—I’ll see you Sunday night!

RVI

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