Friday

Last Saturday the first group of my friends went to St. Maarten. The second group, another family left today and at this writing they are hopefully there and enjoying the sun and surf.

The third and largest group is going tomorrow and by this time tomorrow they are all drinking the second or third rum punch.

I'll hopefully close this migration of humanity next Saturday. Now I am getting nervous. Before I'll know it time will be here and I constantly worry about not forgetting something.

I am not such a savvy traveler who can just grab a suitcase, stuff some things in it and go. I always worry about what did I forget.

One time I forgot to bring my cell phone charger to the island. It was a good thing that there was a Radio Shack nearby so I could buy one.

At two other occasions I forgot to pack my pajamas. Once in Hungary and once on the island. Each time we had to go out and look for a "pajama store". Luckily -for me- we found one.

A very good friend of mine who travels four or five times a year and should know what to take by heart still prepares a checklist and uses that for packing.

I just go through it in my mind and hope that I'll remember everything that is important.

Leaving from home is the difficult part because that's when I always wonder what did I forget. Coming back is easy. All the drawers must be empty and then it's O.K.

Unless major shopping is done because then one realizes that stuff don't fit as well as it did earlier.

So, what is to be learned from this? Don't shop!