It's about this time in the trip...let's see we are about 45 consecutive days into it, about a month and a half...that you realize a few things about your packing list. Or should we now call it just "baggage?" Because everything packed inside (and in Les' case dangling outside) has either become an excessive burden to carry or rather smelly by this point. Don't worry, we ARE doing laundry every week, either in the shower or through the hotel service, so our clothes are technically "clean." But wondering whether to wear shirt A, B or C with shorts D or E is rather limiting to a Californian used to a walk-in closet of choices. I've had several people ask me, "What DO you pack for a trip around the world?"
Our goal was to each have one carry-on luggage with wheels and one school-size backpack; 3 bags + 3 backpacks, Check! Well, it turns out that "carry-on dimensions" in the USA mean "check-it-through size" in all the other countries. So much for not waiting & worrying about our stuff in baggage claim at the airports.
Then, I read all the research for packing tips. It advised to either pack for 5 days and keep moving often so nobody sees you in the same outfit twice, or pack enough clothes for a month and stay put. After reading about my great great grandparents trip in All 8 Went, and how they must've transported enormous trunks loaded with corsets, bustles, feather hats and 3 piece suits for their trip, we opted for the 5 day travel light option. But still, we each snuck in a few extra items . . . that now we... can't... carry... any ...further! (imagine yourself in the desert struggling on hands and knees saying that ...just ...too... heavy!) Susie's List:
2 short sleeve t-shirts
2 tank tops
2 long sleeve shirts (polypro/capilene) -okay, I snuck in 3 more "cute" tops
2 sundresses
3 pants (1 black yoga pants, 1 jeans, 1 cargo khaki)
2 shorts, 2 skorts + 1 black skirt (too many I admit to sneaking extra in again)
5 ups & 5 sox
2 swimsuits + 1 thin beach towel each (which we put in Noa's bag, hee hee)
1 flip flops (totally love the Sanuk yoga mat kind, walkin' me everywhere)
1 hiking/walking shoes (love my Patagonia pair from REI)
1 pair of comfy black flats (also Patagonia- another extra sneak, but needed some style for Europe don't you think?)
1 windwall layer, 1 fleece jacket + 1 rain parka
oh, and I also tossed in a thin cashmere sweater, because I'm always cold.
a hat, sunglasses, beanie, a scarf (to look euro)...
No jewelry except some $2 bead earrings because we don't want to look flashy for pickpockets,
Plus, all the other little extras seemingly necessary for life, like 8 tubes of 1oz toothpaste & sunblock. (That's become Les' bain) What was I thinking? No one else in the world brushes teeth or worries about sunburns? Note to self: you can buy it EVERYHERE if you forget it. Oh, and who can forget all the electronics and their plugs we are doomed to carry? For what would we do if our iPods & iPhones batteries ran out? (I admit, these were also snuck into Noa's bag -Hey, his clothes are smaller and fewer than mine!) and so, this explains why, tomorrow... we are going to the Post Office in Rome and mailing a big box of "baggage" HOME. It's time to lighten our load, lift our shoulders and keep on truckin!
Our goal was to each have one carry-on luggage with wheels and one school-size backpack; 3 bags + 3 backpacks, Check! Well, it turns out that "carry-on dimensions" in the USA mean "check-it-through size" in all the other countries. So much for not waiting & worrying about our stuff in baggage claim at the airports.
Then, I read all the research for packing tips. It advised to either pack for 5 days and keep moving often so nobody sees you in the same outfit twice, or pack enough clothes for a month and stay put. After reading about my great great grandparents trip in All 8 Went, and how they must've transported enormous trunks loaded with corsets, bustles, feather hats and 3 piece suits for their trip, we opted for the 5 day travel light option. But still, we each snuck in a few extra items . . . that now we... can't... carry... any ...further! (imagine yourself in the desert struggling on hands and knees saying that ...just ...too... heavy!) Susie's List:
2 short sleeve t-shirts
2 tank tops
2 long sleeve shirts (polypro/capilene) -okay, I snuck in 3 more "cute" tops
2 sundresses
3 pants (1 black yoga pants, 1 jeans, 1 cargo khaki)
2 shorts, 2 skorts + 1 black skirt (too many I admit to sneaking extra in again)
5 ups & 5 sox
2 swimsuits + 1 thin beach towel each (which we put in Noa's bag, hee hee)
1 flip flops (totally love the Sanuk yoga mat kind, walkin' me everywhere)
1 hiking/walking shoes (love my Patagonia pair from REI)
1 pair of comfy black flats (also Patagonia- another extra sneak, but needed some style for Europe don't you think?)
1 windwall layer, 1 fleece jacket + 1 rain parka
oh, and I also tossed in a thin cashmere sweater, because I'm always cold.
a hat, sunglasses, beanie, a scarf (to look euro)...
No jewelry except some $2 bead earrings because we don't want to look flashy for pickpockets,
Plus, all the other little extras seemingly necessary for life, like 8 tubes of 1oz toothpaste & sunblock. (That's become Les' bain) What was I thinking? No one else in the world brushes teeth or worries about sunburns? Note to self: you can buy it EVERYHERE if you forget it. Oh, and who can forget all the electronics and their plugs we are doomed to carry? For what would we do if our iPods & iPhones batteries ran out? (I admit, these were also snuck into Noa's bag -Hey, his clothes are smaller and fewer than mine!) and so, this explains why, tomorrow... we are going to the Post Office in Rome and mailing a big box of "baggage" HOME. It's time to lighten our load, lift our shoulders and keep on truckin!
My mum and I did a much less ambitious trip in college around Europe. We gave away our tshirts to some fellow tourists who had been robbed and had nothing. We'd worn them continuously for a month so were ready for new ones by then anyway and bought cheap tourist ones for the rest of the trip. It was a real treat to have something different to wear after wearing the same two shirts. I also gave away my sarong and bought a new one of those too.
ReplyDeleteYou sound like you are having a whale of a time! Sick of flying yet? What are you looking forward to most for the rest of the trip?
Bethan (from SDCKT)
hey noa can u respond to the comments?????
ReplyDeletefrom corrin