Pre-Vacation Panic

I’m leaving for my cruise Thursday morning. Actually, Weds night, since I’ll be staying with my aunt the night before we sail away. I’ve had about 4 months to prepare for this. A month ago, I started planning in earnest. Making lists, getting suitcases aired out, buying things here and there. I still had time. Two weeks ago, I still had time. Last week, I still had plenty of time. Shit! I’m leaving in two days! My three-page, size-10 font list is still missing items. I don’t have a small flashlight, duct tape or crazy glue! I don’t know why I would need these things, but the very extensive cruise-packing lists say I do, and I still don’t have them! What if we sink and my lifeboat springs a leak? I’ll really be wishing I had that damn crazy glue then, wont I? Mind you, my “small first aid kit” rivals the entire supply closet at, say, John Hopkins medical center and I have enough memory card space to take approximately 3000 pictures (do you think that will be enough???? Crap! Add another memory card to the list). But what if I get on the boat and realize I really do need duct tape? I’m kind of scared to find that on the list though. Shouldn’t the ship be constructed well enough that I shouldn’t have to make any minor repairs on my own?

This panic is amplified by the fact that I’m going to be in the middle of the ocean. If I forget something imperative, I’m screwed. It’s not like I can go to Target. Sure, I can get some essentials in the ship store, for a 50000% markup, but that does me no good if I forget my purse! So I have lists, and notes, and things laying in places that I can’t forget them. I’m considering my first tattoo. It will read “don’t forget your passport!” I’m drugging myself to sleep not only because I’m excited, but if I don’t I’ll pack, unpack and repack fifty times an hour just to make sure it’s all in there.

I think people need vacations just from the vacation planning! But in less than 72 hours, the ship will pull out of port and 8 days later, 90% of what I pack will still be unpacked and unused. Such is the nature of vacation packing.