A large part of going on any expedition is preparation. Reading through the literature sent by Coral Cay, I realize that I am ill prepared when it comes to clothing and equipment. I don't have some basics, like shorts (six years in the Middle East creates a long-legged wardrobe) and other summer wear. I also discover that I will need to buy a full set of SCUBA equipment as Coral Cay only rents BCDs and regulators. In all the time I've been diving, I have never needed to own my own gear. This realization just bumped the cost of the trip up another thousand dollars. Ouch! Not to mention the time involved in running errands, placing orders, and dealing with the stress of "will it arrive in time?"
Fortunately, I had started early, and the only bit that doesn't arrive before my departure date is my wetsuit. Sounds like a problem, but the shop I'm working with is great and packs me off with a loaner suit.
Gear sorted, I hit the shops. Even though spring break is just around the corner, very few stores have received their summer shipments. After hoofing it through the mall for hours, I finally stumble on the epicenter of cheap yet cute clothes- Old Navy. In retrospect, I'm glad I didn't go with a more expensive store. Taking fancy threads on an expedition is a bad idea as clothes will almost never return looking like new. Cheap, durable and functional are the watchwords to shop for when prepping for a trip like this.
Gear sorted. Clothing sorted. Toiletries adhering to 3-1-1 (TSA's ingenious tag line referring to carry-on liquids). Checking my passport, it looks like this will be its last journey. Many countries like to see that your passport is valid for six months after your arrival in country. Mine will eke me through this trip but will need to be renewed when I get back.
Jumping on-line, I check out the State Department website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html) to see what the entry requirements are for Trinidad & Tobago- no visa needed for Americans. That's one less hassle to deal with.
On to the other necessities, like paying my bills in advance. Not all of my utility companies take on-line payments, so I send off checks with an estimated amount to cover my incoming bills while I'm gone, make sure the front office gets my rent, and deal with the other little financial concerns.
And the not-so-little: I have to call my bank to tell them when and where I will be traveling abroad. Otherwise, they will assume incoming charges are due to credit card theft and deny the charges. With identity theft becoming so prevalent, most banks will refuse payment on international charges unless they are informed in advance that the cardholder will be in that region of the world. Waiting on hold for half an hour just to tell an agent my travel plans isn't pleasant, but neither is having my 'emergency' card denied when abroad.
I also make an appointment with the travel clinic to make sure my shots are up to date, check the Center for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov) for any additional vaccines I will need in T&T (none listed), and restock my personal medical kit with basic travelers' meds- Imodium, antiseptic, bandages, antihistamine cream and the like.
Throwing everything in my spiffy new dive rollie, I double check my flight information, cash situation, and passport. After a good night's sleep, I'll be ready to go.

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