Mainland Greece Itinerary

Greece has been an easy pack.  It's always simpler when the weather at our destination is similar to our current weather.  Gonna' be warm and spring-like, and coming from 3 months in Hawaii we are acclimated and ready to go with what we're currently wearing.  My "pre-pack" looks like this:

But still, Big World / Small Suitcase.  So I start with 3 pairs of blue pants (Chico's Ultra Slimming -- they stretch!), one long & two Capri legnth.  10 summer tops and a white sweater with tan Echo brand walking sandles complete the blue team.  

The black team is similar -- two long (cause when there's a nice dinner afoot, all it takes is a fancy top and a simple scarf and a pair of high heels & I'm in); two Capri length, and about 10 summer tops with a black sweater and black walking sandles.  Then there's a bag with dressy tops to wear with those long black slacks, should I want to take a few extra minutes and wow my Mr. C.  He often surprises me with some very nice dinner reservations, so I like to take a few surprises in return -- if, indeed, I have the room.  Big world, small suitcase.

I feel like I'm looking good for space, and then the rest of the essentials join the party.  ......a month's worth of cosmetic's claim their place; a swimsuit & cover-up are essential for the islands; 30 pair of underwear, a couple pair of sexy nighties, topped off with an "actual" jacket (in case of rain);

And a couple of colorful scarves........

Then there's the electronics bag.  Laptop, camera, cell phone, charges for all the above, extra batteries & SD cards for the camera, connectors & download cords for all the above.......

Still have medicines to go, this all has to go in carry-on.  This is a little trickier, since my recent Cardiac Adventures.  Can't afford to be short, I have no desire to spend any time in a Greece hospital, just sayin'.   I'm reading that all medicines must be accompanied by their original prescriptions -- this means they must travel in their original bottles, which is a space sucker.  I DO have a lot of pills at the moment........

Then there's the 24 - 36 hours of travel entertainment to think about.   A good paperback (so I can leave it behind in one of the hotels once I'm done): a moleskin notebook for me to jot notes and thoughts when I'm away from my laptop during the day; cough drops; Pepto Bismal; Imodium; Tylenol; mints; nuts & snacks; (5 flavor Life Savors -- my favorite, and sort of difficult to find now-a-days).

And that's it!  Passport and International Driving License in hand (we'll be driving about a 1,000 miles on the Greek Mainland this trip); and we're ready for adventure.

Mr. C has booked us on a Business Class ticket on Condor, a lesser known airline (to us) that has a killer deal for Business Class (basically their 1st Class, at a fraction of the price of 1st Class).  I'm excited that the seats actually lay down flat and I can sleep in a prone position for those 11 hours to Frankfurt! 
   

But the dining is rather fine, also; 

 
I enjoyed the duck; and the seafood was also quite nice.

This is just the "starter" plate, though........

Then there's a main dish with a beef tenderloin and grilled veggies & roasted potatoes.

Next is the ever-present European "cheese plate".  While I have a high appreciation for this tradition -- as an American, I just don't get it.  It feels heavy, after a big meal, and very rich.   We do our best but have to apologize to our very German Flight Attendant.  It's just not in our American fine-dining wheelhouse.  

And Steve has already smelled chocolate for dessert.


They give us a pillow & nice, heavy blanket; along with a "kit" that has long socks, an eye mask, and a toothbrush & paste!  

But as I said, my favorite part is that bottom button -- the one that shows the seat fully extended......I pop my Ambien pill, stretch out in my seat to full capacity, snuggle up in my blankie, and I'm out until they wake me for breakfast at 2AM.   

 

A very tasty ham & egg omelet, with fresh fruit and the European cold cuts & cheese.  Delicious.  I gulp it down, and go back to sleep for another hour or so.......

Until Mr. C wakes me for landing,  We will have about 5 hours in the Frankfurt Airport before catching our connection to Athens.  

But the trip has started off fantastically, and we don't mind taking a break from the 1st 24 hours of traveling.  A nice Cappuccino, a bit of blogging, a touch of touching in on Facebook.......Time to brush those teeth & spike that short hair and reapply a fresh coat of make-up.  There's still a lot of travel left in the day -- and in this travel girl!