It looks like an outdoor outfitters catalog spread over here right now! Massive amounts of prep, packing, planning. Feels good to get everything in order, and well, what’s not will fall into the “good enough” catch all. Packing is slightly tricky because we will have winter weather in parts of Asia, hot equatorial weather in some places, that lovely end of summer weather in the southern hemisphere and spring weather again in Europe. Good news is I have heard that people need clothes and amenities in all the places we will be and some even have stores where you can buy stuff so with a little luck and a cash machine we should survive any duffle bag missteps.

We did manage to get out of the house with things looking tops for our guests only to realize at the airport that we abandoned a Trader Joe’s corndog in the microwave. Surprise!

San Diego is suffering a brutal winter with temps in the 60’s, and sunshine from dawn until dusk. The locals look like they’re ready to set out on Shackelton’s next expedition and I feel glad that they too get to have the pleasure of donning some winter wear.

We have a couple more days here before heading to Ensenada to pick up the students, who are all actually here in San Diego but due to the Jones Act (look it up), are being bussed to Mexico (good thing that wall is not up yet) to board the ship.

I may already be a little sea sick and we haven’t left port yet…F%$K!!!