general gettin' ready

My brain has been so fixated on the 'to air canada or not to air canada' issue, I haven't really thought about anything else.  But we leave in two weeks today so it's time.  

Money:  

Austria and Slovakia are both in the European Union so they take Euros.  But Hungary and Czech Republic are not.  They take Forint and Koruna respectively.   1 CAD:262 HUF for Forint.   1 CAD: 17 CZK for Koruna.  I bought $100 CAD of each so we have some ready cash for first day taxis, tips.  I already have some Euros left over from my Colombia hotel refund debacle.  (Which I realize now I did not mention in my blog.  My last hostel overcharged me and gave me the difference in a combo of US dollars and Euros).    

Plugs. 

Hungary takes C or F.  Austria takes F.  Czech Republic takes E.  Slovakia takes E.  If the google-verse isn't lying to me, F & E are interchangeable.  Now I just have to find that specific plug adaptor in the depths of my 'travel bin'.  

Transportation (Canada): 

We are now leaving from Vancouver airport so we need to get there. I had to learn how to use the Vancouver transit system to get to Las Vegas.  I got there so I'm going to ignore that 'wrong direction' incident on the sky train and call it a success and therefore I'm an expert. I ordered two compass cards to be delivered in the next few days.  

Hmm, what else? Packing.  Not yet.  I'll get back to you on that.  

--- a few days later ---

Compass cards have arrived. 

I have done no additional 'gettin' ready' activities.  I am in the process (with Lea's invaluable assistance) of clearing out my bedroom.  All of the 'unsorted' stuff from my bedroom is on the bed in the other bedroom, which is normally my staging area for packing.  That has to be dealt with before I get to the next stage of 'gettin' ready'.  

Some Air Canada strike news.  "Air Canada is finalizing plans to suspend most of its operations, likely beginning Sunday".  That's Sunday, September 15.  We leave on September 18.   I am torn between being happy that they are going to strike and justifying that we made the right decision and being unhappy for the rest of AC's victims.  

I'll sign off on this one and start fresh if I ever get going on packing.  Morning of...?  Hopefully not.