Sitting in the DMV

So yesterday I spent almost an hour sitting in the DMV (Department of Motor Vehicles) waiting to get my new driver's license. I came in, showed the lady my ID, took a number and sat. And sat. And sat. I forgot to take a book, and so I spent my time looking at people, checking my number over and over to see if it was on the flashing board yet, and reading the signs in the room again and again.

What I learned: Make sure you take a book with you to the DMV, or at least your iPod.

Eventually (35 minutes later) they called my number. I walked up to counter #1 and told the guy I needed to update my address and get a new license. He reminded me that I could just update it in the system for free, but I told him that the Indian Consulate would probably not accept my license with the new address written on the back in Sharpie®, so I'd pay the $10.00 for a new one. I gave him my ticket and my license, as well as my new address. I had to look in the vision tester and read the letters, name the colors and numbers, and see the flashing lights. I passed the test. He asked me if I wanted to remain an organ donor. I said, "Yes" and wrote him a check for $10.00. As he took it I asked if he wanted to see my license, which was funny because he already had it. Ha ha, I'm hilarious.

After taking my money, he handed me my ticket and old license and told me to go take a seat. Within a few minutes, the picture guy called my name. I went over there, smiled a dorky smile, and the guy took my picture. A minute later, a paper copy of my license, complete with new address and dorky picture, came out of the machine and he handed it to me. It's my temporary license, and my regular one should come within 30 days.  When it arrives, I'll send all my info to the consulate for my visa. I can't wait! I am now one step closer to India.

Be good!

More Duct Tape Adventures: Luggage Tags

So, I decided that, since I am newly enamored of Duck brand Duct tape, I would make some cool luggage tags for me and my guys.   I used duct tape and more clear box tops to make some nifty tags following these steps:

1. Make some sheets of tape in the colors you want.









2. Cut out two pieces of sheet approximately 3.5 " x 4".
I didn't measure precisely.

3. Put one piece aside. This is the top cover of your tag.
I put a card on top of the bottom sheet to measure and see how it fit.

4. Cut a piece of plastic a little bigger than a business card.

5. Tape the bottom edge with a tiny strip of matching/coordinating tape.

6. Tape the sides of the plastic to the sides of the bottom sheet of duct tape using a matching/coordinating strip of tape. (If you cut a strip into thirds the long way, that will usually suffice.)

7. Slip in the address of your destination. I used a personal "calling card," as it has my address and phone number on it. I turned it over and wrote the address of Raja's parents on the other side. I'll use that side traveling to India, and the other side (with my address) when returning from India...so the airlines know where to send my luggage should they "misplace" it.

8. Place the cover over the top of the address. you can tape it together, if you wish. I drew a couple of dots, because I am going to use brads (metal fasteners) to connect the two sheets together.

9. Decorate the cover. You can use more tape, Sharpies, or whatever.

Five down, a bunch more to go... but no more tonight: I'm exhausted!

Challenge: Make some luggage tags for your own, which reflect your personality or your destination!

Until we meet again, be good!

My Awesome Passport Wallet

I just thought I would show you the awesome passport wallet I made. I'll also tell you how I made it.
I forgot to take pictures as I went (sorry) but I'll try to explain as best I can.  I'm also going to make some luggage tags for me, Raja, Monkey, and the Man Cub, so I'll post step by steps for that.

1. First, I chose the colors I wanted. Duck brand Duct tape comes in tons of bright colors. You can get it at Michaels or through the Duck Tape website. I chose bright, pretty colors: aqua blue, purple, neon green, yellow, and blue/purple tie-dye.

2. I drew my design out on graph paper to see what it might look like, and how it would go together. I drew out the pieces, cut them out, and made a practice wallet out of paper. Turns out it was way too small. I measured around my passport, my driver's license, etc. to see what size it needed to be. I drew the pieces out again, in the correct size, on graph paper. The new wallet is actually a bit big, but that's okay, because then I will be sure to have enough room for all of my documentation, plane tickets, etc.

3. I made my first sheet of duct tape. To do this, you cut a long piece of tape and place it, sticky side up on the table. Then you take another long strip and stick it, sticky side down, about halfway down, at the middle of the last strip. When you turn it over, there should now be about half a strip of sticky duct tape at the bottom. Rip another strip of duct tape, and place it slightly overlapping the first piece of duct tape, and covering the sticky side of the last piece, with about half the new piece exposed when you turn the tape over again. This site , which shows how to make a regular duct tape wallet, shows how to make the sheets. The sheets are everything. You will make several, and then tape them together to create the finished product.  Because I wanted a multi colored wallet, I made a sheet of tape that was purple on one side and aqua on the other, a sheet that was aqua on one side and tie-dye on the other, and a sheet that was yellow on one side and green on the other.  Using these three sheets, I created my entire wallet.

4. Once all the sheets were made, I cut a 13 1/2" x 4 3/4" piece of the purple/blue sheet.  I folded it over so there was an approx.  5 3/4" wallet with a  2 " flap on top.  I opened it up, and on the top half (from the bottom of the flap to the middle fold) I taped two "wings" (5 3/4" x 2 1/2") to the sides, using tape that matched the respective sides.

5. I then took a sheet of blue/tie-dye that was twice the width and the same length as the blue/purple sheet. I folded it over to make a pocket and taped it on 3 sides to the blue/purple sheet, creating two long pockets, one aqua, one tie-dye. I had to be careful when I taped it (with more aqua tape) as I had to tape part of it closed, and part of it to the bottom (or right hand, depending on how you're holding it) "wing" of the wallet.

6. Now came the tougher bits.  I took my driver's license and traced around it using a non-permanent marker on a sheet of yellow/green tape.  I drew a "frame" around it, and then cut out the frame.  (It looked like a rectangle with a smaller rectangle cut out of the middle.) On the back side I taped a rectangle of clear, stiff plastic I cut from the top of a greeting card box (although you could use a transparency sheet or even a page protector, any clear, sturdy plastic)  Then I taped the part I cut out to make the frame onto the back, just at the bottom, to hold my driver's license in place. I made sure I wiped off all the pen so it looked nice.

7. In addition, I cut some slightly smaller rectangles of yellow/green tape, and folded them into little "pockets " to hold credit cards, etc.  I folded one rectangle at a time,  always unevenly, to allow the card to peek out the top of the pocket and to allow each one to be seen. I taped these together on the back, and then attached them to the top/right hand side of the wallet with aqua duct tape. At the bottom I attached the I.D. holder, taping it on the sides, but leaving it loose at the bottom. Also, I had to be careful and remember not to tape the passport/money pockets together!

8. I made a little change purse out of the yellow/green tape sheet as well, and attached it to the bottom/left hand side of the wallet, using yellow tape to trim it/tape it on, and then edging it in blue again to match it and neathen the lines.

9. underneath the I.D. frame, I attached a loop made from purple/blue sheet (just to shake things up a bit.) I could put a pen in there (but I found the wallet doesn't really want to close, then) but I really added it so I could thread the cord through it and hang the wallet from my neck.

10. The last thing I did was add velcro "buttons." I put two on the flap of the change purse. Then I put one on the inner bottom corner of each of the "wings" to hold them in. I put one on the front top side of each of the wings so that the bottom of the wallet could fold up and attach. Last, I added three to the flap of the wallet so it can fold over and attach to the bottom flap that was just folded up.

It sounds really complicated, but since I made a paper model, it wasn't that bad. Here are some photos of the finished product. I think I am still going to add some decoration to the outside, but that will have to wait until later. I'm tired!

Here is what the wallet looks like, closed.

Here it is with the top velcro opened.

                                                          Here you can see the pockets.




And here is the finished product. TA-DAAAA!

I think it's pretty cool! What do you think?

Challenge: Make a duct tape project of your own. Make a wallet, passport cover, coin purse, or other item that will be useful on your trip!

See you soon! Until then, be good!

Health Concerns: Preparing for Overseas Travel

As I mentioned in my last post, there are many health concerns a person has to consider when she travels overseas. Different germs, bacteria, and other things that occur naturally in one country don't exist in another. That's why a local won't get sick from drinking the water, but you might!


Speaking of water, it's a good idea not to drink the tap water in lots of foreign countries, including ones near the U.S., like Mexico. That means not dreaking it in anything either, like ice, iced tea, lemonade, mixed drinks, shakes, icees, snowcones...and what fun is that?  Sometimes the water used to wash vegetables can even make you sick. I've read that it's best to use bottled water to brush your teeth, too, and be careful not to swallow your shower water! Of course, some areas will be cleaner than others, but most of the main waterways in India are horribly polluted with sewage, chemicals from factories, and other stuff we don't want to even think about (come on, isn't "sewage" bad enough?)


On top of this, people who care for the environment will tell you that in India (and many other countries), they haven't figured out very good ways to deal with their garbage problem, and they're not quite up to where we are with recycling so....drinking a lot of bottled water can really add to the problem! What does an earth-loving traveler do, then? Well, I have read about this really cool thing called a Steripen, which is an ultraviolet light that you stick in water, and it kills all of the bad microbes! If you look on the site (just click on the word "Steripen" above) you can even find a list (under "water facts/ glossary") explaining all of the gross things that could live in your water. It's both interesting, and very disgusting.


A travel sized Steripen costs about $60-$70, depending on what style you buy (the smaller one is more expensive. Go figure!) However, it's much better than getting sick. No one likes vomiting or diarrhea. Seriously.


Ouch! It's Not Fair!


Before I go to India, I am going to have to get several vaccinations. For those of you who don't already know, that means shots. Luckily, I'm not afraid of needles (I have three tattoos!)


I have made an appointment with my nurse practitioner for next Tuesday. When I see her I am going to ask her about vaccinations for the following:


DPT (diptheria-pertussis-tetanus): This is one of those basic 3-in-1 shots we all get when we are kids, and then we are supposed to get a "booster" shot every 10 years or so. I think I had my last one at age 16 or so. Time for an update. Diptheria and pertussis (whooping cough) are lung infections (like colds gone terribly wrong) and are very contagious. Tetanus is the one I'm most concerned about. This is the infection you can get in an open cut or wound, like if you step on a piece of glass or a rusty nail. It's better to be safe than sorry, don't you think?


Typhoid: This disease is spread through contaminated food or water. It's especially bad during monsoon season (September-December), but I'll get it just in case.


Hepatitis A: Hep. A is caused by contaminated food or water. It is not as dangerous as Hepatitis B or C, but it is probably more common. Two shots will last 10 years.


Hepatitis B: Hep. B is dangerous. You get it from exposure to bodily fluids. One of the ways you could get it in India would be if you have to get a blood transfusion. That's not likely, but I was planning to get this vaccine anyway, as I am sometimes exposed to bodily fluids while working with kids (eeewwwwww.) The vaccine is given over 6 months. There are 3 different shots. It's not likely I'll have had the whole series by the time I go, but at least I'll be on my way to being well vaccinated for my next trip.


A Spoonful of Sugar...


"Helps the medicine go down, " Mary Poppins said.  I think it pretty much helps anything taste better, but then, I'm a sugar fiend.


I am going to have to get prescriptions filled for my regular medications so I can take them with me. I take medicine for my asthma, for example. Along with my meds, I am also taking copies of the prescriptions my doctor wrote. She told me that it is not difficult to get in to see a doctor in India, nor would it be terribly difficult (or expensive) to get prescriptions filled. That's good to know, in case I somehow lost my medicine.


Another thing I need to ask for is pills to prevent malaria. What is that? Well...


Malaria is a blood-borne infectious disease naturally transmitted by the bite of a female Anopheles mosquito. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken, which contains malaria parasites. These develop within the mosquito, and about one week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, the parasites are injected with the mosquito's saliva into the person being bitten. After a period of between two weeks and several months (occasionally years) spent in the liver, the malaria parasites start to multiply within red blood cells, causing symptoms that include fever and headache. In severe cases, the disease worsens, leading to coma and death. (source: Wikipedia)

Now, that doesn't sound good! Even when it's not monsoon season, there are a lot of mosquitoes in Southern India. So bug repellent and anti-malaria pills, here I come! Now as long as I don't get bitten by a poisonous snake, I'm okay...

Questions/Challenges
1. Would the possibility of becoming sick prevent you from traveling somewhere you wanted to go? What could convince you that it was worth taking the risk?
2. Explore some of the health risks of the place you would like to visit. Explain how you might prepare for such risks. What are some of the things you could do to prevent yourself from becoming ill?
3. Make a list of all the things you need to stay healthy in the place you are going. What would be in your first-aid kit?
4. Act out a visit to the Doctor to get your vaccinations. What questions would you ask? What might the doctor say?

Enjoy your assignment, stay healthy, and be good!

Planning: Lodging

When you are planning a trip, the "getting there" is only the first step. You also have to plan where you are going to stay when you get there. Some people stay with friends or relatives, at a hotel or a youth hostel, or even rent a house or apartment. 

Lodging Options 

Stay with Friends or Family: This is usually the cheapest option, if you have friends or family living at your destination. We will be staying with Raja's parents, which is very nice. Indian families consider hospitality to be very important, and usually take good care of their guests. If you do stay with friends or family, it's good to remember that you are staying in someone else's home, and to be kind, careful, helpful, and polite.  Because this is hard sometimes, especially when you just want to relax and have fun, some people find it easier NOT to stay with family or friends.

Youth Hostel: Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, sometimes a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available. Hostels are generally cheaper for both the operator and the occupants; many hostels have long-term residents whom they employ as desk clerks or housekeeping staff in exchange for free accommodation.

In a few countries, such as the UK, Ireland, India, and Australia, the word hostel sometimes also refers to establishments providing longer-term accommodation where the hostels are sometimes run by Housing Associations and charities. In the rest of the world, the word hostel refers only to properties offering accommodation to travelers or backpackers.

(From Wikipedia )

Hotel: A hotel is a nice option if you are only going to stay somewhere for a few days, want privacy, and have some money. The nice thing about India is that there are some decent (if modest) hotels that don't cost a lot of money. I have researched prices in Northern India and have found nice, well recommended hotels  (like the Hotel Pearl Palace See it Here) for as little as $15.00 USD (dollars) per night. You can stay in very expensive 5-star spa hotels in India, too, which are packed full of every luxury. They can be very expensive, up to $5,000 USD per night. A slide show of the most glamorous and expensive hotel rooms in India can be found here: Fancy Pantsy

House or Apartment: There are programs and arrangements where people actually trade houses or apartments for vacation purposes. For example, I would go stay in someone's house in Madrid, Spain while her family comes and stays in my house in Seattle, Washington. You can also look into renting a place in the town you're visiting, especially if you are staying for several months. I found a fully furnished 2-bedroom house advertised in Chennai with kitchen, hall, dining/study room and all the modern conveniences (including 24-hr water...a real selling point!) advertised for 17, 500 rupees a month. That's about $395.00 USD. The average rent for a modern 2-bedroom house in Seattle is $1,085 per month (about $100.00 less than for a 2-bedroom apartment there. Strange, huh?) 

Questions/Challenges:

1. Is it important what kind of place you stay in when you travel? Why? What amenities ("comforts of home") do you want to have in your lodgings?

2. If money were no object, how much would you want to spend on lodging? Where would you stay? What if you were on a tight budget?

3. In planning your trip, research the types of lodging available in the area/s you plan to visit. Choose where you would like to stay. Keep in mind your other needs, such as distance from and need for transportation to and from sights and activities, the cost/availability of dining, comfort, who you are sharing your space with, and (of course) your budget.