Monday, December 29, 2014

Getting ready - random notes #1

From Philip -

**Warner gave us a fantastic report on his Fall 2014 voyage with a focus on his library activities and roles, almost two weeks ago - to ISE (Layne and Anninia), SAS librarians (Jean, Barbie, Jonathan, and non-librarian Deej) - everything he said seemed important with less than a month to go, we gobbled it up, took frantic notes and we asked a lot of questions - which spilled over to lunch with him, more questions and discussions. We're a little more prepared, maybe

**Jonathan completed his SAS Spring 2015 librarians video - which we will use for faculty and student orientation on the ship next week. Have a look at our 3-minute video.
http://youtu.be/js_XPk85eQ0







**Packing, suitcases, bags, what to take? is it too much? too little? does it weigh more than 50 lbs. per bag. Warner responded to Deej's email request just now that he will bring in a 3rd bag for us at work tomorrow.  A dry run indicated Deej's was only 35 lbs, but overflowing; Phil's was not stuffed full but weighed 42 lbs - getting close, so another bag will help.
 
No we will not be taking a real trunk, but collapsible big bags we can keep under our small cabin's beds.

**We have downsized this Christmas with everything going on - our little Christmas tree below.
 
**Final appointment at the Traveler's clinic for my last and 3rd rabies shot; we've collected our malaria, sea sickness, other drugs, and I've gotten a 5 month supply of my regular pills, after going through insurance to get 'vacation overrides.'
 


 **Will Poe also be going on this trip? You betcha. But which one of his icons? large or small or both? All Aboard, Edgar Allan!

**And how about those cold days walking along the Great Wall of China? we certainly need to pack up our thermal underwear and socks, to go along with our heavy coats, scarves, and hats.  Which then we won't need at all, as we travel through the mild and warm Vietnam, Singapore, Burma, India, the clear and warm waters of the Mauritius islands, the summer in South Africa, and the deserts of Namibia and Morocco, and almost (April 295h) to the lovely month of May and spring time in the UK. Happy May Day!
 
That (Ap/May 2015) would be the end of the trip, and this is the end of today's random notes #1.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

First Deej post

From Deej-
I am joining the blog today.What can I say? Still stuff to do. Packing not started yet. I did clean the
fridge so my niece will not die of food poisoning while she house sits. I am mentally at sea right now.

Tell us all of your sea, water, oceanic puns.

Later.....

Friday, December 5, 2014

Springing around the world in 2015

Wow! what can we say! what a great trip, adventure, to sail around the world, not in 80 days, but 128 days. During the Spring 2015.

Here's our main ship, the MV Explorer
http://www.semesteratsea.org/our-ship/

Our voyage takes us from San Diego (7 Jan. 2015) through east Asia, SE Asia, South Asia, South African, Morocco, and to the UK (29 April 2015.  And, actually, we will extend our sea voyage on the Queen Mary 2 from UK (3 May 2015 to NY (10 May 2015) with Amtrak back to where we began, Charlottesville, so we can get back to our library work on the 11th May.
 http://www.semesteratsea.org/voyages/spring-2015/calendar/

I am the Librarian for this Spring 2015 Semester at Sea, with about 630 student and 30 faculty teaching or taking about 90 classes - plus staff and crew.  Deej is sailing too and working with the younger children on board.
Here's Philip and the Semester at Sea Library page
http://guides.lib.virginia.edu/semesteratsea














And students in the library







and Librarian Warner in the library - celebrating the first day of the Fall 2014 Semester at Sea voyage






Well, this is just the first post for this new blog.

Now, what should we pack - both for cold (Japan, China) and then fairly warm weather? In what suitcases? what computers, equipment, cameras, recorders, alarm clocks should we take?

We've got our China and India visas - but need some spare photos for other countries' visas when we get there.

We've got our shots, medical clearance - but what medicines, prescriptions should we take?

What tours or field trips should we sign up for?

Who's going to take care of our house, cars, bills while we're gone?

How will the food be on board, what will our cabin look like?

Wow, around the world in 128 days - so many things to decide, plan for, organize for this great adventure.

We board the ship exactly in a month (5 January 2015 in San Diego).