The Very Simple but ‘Must Know’ Travel List”

As I ready for my trip to northern Spain, where I will join Laura Davis (The Writer’s Journey) and other women to hike, write, and paint along the El Camino trail, I reflect upon the outcomes of other vacations I took this summer. There is cautious hope in my heart that this upcoming journey—one for which I’ve trained for months—is seamless, unmarred by mishap or adversity.

In late June, two of my daughters and their families joined me on a Disney cruise to Alaska. Traveling with four boys under the ages of six is a whole thing in and of itself, even if you’re Grandma Lulu who can retreat to her own cabin. The pricey seven-day adventure had been eagerly anticipated, long in the making. It turns out that it was also an exercise in overstimulation. There was the frantic joy of scheduled meet-and-greets with a wide assortment of exuberant Disney characters. And stuffed with rich food, we attended exquisite theatrical productions featuring familiar tunes from popular Disney movies like Frozen and Moana. At the various ports of call such as Icy Strait, Juneau, and Ketchikan, we witnessed glaciers calving, seals sunbathing atop ice chunks, sled dogs mushing, orcas cruising, and humpback whales breeching. All four boys—their parents, too—were effusive in their glee over these one-of-a-kind shore excursions. But fatigued and emotionally worn out from our full schedule, I witnessed some spectacular meltdowns. 

And no family trip is ever complete without a trip to the ER due to an accident or unexpected health issue. My daughter’s malady necessitated tacking on two extra days at the tail end of the cruise. Consumed with worry, my family and I spent days in inconvenient spaces like hospital waiting areas and hotel rooms short on amenities. In the end, everything turned out okay. My daughter received the care she needed. 

But I returned home voicing a familiar refrain: I need a vacation from my vacation.

Just the right getaway was already inked on my calendar: a weekend with three college sorority sisters to attend a country music festival in panoramic Big Sky, Montana. A weekend away with longtime friends in an idyllic location where we planned to chat and laugh until the wee hours, as well as hike in the gorgeous Western scenery seemed the perfect counterpoint to the craziness of my family’s Alaskan cruise. 

At least that’s what I anticipated when I packed my suitcase and headed to O’Hare in late July. 

I arrived a day in advance of my friends to stock the condo with food and drink. The next day, I picked up the “girls” at the Bozeman airport, and we dined in a trendy, Western eatery and then headed up the mountain to Big Sky. Since everyone had experienced a full day of travel—two friends came from Naples, Florida, and the other from Denver— we were mindful to hydrate and kept the cork on the wine bottles. About three in the morning, I heard a loud noise in the bathroom, and when my roomie didn’t return to the bedroom we shared, I went to check on her. My heart hammered up into my ears when I found her splayed out on the bathroom’s stone floor in a pool of blood. After a brief stint in the ER, she was airlifted to the Billings trauma center, where she spent several days in the ICU. 

For the three of us bystanders, several issues became immediately evident. As well as we knew our friend, we did not know her physician’s name in Naples, nor did we have a list of prescriptions to give to medical staff. While we were acquainted with her family members, we did not have their phone numbers. 

Here’s the thing. If a person sustains head trauma, they might not remember their phone access code, and if their face is bloody and banged up, facial recognition does not work. Of course, my friends and I persevered through old fashioned channels like “information” and “white pages.” When we located relatives, they booked flights to Billings and took over the care of our friend, their loved one.

The difference between trip # 1 to Alaska and the weekend in Montana? 

On the Disney cruise, I traveled with family. My son-in-law knew my daughter’s medical information and was the acknowledged responsible party. Not so, for my sorority sister. As a single woman traveling without family, we were blissfully ignorant about her health conditions, medications, and responsible parties.

And so, as I pack and prepare for my three-week trip that will take me away from family and out of the country to a remote locale, I resolve to tackle the elephant in the room (yes, I have expensive travel insurance!). I call the two friends who are accompanying me on the El Camino journey.

“Gals,” I say, my voice crisp with seriousness. “I want you to know what happened to my friends and me in Montana.” 

After I run through the course of events, I state emphatically, “I have a short list of details that I feel we must responsibly share with one another:”

1. Cell phone access code (once my husband died, this was more useful than his computer; see my post, here)
2. Next of kin and phone numbers
3. Physician’s name and number (important for undisclosed health issues that can complicate effective treatment)
4. List of medications (miscellaneous pills in plastic pill packs are not good enough for hospital personnel)

While I cannot be certain that sharing these important facts with my travel companions will stave off trouble in Spain, I’d like to think so. At the very least, this information will expedite proper medical care and inform my immediate family, who possess medical power of attorney privileges.

Miguel de Cervantes is famously quoted as saying, “Forewarned; forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory.” In other words, knowing about the likelihood of a potential problem in advance means you can deal with it, if need be. 

One more thing.

Besides emailing my travel itinerary around to family members, I call my youngest daughter, who is aware of the events surrounding my girls’ trip to Montana. I remind her, too, of the difficulties we had accessing key data following my husband’s untimely death in February 2022 (I write about it, here).

I say, “In advance of my trip to Spain, I want you to have two important pieces of information.” I give her my cell phone access code, my bank pin, and the password for my computer.  “Store them somewhere safe but accessible.” 

“Got it, Mom,” she says with confidence. “I got your back.”

My dear readers, I got your back, too. Please share this post freely and widely. You never know who—loved one, friend, or stranger—might benefit from being forewarned and forearmed as described here.

I promise to post on social media about my El Camino journey—and when I return safely stateside. Wish me luck!

Follow Me Here

In September (1-16th) Julie will join Laura Davis (The Writer’s Journey) and other like-minded pilgrims to hike, write, and paint along the El Camino trail in northern Spain.

In October (18-20th), Julie will attend Florida WritersCon in Orlando, FL with colleagues from the Florida Writers Association (FWA).

In November (14-17th), Julie will attend Story Studio’s four day writing retreat with instructors Rebecca Makkai and Vu Tran at the Guesthouse Hotel in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. The theme for the retreat is “5,000-Word Weekend” and will feature craft talks and one-on-ones from both instructors.

On February 4, 2025, Julie’s new memoir, Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood hits the bookshelves. It’s the long-awaited prequel to her award-winning debut, Twice a Daughter.

Follow Julie by visiting her website, subscribe to her bimonthly newsletters, and listen to previous podcast recordings where she discusses topics like adoption, identity, and belonging.

What I’m Reading Now

The Art of Power by Nancy Pelosi*

An Unfinished Love Story by Doris Kearns Goodwin*

*Both authors I had the privilege of seeing in person at the University Club of Chicago in conversation with their respective moderators: David Axelrod and David Brooks

Favorite Reads This Summer

The Women by Kristin Hannah

How To Know A Person by David Brooks

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