Travels with Monica

Before Leaving

Make sure prescriptions up to date; bring enough for the trip; print a list of meds to bring along

Back up computers

Pay bills

Place jewelry in bank’s safety deposit box

Arrange for a pet sitter (or someone to stay at the house)

Call credit card companies and inform them of travel dates and which towns you'll be visiting

Stop mail, stop newspaper (or have neighbor or dog sitter take care of this)

Leave copy of itinerary with neighbor, dog sitter, or family member

If you park your car at the airport, remove garage remote control and driver’s registration card

Instruct family members how to contact you on the cruise ship in case of emergency

Appointments: Hair, manicure/pedicure, Dr's appointments

Water plants and/or arrange for care

Turn off water

Clean out refrigerator of perishables; take out all trash

Adjust heating or a/c in home

Withdraw some cash. Get some euros in advance (I always bring home about 200 euros from a trip to save for the next trip and to avoid having to find an ATM at the airport)

Set cell phone up for international calling

Set timers for lights

Last-minute laundry; change bed sheets (I like to come home to a fresh-made bed)

Take a photo of your luggage and email to self. Do the same for any camera gear or electronics

Make copies of passport, driver’s license, emergency contact information, overseas phone numbers, etc. Keep copies as PDFs on your Smartphone, tablet, or email account.

For those who have home security systems, I always call the security company and let them know the dates that we would be away, and whoever might have a key to be entering the house, i.e. to water plants or whatever.

Packing

Prepare packing list and organize what you want to bring

Luggage locks, luggage tags; copy of itinerary in luggage

Pack bubble wrap for ceramics or other breakables that you might purchase; large zip lock bags

Gather all camera and electronic equipment (spare batteries, chargers, memory cards, etc.)

Charge all electronics

Organize wallet/purse and bring only what’s needed

Hotels/Airlines/Car Rental

Check in for airline(s)

Print out airline boarding passes, car rental, and hotel reservations

Re-confirm airline flights and transportation to hotel

Re-confirm hotel reservations

Purchase international driver’s license, if applicable

For the cruise/On-board the ship

Cruise on-line check-in, print cruise tickets, print luggage tags

Register for the Meet & Greets

Print out roll call and name tags

Make specialty dining reservations

Print itinerary and in-cabin calendar

For the ports

Re-confirm private tours with tour operators

If you organize a tour, confirm with your participants

Print and bring tour confirmation emails

Pack guidebook and/or town maps

Print any port documents collected

Best of Japan Website Links for Cruisers

21 January 2023

I found out today that Shutterfly is shutting down their Share Sites. I have been using their site for years collecting travel information for my cruises and travels. I have until mid March to move my files, links, and photos.

I will try to store everything on my blog page, Travels with Monica

These links are for my Best of Japan Cruise Links for 2024:

Roll call on CC

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2830775-celebrity-millennium-%E2%80%93-march-28-2024-12-night-best-of-southern-japan/#comment-62641868

Japan/Tokyo/Kamakura

https://livejapan.com/en/article-a0001033/ Cherry Blossom Forecast 2023
https://www.planetware.com/japan-tourism-vacations-jpn.htm
https://asiatravelbug.com/
https://www.gotokyo.org/en/index.html
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/tokyo-jpn-kn-t.htm
https://www.treksplorer.com/24-hours-in-tokyo-japan-culture-lovers/
https://asiatravelbug.com/blog/where-to-stay-in-tokyo-first-time-best-area-family/

Yokohama
https://www.yokohamajapan.com/
https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/yokohama
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions/japan-jpn.htm
https://www.treksplorer.com/one-day-in-yokohama-itinerary/
https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2156.html

Shimizu
https://www.shoreexcursions.asia/japan/shimizu-tours/
https://www.japan.travel/en/spot/1301/
https://gowithguide.com/blog/places-to-visit-near-shimizu-port-3351

Mt. Fuji
https://www.japan.travel/en/fuji-guide/

Osaka & Kyoto
https://www.treksplorer.com/one-day-in-osaka-itinerary/
treksplorer.com/one-day-in-kyoto-itinerary/
https://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/kyoto-jpn-ks-kyo.htm

Kochi
https://visitkochijapan.com/en/see-and-do

Kagoshima
https://www.whatsinport.com/Kagoshima.htm
https://www.japan-experience.com/all-about-japan/kagoshima
japan-guide.com/e/e4600.html
https://asianwanderlust.com/en/kagoshima-japan/

Okinawa:
https://www.japan.travel/en/destinations/okinawa/okinawa/naha-and-the-main-island/
https://visitokinawajapan.com/
https://jw-webmagazine.com/things-to-do-in-okinawa/
https://www.planetware.com/japan/best-beaches-in-okinawa-jpn-1-20.htm

Fukuoka:

https://www.planetware.com/japan/fukuoka-jpn-ky-fuku.htm

Korea:
https://www.koreaonlinevisa.com/
https://www.visitjeju.net/en

Itinerary
Day 1, Thu, Mar 28, 2024 TOKYO (YOKOHAMA), JAPAN Departs: 7:00PM
Day 2, Fri, Mar 29, 2024 MT FUJI (SHIMIZU), JAPAN Docked: 7:00AM to 3:00PM
Day 3, Sat, Mar 30, 2024 KYOTO (OSAKA), JAPAN Arrival: 12:00PM
Day 4, Sun, Mar 31, 2024 KYOTO (OSAKA), JAPAN Departs: 6:00PM
Day 5, Mon, Apr 1, 2024 KOCHI, JAPAN Docked: 7:00AM to 6:00PM
Day 6, Tue, Apr 2, 2024 AT SEA
Day 7, Wed, Apr 3, 2024 OKINAWA, JAPAN Docked: 7:00AM to 8:00PM
Day 8, Thu, Apr 4, 2024 AT SEA
Day 9, Fri, Apr 5, 2024 FUKUOKA, JAPAN Docked: 7:00AM to 5:00PM
Day 10, Sat, Apr 6, 2024 JEJU ISLAND, SOUTH KOREA Docked: 8:00AM to 4:00PM
Day 11, Sun, Apr 7, 2024 KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN Docked: 10:00AM to 6:00PM
Day 12, Mon, Apr 8, 2024 AT SEA
Day 13, Tue, Apr 9, 2024 TOKYO (YOKOHAMA), JAPAN Arrival: 7:30AM

Tuesday, June 29, 2021

North Carolina

It's been ages since I last blogged. Time to post some pohtos. DH and I moved from Maryland to the Wilmington area last May 2020. I'm loving being near the ocean and away from the snow season. I've had the opportunity to photograph a variety of birds and other subjects.

Monday, April 13, 2020

"Wall of Shame"

Cambridge Maryland sits along the Choptank River. There is a small street downtown that dead-ends at a short seawall. It is infamously known by photographers as, “The Wall of Shame,” because it’s almost too easy to get some great shots of waterfowl.

From about December to March, there are hundreds and hundreds of wintering waterfowl. You can see Canvasbacks, Scaups, American Wigeons, Buffleheads, Mallards, Ruddy Ducks, etc.

Photographers will bring dried corn to feed the ducks, looking to get some good action and flying shots. Toss the corn and ducks may fly towards you. Spend some time there and you may get some good shots too.

Photos taken January 2020.

My other Waterfowl Photographs: https://www.pileggiphotography.com/Wildlife/A-Variety-of-Ducks/

Sunday, April 12, 2020

Articles I've written

In 2009, I started to write articles for an online site called ItalianNotebook.com. When the website was active, people could sign up for a daily email about all things Italy. There were different categories: Places, events, food and wine, Art, local interest, etc.

Italy is one of my favorite places to visit, so I enjoyed writing articles for the website.

I didn’t get paid, but I was able to showcase my photography.

Here’s a link to all of my articles.

http://www.italiannotebook.com/author/mjpileggi/

People are not traveling these days due to the virus. I'm hoping my articles will bring back some of your travel memories.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Haliae, a Bald Eagle with Transmitter

6 December 2017:

Wow, it's been over a year since I last blogged. Where does the time go? I was busy with work (no more, as I retired this past July), traveling (New England in fall 2016 – CT, ME, MA; Viking river cruise in April 2017 – Budapest to Passau followed by a week in Prague; and a week in Southern Tuscany Italy before going on a transatlantic cruise in October 2017); and of course, always being active with my photography.

Last month at Conowingo Dam in Maryland, I was photographing bald eagles. While editing photos the next day, I noticed one eagle had a transmitter on its back.

A friend of mine told me about a New Jersey organization that has banded eagles. I contacted the biologist at the Conserve Wildlife Foundation and learned more about this beautiful Eagle.

This is Haliae. She was banded and fitted with a transmitter back in 2013. Haliae is going into her fifth year. The biologist was very excited about the news and photographs.

I was told that CWF is following three eagles with transmitters. You can track any of the three eagles from this link. Click on Haliae's name and current year/month to see where she's hanging out. http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/protecting/eagle-trax/

In my photos (http://www.pileggiphotography.com/Animals/Eagle-with-Transmitter-17-November-2017/) you can see a part of her harness that is loose. The biologist hopes that the transmitter won’t fall off so they can continue to track Haliae.

You can read the CWF blog about Haliae and their bald eagle project: http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/blog/2017/12/06/new-jersey-2017-bald-eagle-project-report/

I will check up on Haliae often to see where she's been. I hope she lives a long, wonderful life.

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Photos from the Great Frederick Fair

Tony and went to the fair on 23 September 2016.

Here are a few photos from that evening, including a link to all of them: http://www.pileggiphotography.com/MarylandScenes/The-Great-Frederick-Fair-23/.

Photos from the Great Frederick Fair

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Loys Station Covered Bridge

I took these the other night (21 Sep 2016):

The rest are on my web site:
http://www.pileggiphotography.com/MarylandScenes/Loys-Station-Covered-Bridge/

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Photo Challenge: New Market Maryland

17 September 2016: This is the second photo challenge I participated in with the local photography club. (You can scroll down to the 26 August 2016 to read about the first challenge and the rules).

The group was small this time, just four of us. We spent a couple of hours in New Market photographing the town and incorporating three selected words into our photos: Circles, Antiques, and Signs.

While taking my pictures, I would swap out with my own memory card so I could keep my pictures.

These are the three I submitted.

Voting will begin soon.

Here's the link to all of the photos I took: http://www.pileggiphotography.com/MarylandScenes/New-Market-Maryland/

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Sunflowers!

5 September 2016:

I recently discovered (via Facebook) a sunflower festival that's held each September in Monkton, MD. Unfortunately the tickets sold out very quickly and I won't be able to go. I decided to visit the fields on my week day off, as another friend/photographer stated the weekends would be crazy with tons of visitors.

I met up with my friend Debra who lives only 15 minutes away from the fields. My drive took me about an hour and 20 minutes.

The fields are located on the corner of MD-146 and Hess Road. Across the street is Royal Farms (good for a bathroom break, bottled, water, and snacks).

We met at 7am just before the sun came up. There were a dozen cars already in the area parked along the side of the road.

Before us was a gorgeous sea of yellow!! Two million sunflowers were in bloom on 100 acres of land. From what I understand, crops are rotated, so next year, they may be in different fields.

Debra and I spent a couple of hours photographing the flowers, along with bees and butterflies. It was certainly a spectacular sight to see.

You can view the rest of my photographs here:

http://www.pileggiphotography.com/MarylandScenes/Sunflowers/

Welcome!

TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY, FOOD...

Travel: I love to travel! It's a huge passion of mine. I've been to many places, yet have many more to venture off to. I love to cruise too.

I also enjoy helping others plan their trips. My blog page contains my trip journals, hotel and restaurant information, port links for various cruise itineraries that I’ve been on, and various travel tips.

Photography: Ever since I was young, I have had a camera in hand. I have a few cameras and lenses, along with lots of extra gear. For my birding, I'm using my Nikon D500 and Nikon 200-500mm lens. For traveling, I've lightened up the load and have the Fujifilm X-T3.

Food: I enjoy trying all sorts of foods from around the world.

So take a ride with me as I discover new places, sights, and foods.

Contact me with your questions or comments via Email or post a comment on my blog page.

Saturday, January 21, 2023