28 Dec 08 ~ Departure and Lessons Learned

Shuttle to the airport at 5:30a local although my flight doesn't leave until 8:30a.  Cold, or whatever it has been in my throat this week, finally hit the hardest today.

Connecting flight on Czech Air in Prague, and made it just as it was boarding.  Enough empty seats that everyone could spread out and I tried to get some sleep.

Landed at JFK, got through customs, with no issues then caught my connecting flight to Atlanta.  So glad I made a hotel reservation at the Holiday Inn Select instead of trying to fly back to Florida right away.  Was supposed to meet my brother for dinner, but he backed out.  Probably a good thing.  I feel like ca-ca and am exhausted.

29 Dec 08

It was such a good idea to stay the night.  I woke up feeling more alive than I had in 36 hours.  By the time I got to the hotel yesterday, I had been on the move for more than 24 hours.  

The doctor when I got home confirmed that I had a sinus and double ear infections.  Knocked me off my feet the rest of the week.

Notes and Lessons for future international travel:

• If possible, avoid adding more flights than necessary ~ like from Budapest to Prague ~ and take a train between cities and countries so that I just have one long overseas flight.  Add a day/night if must at both ends of the trip and explore a new city.
• Triple up on immunity boosters one month before any trip that will be more than a 3-hour flight away.
• Pack cold medicines and cough drops since it may be hard to find them local.
• Continue to take vitamins and immunity boosters every day of the trip.
• Minerals makeup is my new fav travel makeup, just remember to pack a good eye shadow brush.
• Bring hair clips or headbands for options on dressier dinner nights.
• Pack a mini magnifying mirror.
• Plan a night at a hotel when coming back on a flight of 8+ hours before catching a connecting flight home, or making a long drive.  Rest, Rest, Rest!
• Double-check hotel alarm clock is set to the correct AM/PM.  Better yet, rely on my own alarm on my phone or bring a small travel one.