I’m leaving soon for another trip to Spain’s Andalusia region. Besides packing, I was looking in my iPad notes for my “To Do before an international trip”list. I saw this list, and wow, it is so valuable to not only have the comments from a previous trip, but the reasons why. Hoping this idea helps someone else, too!
Lessons Learned - Feb. Spain Trip
Those perfect bulkhead seats in Economy Comfort for the international leg of the flight that I booked early? I hope someone was able to enjoy them as we sat fogged in at our Spokane airport. Our new seats were middle ones together, and we arrived in Spain. Sometimes that’s all that matters. : )
Bring the Sherpani tote. Having it really helped me sleep on the plane - laying on top of plane tray & pillow on top of it to sleep. Also, it was very important for keeping my medicine and iPad with me when my backpack was stowed under the bus on some routes.
For Amsterdam-to-Malaga flight, they stopped everyone in line about halfway through and made them check their bag. I had moved my iPad, chargers, paper tickets for events & medicine to the Sherpani, just in case. It was a lesson to not just bring my crossbody purse as my personal item. One guy was throwing a major ruckus at being forced to check his carry on bag!
Be kind to yourself. When the running water was unexpectedly off for a day in our apartment in Estepona, we went to a nice hotel for one night. Why be miserable? Just restart the next day and enjoy the time there.
Bring the pj pants for lounging in apartments. Also, to be warmer sleeping some evenings.
Bring the long-sleeve t-shirt. I added that last-minute before we left since the forecast was cooler. I slept in it when it was colder during Cadiz’s stormy night. During the day, it layered well with a 32 degree shirt.
Knowing some Spanish - in Malaga, Estepona & Cadiz, there were times that we needed Spanish for communication. Luckily, several Italian words are similar to help catch the meaning. I had to ask a few questions during the Carnaval at Cadiz. Both times, a young group had to call a teenager over to understand some English words. We used Google translate a few times to pull up words, such as “pizza to go”.
We always bring our two Fold & Go ripstop nylon bags that squish into its own tiny ball in a pocket. We used those a lot for grocery shopping.
I brought my tiny 3-zip LeSportsac crossbody purse with me to wear inside my coat during the crowded Cadiz Carnival. I also found it very handy anytime it was raining to use it instead of my regular Baggallini crossbody. My phone, apartment key, some Euros, extra TP & two single use Purells were all I needed. I used it more than my Baggalini purse.
We both prefer bar soap to shower gel, so I brought a half Italian bar in a Ziploc bag. All of the locations have been shower gel, only.
Did I need my Keen sandals? No, but it was nice to wear them in Estepona.
Did I bring the right clothes?
I brought two 32 degree micro-thin long-sleeves scoop neck shirts. These were my workhorses. I wore the black and plum ones together with a lightweight necklace, one at a time, or the black one layered when needed. They wash & dry quickly.
I brought (including my plane outfit) three 3/4 shirts. I could have eliminated the lightest weight one that I only wore in Estepona. I threw in a long-sleeve t-shirt last-minute with the colder forecast, and I was happy to have it. I wore it in Malaga & Cadiz.
I brought (including my plane outfit) a pair of thicker pants & a pair of leggings. I used them constantly and was fine with just two pair.
Four pairs of socks, five underwear and three bras. Turquoise Columbia hip length raincoat.
If either of us really wanted a puffy vest or jacket or even a sweater, there were plenty available at the local Saturday market at Estepona which also had lots of clothing shops, we could have shopped at Cadiz.