Saturday, May 18, 2019

Equipped for THE Genealogy Show 2019?

I try to travel light!
As I prepare for my trip to the UK to attend THE Genealogy Show 2019 I need to think about packing. Prior  to THE Show Mr GeniAus and I are doing a Garden Tour, visiting some UK archives and graves of the ancestors and  catching up with a cousin. I anticipate being exhausted after THE Show so we'll be boarding one of our favourite cruise ships for some R&R.

My cases are open on the floor of a spare room and the bed is littered with clothing, medications and other essentials! 

This is what I must remember:
  • Airport transfer - After a 23 hour flight we want our transfer to the hotel to be stress free.
  • Books - I'll take a couple of unread books that I can swap on our cruise ship once read. Will also download a few eBooks from the local library onto my phone.
  • Purchase breakfast bars, liquid breakfasts and healthy snacks for quick meals - packed.
  • Deliver Paddy to his second home where he loves playing with his mate Freddo.
  • Empty the Frig and Pantry - In Progress - they already resemble Mother Hubbard's Cupboard.
  • Flights - Booked, Seats are allocated so no need to book in online.
  • Foreign Currency - Task delegated to Mr GeniAus. Have GBP and Euros.
  • Hotel Accommodation - All booked.
  • Luggage - Two small suitcases are easier than one large one for an old girl to manage, I take one small carryon for the plane basically because I can't pack batteries and laptop in luggage for the hold. I can't understand why so many people carry such large bags on board - they must pack the kitchen sink. I could make do with a large handbag.
  • Maps - Taking a UK road atlas and Western Europe SatNav (if you are renting a car for more than a week buy your own SatNav - works out cheaper).
  • Mobile Phone and Battery Pack - We have a plan that gives us international roaming and a small data allowance. It is handy to be able to phone Mr GeniAus when I lose him in a cemetery or shopping mall. I had a dinosaur battery pack that is so heavy. Now have a lighter new one that give two charges.
  • A Notebook - I lose loose bits of paper.
  • Passport - Already in travel handbag with sleeping pills for the plane.
  • Pegs and Laundry Soap -  No need to buy expensive "travel" products. 
  • Pencil Case - a few pens and pencils and a small ruler that has a magnifying window(Handy for reading small print or old handwriting).
Nifty ruler with magnifying window 
  • Phone the Banks and Amex:  Need to let them know we are travelling, helps them monitor for fraud - Done.
  • Pills and potions - All sorted, have packed an emergency 'just in case' kit of favourites. A few days supply in handbag in case we part company with our bags.
  • Plastic Plates and Cutlery -  Just two sets.There's nothing like a picnic dinner of bread, cheese,tomatoes and ham.
  • Rental Car - another job for Mr GeniAus, done months ago. 
  • Compile list of research tasks for The National Archives - In progress in my Family Historian Database.
  • Clean off all my SD cards - have backed up all photos on them to two hard drives.
Storage for my SD Cards
  • Technology: Digital camera and charger, Laptop, Portable 4 TB HDD Drive ( I download and tag my photos religiously most days), Chargers, Universal Adapters. Most of this stuff lives in a purpose designed case that doesn't get unpacked between trips.  Of course my mouse will be travelling with me, I can't get by without my mouse.
  • Scan Travel Docs - Include copies of prescriptions for drugs and glasses, health report from GP, Passport, Credit cards, Driver's Licence. Save onto phone, hard drive, Google Drive and computer. Mr GeniAus carries a hard copy of files as well.
  • Should I take a Selfie Stick? I have a cheap, light one and a quality reliable one that is heavy.
  • Travel insurance - Renewed.
  • Walking stick - needed for cities with cobblestone and uneven paths.
  • Water bottle - Can fill once I have passed through security at airports.
My Travel Tech setup 
Specifically for THE Show
  • Follow fellow Show attendees on Twitter - added a few new genimates to my feed already.
  • Find out names of Aussies who are travelling to THE Show -- wonder if I have missed anyone?
  • Conference Registration - Done
  • GeniAus Business Cards - Packed
  • GeniAus Ribbons - Packed
  • Blogger Beads - which ones will I wear?
  • Comfortable, professional looking outfit and shoes for when I'm on stage.
  • A light day bag for conference - Packed
  • A Schedule - Haven't studied the program in depth but need to have a spreadsheet in Google Docs or put everything into my Google Calendar. Needs to be accessible on my phone.
  • Back up my presentations - Still fiddling with the order of my slides.Need to prune a few too.
  • Technology - I take a few extra toys when attending a conference as I may want to blog, vlog or interview genimates. A dual headed microphone for interviewing with my phone, my headset and microphone and a webcam - all packed. 
Any further suggestions?

3 comments:

Cassmob (Pauleen) said...

A good list Jill. I don’t take my laptop any more, just iPad and sometimes a keyboard. I love the battery charger I got at Dublin airport, not much bigger than a credit card. Laundry works as well with hotel shampoo but I do like the yellow soap (brand?) that is a stain remover....can I help it if I dribble? I save my travel docs etc in Evernote rather than GoogleDrive. After being constantly detoured when picking up Mr Cassmob at Dublin airport we always have a local SIM. We got a selfie stick in Spain but have hardly used it. I can’t live without my Kindle ebooks when travelling (some 10,000 on the iPad). Always make sure I have a credit of Skype just in case I need to ring Oz urgently.

Look forward to your posts and garden pics.

Carole said...

You are so organised! Yes I'm not travelling quite as far as you to get there but I don't even have a list of things I need to take yet!

Phil Young said...

I travel a lot, generally with one suitcase and one cabin bag. My cabin bag is always a small daypack that makes it easy to navigate airports and train stations, for it allows me to always have one hand free. And when wandering around a city that small daypack is ideal, leaving me with both hands free.

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