America the Great - Sleepy Hollow, NY

Sleepy Hollow, NY

America the Great - Manhattan, New York City, NY

View of Manhattan from West New York, NJ

Manhattan, New York City, NY

9/11 Memorial

Cathedral of St. Patrick

Packing for an extended weekend

Extended weekends! Those precious four days... precious few extra hours... 

what's the best way to spend them, if not doing a bit of traveling?

This is how my packing looks for a long weekend. 

In this specific case I'm staying with friends 

so I have the advantage of not needing to pack shampoo or toothpaste 

AND (most important) I have access to a washer and dryer, 

reason to take only the pair of yoga pants I'm wearing,

which I will wash together with whatever else needs washing

 at some point during my stay. Otherwise, I'd pack one extra pants.

The weather is on the chilly side, so I'm wearing my coat 

and packing a thermal shirt for added warmth. 

3 tops, PJs, a couple pieces of underwear (not pictured), my must-take items like

my USB wall charger, Kingston Mobile back up device, camera & charger, 

and my tatting.

2 persons, 4 days in NYC - luggage does not get lighter than this!

Hope your long weekend is as good as mine!




NOTE: I have no affiliation whatsoever with the brands, products or services described in this post.

Discover Miami: St. Raymond of Peñafort Catholic Church

3475 SW 17th St, Miami, FL 33145

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 2016

There are few beaches as beautiful as Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.

However, the island is much more than a quick cruise stop. 

Georgetown (Downtown)

Pedro St. James

Camana Bay

Smith's Barcadiere

Macabuca/Cracked Conch

Over the Edge Cafe

Lighthouse at Breakers

West Bay Dock

Flip Flop Tree

Blow Holes

Wreck of the Ten Sail

Rum Point

And of course, it's a first-class diving destination.

We had a great time diving with 

Don Foster's Dive Center

Here are some pictures of the deep blue.

Grand Cayman 2016 - Bags ready!

It's done! We're almost there.

The Caribbean means... lots of sun, beaches and SCUBA diving.

So this is what we pack for our trip to Grand Cayman.

Scuba gear (2 people)

BCDs, dive skins, masks, snorkels, gloves, cap, socks, safety buoy, fins, regulators and dive computers.

My outfits (his are basically the same thing, except for the bikini tops :) )

Flip flops, 2 shorts, 3 tops, 2 bathing suits, 2 cover ups, Turkish towel, underwear and 1 pair of sneakers.

Electronics:

Underwater housing, Olympus TG-3 and cable; Gopro (with UW red filter), extra battery and cable; UW light, batteries and charger; Kingston Mobile, USB and cable; USB wall charger; iphone and cable.

Miscellaneous: 

Passport and ID, card and cash, hair ties, sunglasses, toothbrush and hairbrushes; maps and bookings; waterproof backpack, suntan, bug spray and travel hangers

First aid:

Tums, alka seltzer and sal de frutas; Dramamine; inhaler, Tiger Balm, band aids, Sudafed and OTC painkillers.

Solids:

Lush's solid shampoo and conditioner, bath and laundry soap; solid deodorant

Bath sponge, wet wipes, Q tips, dental floss, shavers and mini bags.

Liquids:

 
Mask defogger, contact lenses, spares and drops, deodorant, shaving cologne and balm, body mist and fragances.

Gels/creams:

Aftersun gel, shaving gel, bath gel, multipurpose cream, toothpaste and silicone grease.

NOTE: I have no affiliation whatsoever with the brands, products or services described in this post.

Coffee on the go

I'm a big fan of espresso coffee. You could say I'm addicted to the stuff.

That is why one of the first things I bought was my trusty Bialetti Electrika travel espresso maker.

I have been using it since 2002 every time we travel to a place we know there will not be good espresso - understand we're Cuban-born and to us espresso is like air -  and this happens all over the US once you leave the Miami area. Which is a lot of ground to cover!

The plug is standard US (110 v) and it will require an AC adapter and plug adapter if used with 220 v.

NOTE: I have no affiliation whatsoever with the brands, products or services described in this post.

Florida the beautiful: Sebring

The quiet city of Sebring in Central Florida

Turkish towels

I have been trying to find a solution to the towel issue for a long time. 

After much research, I decided to buy a Turkish towel, 

also known as pestemal, peshtemal, fouta or hammam towel.

They're a rectangular piece of 100% cotton, often with fringes.

Very thin and light - saves space and weight.

Very absorbent and dries much faster than a regular towel.

Can also be used as beach cover, shawl or light blanket. 

Regular size beach towel on top of peshtemal.

(Peshtemal size: 100 cm x 180 cm ( 39" x 70" ))

Regular size towel to the left, peshtemal to the right.

NOTE: I have no affiliation whatsoever with the brands, products or services described in this post.

Europe 2016 - Berlin, Germany

Pictures of Berlin, Germany

Europe 2016 - Boscastle, Cornwall, UK

Pictures of Boscastle, Cornwall

This town was devastated during a flash flood in 2004.
Here and here are videos of the flood.

Europe 2016 - Tintagel, Merlin's Cave and King Arthur's Castle, Cornwall, UK

 Pictures of  the town of Tintagel

 Pictures of Merlin's Cave

Pictures of the ruins of Tintagel Castle

Europe 2016 - Marazion and St. Michael's Mount, Cornwall, UK

Pictures of Marazion 

Some information about Marazion

Pictures of St. Michael's Mount

Some information about St. Michael's Mount, 

and about the legend of Cormoran the Giant

and Jack the Giant Killer

Europe 2016 - Newquay, Cornwall, UK

Pictures of Newquay, Cornwall

Europe 2016 - Land's End, Cornwall, UK

Pictures of Land's End, Cornwall

Europe 2016 - London, United Kingdom

Pictures of London

Europe 2016 - Bags ready!

CARRY-ON

1. Kipling Itska bag (Kipling Azura is about the same size)

2. Yoga pants (2 + the one I'm wearing)

3. PJs

4. Sneakers (+ the one I'm wearing)

5. Dryer sheets

6. Warm long-sleeved pullover

7. Open front cardigans (4 + the one I'm wearing)

8. Sports tops (6 + the one I'm wearing))

9. Non-liquid stuff (see pic below)

10. Liquid stuff (see pic below)

11. Underwear: 3 pairs of socks + the one I'm wearing, 

3 bras + the one I'm wearing, 3 panties + the one I'm wearing.

9. Non-liquid stuff 

1. Travel hangers

2. Toothbrush

3. Solid shampoo

4. Laundry soap

5. bath sponge

6. Soap

7. Q tips

8. Shaver

10. Liquid stuff 

1. Multipurpose cream

2. Deodorant

3. Toothpaste

4. Hair conditioner

5. Body mist

This is how my duffel looks fully packed - there is space to spare!

           

BACK PACK:

1. Jansport Sling

2. Travel Wallet

3. Miscellaneous

4. Tatting

5. Electronics pouch

6. Camera

7. Snacks

8. Medicines

9. Hair brush

10. Earbuds

11. US Phone

12. Maps & bookings

13. Windbreaker

14. European phone (Double SIM)

2. TRAVEL WALLET

1. Travel Wallet

2. US ID card

3. US Passport card

4. US Passport

5. SIM cards PINS/PUK numbers

6. Debit and credit cards

7. Health insurance card

8. US public transit cards

9. Cash

3. MISCELLANEOUS

1. Wet wipes

2. Kleenex

3. Chewing gum

4. hand/face/multipurpose cream

5. Lip balm

6. Floss

7. Water clip

8. Bags

9. Ziploc Bag

4. TATTING (Handmade lace)

1. Ziploc bag

2. Thread

3. Shuttles

4. Pattern

5. Multipurpose tool 

5. ELECTRONICS

1. Kipling pencil pouch

2. Kingston MobileLite

3. Kingston MobileLite USB cable

4. European phone (Double SIM)

5. European phone USB cable

6. US phone

7. US Phone USB cable

8. Box to store SIM card while abroad

9. Camera

10. Camera charger

11. Earbuds

12. External hard drive

13. External hard drive USB cable

14. USB wall charger

15. European AC plugs

16. Plane audio adapter

8. MEDICINES

1. Ziploc bag

2. Tums

3. Tiger balm

4. Inhaler

5. Alka Seltzer/Sal de frutas

6. Bandaids

7. Painkillers

12. MAPS AND BOOKINGS

1. Bookings and travel reservations

2. Maps

3. USB flash drive (Stores copies of all documents including passport and cards)

NOTE: I have no affiliation whatsoever with the brands, products or services described in this post.