The final 48 hours

Here are Rick Steves' suggestions on how to minimize the effects of jet lag by arriving well-rested and ready to start your big trip:

Plan from the start as if you're leaving two days before you really are. Keep that last 48-hour period sacred (apart from your normal work schedule), even if it means being hectic before your false departure date. Then you have two orderly, peaceful days after you've packed so that you are physically ready to fly. Mentally, you'll be comfortable about leaving home and starting this adventure. You'll fly away well-rested and 100 percent capable of enjoying the bombardment of your senses that will follow.

- "Europe Through the Back Door, The Travel Skills Handbook 2009"

Here are my last 48 hours:

T minus 48 hours:

Go out for big breakfast with friend in Calgary who will be coming to meet me for Jordan, Egypt and India. French Toast and Bottomless Hashbrowns!

T minus 46 hours: Get phone call that UK passport has arrived in Winnipeg! Request that Winnipeg connection Fed-Ex passport for Saturday delivery in Calgary. Rejoice that all seems to be falling into place.

T minus 46 hours: Spend the rest of the day in the sun building the Taj MaShed in my sister's back yard.

Dad and the shed at the end of building Day Two

T minus 40 hours: Shower, beer, excellent supper of salmon with family.

T minus 38 hours: Coffee and dessert with another friend, who's kind of the one who got me into this in the first place, but that's definitely another post.

T minus 34 hours: Lie in bed trying to get to sleep. Realize annoying shed-building error and attempt to devise coping strategy. Finally fall asleep.

T minus 25 hours: Wake up and check online Fed-Ex tracking to ensure passport will arrive in the next 90 minutes.

T minus 24.999999 hours: Notice that package is not scheduled for delivery until Monday, June 15th.

T minus 24.999998 hours: *** HEAD EXPLODES***

T minus 24. 5 hours: talk to nice people at Fed Ex who are sympathetic, but may not be able to help.

T minus 22.5 hours: Attend niece's under-4 soccer game, Yellow Banana vs. Purple Chickens.

Go Bananas!

T minus 21.5 hours: Trip downtown to MEC for a few last-minute things, including luggage locks and new, slightly more packable water bottle.

T minus 20 hours: Get message from Kim at Fed Ex in Calgary, who has moved Heaven and Earth to get my package delivered to the door at 5:00 am tomorrow morning. Nominate Kim for sainthood, vow to name first-born children after the night shift ramp crew of the Calgary Fed Ex Depot.

T minus 19.5 hours: Laundry, load #1

T minus 20 hours: More shed-building in tropical temperature and scorching sunshine, including fixing annoying error of previous day, and aerial skilsaw ballet. Consider staying at a different B&B for next visit to Calgary. This one has good wireless internet access and an excellent menu, but the work detail is grueling.


T minus 19 hours: Break from shed-building and attempt to glue recalcitrant silicone earpiece onto Skype headset.

T minus 18.5 hours: Fail utterly in above attempt.

T minus 16 hours: Knock off shed-building, clean up and enjoy beer #1.

T minus 15.5 hours: Excellent farewall supper of BBQ ribs (Good ribbance!). Beer #2.

T minus 14.5 hours: Playing with niece, Laundry, load #2

T minus 15.5 hours: Blog.

Future plans:

Finnish laundry, label small pot of Sport Suds so it doesn't look like a container of unidentified white powder, pack all the stuff that's staying behind, PACK THE AERONAUT, relax, bed.

4:30 am tomorrow: Phone the friendly boys at Fed Ex to see if they are bringing my passport. Shower, breakfast, last minute packing, ride to airport, tearful goodbyes, check in, pass security, board plane. Phew.

Maybe Rick Steves has a point...