Whenever one embarks on a new experience, in this case, a long-term odyssey to never-before visited, international locales, there is always some learning to be done. Here is a list of 11 things we’ve learned so far … you know because a Top 10 list is so David Letterman. Keep in mind we haven’t even left the country yet.
1. Don’t be afraid to ask the hotel staff about the closest Light Link Rail station. Chances are you won’t need to walk to the airport, only to walk through the parking garage, only to find yourself at the station 5 minutes away from your hotel in the opposite direction.
2. Pike Place Market is a much more enjoyable place to visit in A.) January B.) on a Tuesday and C.) at mid-afternoon. No lines at La Panier and no crowds anywhere. Even the bathroom.
3. The Link Light Rail to and from Pike Place Market is a good place to take a snooze as long as someone in your group stays awake.
4. Drinking an entire bottle of wine by yourself the night before you travel may give you a hangover the next day which doesn’t make travel much fun. Let’s just say this wasn’t me or Reece.
5. A good night’s sleep in a comfortable bed will do wonders at remedying said hangover and raising the enjoyment quotient.
6. Be sure to test run the tooth powder with your husband and daughter before traveling. It could you save you the $4.99 you had to fork over at the airport a very small travel tube of toothpaste.
7. When the airline says you can’t go over 10kg for your one carry-on bag, that is exactly what they mean. Eleven kg. doesn’t cut it.
8. This does not mean you can’t repack your luggage AFTER checking in and weighing your bags and return items to their original location.
9. Every airport is different. Just because one airport makes you take out your food and not your camera, does not mean you should assume this is the case at every airport.
10. And when it comes to packing the bars of soap in the same bag as the travel clothes line and whether or not it will cause TSA to flag your luggage. It does. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
11. Water is your friend. Even if it requires you to pee every hour on the hour.