Today I’ve been getting ready for my trip to Strasbourg, France over this next week to visit my friend O. Packing is one of my least favourite activities. My brain goes into overdrive contingency planning mode, not wanting to forget anything. It’s not so much clothes as it is toiletries, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and other miscellaneous stuff. I use checklists so that it’s not all whirling around in my head, but it still takes time to assemble everything. With toiletries and pharmaceuticals, it’s a matter of refilling travel size shampoo / conditioner / toothpaste / etc. and trying not to forget anything (I usually mentally go through my morning routine to double check). Electronics require recharging, swapping out international adaptors, etc. And then there is the dreaded iPhone backup. I rarely back up my phone except before I’m about to go on a trip, and it always takes forever and/or something has changed in the settings or operating system to make it more complicated. Then there are other random necessities like my travel CPAP, and of course now, facemasks.
In addition to my negative test result (which I received via email late last night), I have to fill out a declaration form as part of the COVID-19 protocols for entry into France stating that I haven’t exhibited any symptoms nor come in contact with anyone else who has. And for my re-entry into Ireland, I have to complete a “passenger locator” form as I did for my arrival in October. I’m flying into Frankfurt, Germany and then connecting to Strasbourg via Lufthansa’s shuttle bus service, which my friend O has used many times. Thankfully since I’m only passenger in transit through Germany, I don’t have to worry about any of their registration requirements.
I’m pretty sure all of this paperwork can be shown via smart phone to the authorities, but just in case, yesterday I decided to invest in a compact, inexpensive laser printer so that I can carry hard copies of everything with me. I find a model made by Brother that costs less than €100 at Argos, which with its Service Merchandise approach of ordering what you want and then picking it up at a collection point makes it a relatively painless transaction. What I didn’t realise until I get it home is that Brother apparently no longer includes a USB connection cable in the box, and the model I purchased doesn’t have WiFi. How annoying! So today I head back out to Currys PC World (a computer/electronics chain store similar to a Best Buy but smaller) that has the cable I need according to their website. The store is located in Jervis Centre mall, the same place where Argos is located, and while I’m out I also pick up a few other things. In particular, I want to get a “Thank You” card for neighbor Irene, who left a Christmas card and a box of cookies (“biscuits”) attached to my door. I still haven’t seen her since the two sightings in one week way back in early November.
It’s a cold, windy day in Dublin. I try out a heavier winter coat I purchased from Macy’s in SF before my departure. It’s insulated and water resistant, so it seems like the best choice for Strasbourg given the forecast of temperatures around freezing, and possibly even some snow. There are still plenty of post-Christmas shoppers out, and noticeably, a lot of young people, some of whom are whipping around the pedestrian walkways on electric scoots and bikes.
View of the Liffey looking west: