Hope

Today I had a therapeutic message. Forty-five minutes of mashing and pushing on my muscles. It hurt. However, now I feel better than I have in months. She recommend a visit to a chiropractor, and that will occur tomorrow at 3 pm.

Will I be able to play golf pain free in Scotland? I dare not answer that question in the affirmative. However I can hope. I have another visit with her on Wednesday of next week. Keep your fingers crossed.

What do I plan to pack?

Passport

Info about tee times, housing, etc. What’s been paid already, what hasn’t. 

Info about flights

I foresee a small binder or folder with a pocket for this stuff.

Small road atlas of Scotland

iPhone, charger, adapter

moleskine book for journal and a pen and pencil

Book for the airport, perhaps “The Big Three and Me”

Sta inflatable travel pillow

Camera

(This will all be in a small personal bag, i.e. back pack)

As it’s a golf trip....

1 set golf clubs in a golf bag in a travel bag

1 rain suit

1 pair golf shoes

18 golf balls (maybe less)

1 golf umbrella

The rain suit will serve several purposes. I’ll wear it in the unlikely event of rain. I’m seriously thinking about wearing the rain suit trousers as the pants I wear for golf (they'll already be on if it rains, plus I'll save on trouser use).  I think the rain jacket will serve as my primary light jacket. 

3 short sleeve golf shirts 

5 undershirts

2 long sleeve knit turtle neck shirts

1 long sleeve button down shirt

1 sweater vest

1 pullover fleece, or one of these: http://www.budgetgolf.com/FootJoy-Performance-Half-Zip-Lined-Sweater.html   I’ve got to make up my mind soon.

Many cotton briefs

Many pairs of socks

2 khaki trousers - Dockers™ or LLBean™

1 pair of jeans

1 boxer shorts for sleeping

Leather shoes

Sneakers or walking shoes for walking

Toiletries Kit (that includes)

Razor

Shaving cream (small travel can)

Deodorant (small travel size)

Shampoo (small travel size)

Tums

Motrin

Prescription medications

Toothbrush

Toothpaste (small travel size)

The time is near at hand!

There was a time when the waiting period for this trip was measured in years. Over the 12-months I've counted the months. More recently I've been counting the weeks and now I'm counting the days! (15-left, to be precise).

While I have a down moment I want to take some time to share a few simple and (fairly) common sense trave-tips to keep in mind as we approach departure and make our final preparations.

1. It's 8:21pm. Do you know where your passport is? If you haven't seen your passport recently, go take it out of it's save storage place, dust it off, have a laugh at the no-doubt terrible photo, and check the expiration date. So long as your passport is exactly where you thought it was, and it's valid (for at least 6-months beyond our anticipated return date) you can stick it back in it's save place and forget about it for the next couple of weeks. On the day of our departure your passport will your single most important posession. The second most important thing on the day of departure is 
2. Money and a way to get more. I never leave for a trip without a hundred dollars or so in (preferably small-denomination) US currency. Exchanging hard currency generally gets you the worst exchange rate so this money isn't meant to fund your trip but you'll want to have some around in case of an emergency (or a sudden pang of patriotism strikes). ATM's abound in the UK and as long as your plastic has a VISA, MASTERCARD, or AMEX logo on it you shouldn't have a problem withdrawing money abroad. If you don't travel frequently notify your primary bank that you'll be spending money overseas to avoid the posiblilty of an annoying and time consuming "security hold" put on your account by a bank looking our for your best interestes.
3. Make sure you have your essential travel documents. In the age of e-tickes and voucherless confirmations the list of "must have" travel documents is very short. In addion to your passport and moolah, the only things that you must make sure you have before you leave for the airport are perscription drugs, vaccination confirmations (not-relavant for our trip), and proof of onward travel (a copy of your ticket showing that "yes, I'm entering Scotland, but I'm not staying forever, see, here's my ticket." Other good thing to have include proof of travel insurance (or domestic coverage that is valid oversees, and itinerary print outs (D-Lux of ME are you going to email out a final draft before departure?). 
4. After steps 1, 2, and 3 are taken care of, you'll need to make sure you've packed golf equipment (clubs, balls) and appropriate clothes. Don't stress too much about packing. Realize on the way to the airport that you forgot to pack your umbrella? Guess what, they sell umbrella's in Scotland (no sht). Sure you may shell out a bit more money if you pick up a golf umbrella at St Andrews, but on the bright side, you now have a golf umbrella from St Andrews! I've said it before and I'll say it again "pack half as much stuff and bring twice as much money as you think you'll need." Assuming you've taken care of the above things I have only two more suggestions for easing the hassle that is the travel part of traveling. 
5. Hurry up and wait. Go to the airport with more time than you think you'll need. Sitting around waiting at the airport isn't particularly fun but it's a hell of a lot better than trying to run through a crowded airport with all your things in tow praying for a mechanical delay so that you don't miss your flight to Europe. Think they'll hold the plane for you? Unlikely. Take my advice and go an extra half hour earlier than you think is necessary. 
6. My final piece of advice is not unrelated to the last suggestion. It is, quite simply, be patient. Travel is exhausting. It's a series of tests to patience and endurance. It's cramped stuffy seats with recirculated air bad food and noisy babies you can't block out even with top-knotch noise-canceling technology. At the end of all the flights its long customs lines, people bumping into you, speaking languages (or accents) you don't understand, and a whole heaping of chaos. If you feel your patience running thin close your eyes, take a deep breath, think about where we're going and what we are accomplishing, exhale, and relax. 

Watch out Scotland, here we come. 

-DLux of DC

Update on the back

As the time for departure is rapidly approaching, I feel the need to get out and try and get a few holes in whenever possible. Yesterday was sooo bad! 

The weather was amenable today and I could get out, I thought it was prudent to play a few holes. I chose the Kelley nine at Bangor Muni and carried my clubs, that will be the last time for a while. Throughout the round the hamstrings were tight and there was back pain but it was minimal. Though I didn't hit the ball great, it was considerably better than yesterday mostly because my tempo was improved. The chipping and putting was the bright spot. 

At this point in time I suppose I'll be using a trolley for my clubs in Scotland.

That goodness for little things

Today offered up a 9 hole round of golf. I didn't carry the clubs but instead used my walker. The good news is that my back held up. I sat on a couple of benches and stretched my hamstrings, but I got through the round. It was cold, wet under foot and extremely windy. The golf sucked, but my back held up!

Updates

PROGRESS! You may know of my problem with a certain type of shot where, during the swing, the ball makes inadvertent contact with my old friend El Hozel.

I decided to take a different approach than what I've been doing.

1. I went outside, no more simulator. Yes the ground is still frozen. Yes the ground that isn't frozen is saturated with water. Yes it's cold outside.
2. I have been limiting myself to 60 yard shots with a pitching wedge. Short back swing, short follow through.  Still the meetings with the ProV1 and El Hozel were too frequent.
3. Finally, I've focused on keeping my head still AND behind the ball. No more forbidden meetings of ball and hosel, at least today.
4. I've been limiting myself to very few shots at any given time. Today it was only 25, 60-yard shots. With this success I decided to quit before I reverted to bad habits.

BAD NEWS
After only 25 shots and picking up the balls my back hurts. I've made progress in this regard but I still have a ways to go before Scotland. I'll continue to be vigilant in my exercise routines!