Going on vacation!!!!!

[anne]

Starting next friday, we'll be out of town for 16 days.   I have a friend who is going to come over frequently to take care of things, one of those things being the spa. I'm on chlorine, ozone, Defender weekly, and MPS to shock every other week. I changed the water 1 week ago in hopes of having things nicely "balanced" and fresh for him. He'll probably use the tub, and knows to add chlorine with each use (we've done this before, but I was only gone 6 days). My plan was to shock right before leaving, have him chlorinate with each use or every three days if NOT used, and not to bother him with adding Defender or MPS.

Does this sound like it will work? He will NOT be able to reach me very easily- email only, and I wont check it every day. I'm not going to bother him with checking TA or pH either, though I usually do it weekly or so. I'm still trying to get pH and TA settled out from the last water change, but I hope that they'll be solid before I leave, and not get TOO screwey in 2 weeks....... :-?  

Any advice? thanks!

[SpaGirlAZ]

Oh, vacation, yay! Where are you off to? As far as the chems go, don't worry... Chlorine is a very easy system to get back on track if it gets a little funky.
Have fun!!  

[wmccall]

Sounds like a good plan. Give him this website and say, Anne sent me.

[anne]

Sounds like a good plan. Give him this website and say, Anne sent me.

  I just may do that, but I don't think things can get TOOOO bad while I'm gone. We're going to Spain and Italy! I have never been to Europe, so I'm very, very excited. What I'm NOT too happy about is sitting on a plane for that long, but what can you do but bring a good book.....and order a drink.......

[tony]

You are going to love Europe.  Enjoy and don't worry about the spa.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Docs travel advise...............

1. Make 3 copies of your passport. Leave one at home, keep one in your luggage, and have a traveling companion keep the other.

2. If traveling by car keep the doors LOCKED at all times, and roll up the windows at red lights.

3. If you have a camera do NOT hang it from it's strap over your shoulder when walking around. Hold it in your hand or put it in your pocket.

4. DO NOT CARRY a purse. If you must, and I'm sure you will, DO NOT have any money, credit cards, or ANYTHING else you're not willing to lose in it.

5. If renting a car, FIRST THING, REMOVE the big target, I'm mean sticker, below the gas cap indicating the type of gas to put in the car.

6. If planing on using credit cards CALL your credit card and find out their exchange fee BEFORE you leave.

7. If bringing cash, USE a local bank (over there) for exchanging to local currency and NEVER use a street side exchange booth.

8. HAVE FUN, and remember, ask a local (not a hotel employee) where to eat  

[anne]

Docs travel advise...............

1. Make 3 copies of your passport. Leave one at home, keep one in your luggage, and have a traveling companion keep the other.

2. If traveling by car keep the doors LOCKED at all times, and roll up the windows at red lights.

3. If you have a camera do NOT hang it from it's strap over your shoulder when walking around. Hold it in your hand or put it in your pocket.

4. DO NOT CARRY a purse. If you must, and I'm sure you will, DO NOT have any money, credit cards, or ANYTHING else you're not willing to lose in it.

5. If renting a car, FIRST THING, REMOVE the big target, I'm mean sticker, below the gas cap indicating the type of gas to put in the car.

6. If planing on using credit cards CALL your credit card and find out their exchange fee BEFORE you leave.

7. If bringing cash, USE a local bank (over there) for exchanging to local currency and NEVER use a street side exchange booth.

8. HAVE FUN, and remember, ask a local (not a hotel employee) where to eat  

All extremely good advice. We have copies of everything to take and to leave with family, I already exchaged some money so we can get a running start once there, and everything important will be in a money belt. We'll be taking trains, so wont have to worry about driving or keeping a rental car safe. As far as credit cards go, it seems the standard foreign currency exchange fee is 3%. I got an Am Ex card that has a rate of 1%, so that will be my travelling credit card. We have some good guide books, some advice from friends who have lived in Spain, and will certainly try to keep the trip as "real" as possible by getting local personal advice! Thanks!

  I love that you guys are more interested in my trip than my water quality.

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

Almost forgot...... What part of Italy? I've been a few times, was there a couple of months ago, and should be going back before the end of the year.........

AH, my one other word of advise. Grab a couple of business cards from the hotel you're staying in. When you get lost, just hand one to a cab driver......... It's easier that clicking your heels together and saying "there's no place like home, there's no place like home"........

[anne]

We'll be in Venice/Florence/Rome. I'm calling it the "cliffnotes" of Italy, as we are hitting up all the predicatable places. I'd like to get a little time in Tuscany, too, but we'll see.

The business card plan is a great idea. I read that somewhere, but forgot about it.

[drewstar]

Docs travel advise...............

1. Make 3 copies of your passport. Leave one at home, keep one in your luggage, and have a traveling companion keep the other.

2. If traveling by car keep the doors LOCKED at all times, and roll up the windows at red lights.

3. If you have a camera do NOT hang it from it's strap over your shoulder when walking around. Hold it in your hand or put it in your pocket.

4. DO NOT CARRY a purse. If you must, and I'm sure you will, DO NOT have any money, credit cards, or ANYTHING else you're not willing to lose in it.

5. If renting a car, FIRST THING, REMOVE the big target, I'm mean sticker, below the gas cap indicating the type of gas to put in the car.

6. If planing on using credit cards CALL your credit card and find out their exchange fee BEFORE you leave.

7. If bringing cash, USE a local bank (over there) for exchanging to local currency and NEVER use a street side exchange booth.

8. HAVE FUN, and remember, ask a local (not a hotel employee) where to eat  

soem more tips....


Do not bet your wife in a backstreet poker game. These things are rigged. I was up 3 coconuts and thougth for sure I could win. Sadly, I did not.  My wife was not too happy.


Those donkey shows they adverstise?   Fake.  Save your money.

Have fun.

[spaman--]

WOW! All this talk about vacations, its sure nice to see how the "other half " lives.

Have fun Anne and remember dont take any wooden nickels.

[obi wan]

soem more tips....


Do not bet your wife in a backstreet poker game. These things are rigged. I was up 3 coconuts and thougth for sure I could win. Sadly, I did not.  My wife was not too happy.


Those donkey shows they adverstise?   Fake.  Save your money.

Have fun. [/quote]
fake donkey shows?? you just didn't go to the right places. in rio de janero, follow the copacabana strip (not ipanema) north til you come to 2 vacant lots. the clubs you see past there all fall under the catagory of "other"?? go luck