OCD has it's advantages.
Okay, I don't have full-on OCD, but my mild sort is useful when it comes to packing for big trips. Everything is tried, tested and
The invention of packing cubes has been a blessing. A cube for dresses. A cube for trousers. A cube for tops. A cube for undies. A cube for socks. A cube for pyjamas and my obligatory active wear. Jumpers go on top.
I also have the following things in my big bag.
- Half a kilogram of vegemite
- Spare glasses and sunglasses
- Three weeks of oestrogen patches, blood pressure pills and supplements (plus a few days of the meds in my day pack just in case.
- A variety of summer and autumn clothes.
- Long boots, short boots, runners and Birkenstocks - and that's it for shoes.
- My mason's apron and passport.
I wish I had the perfect capsule wardrobe, but I don't. I do, however, have a lot of mix and match items. Jeans and tops. Skirts. Comfy dresses which I love to wear. People say if you forget something you can buy things, but being plus size, that's not always the case. It's probably okay in England, in France, not so much (It's worse in Asia, where absolutely nothing fits, with the exception of fisherman's pants.)
I've just weighed the bag. Just over 20 kilograms with the vegemite. That it will be with me until the penultimate day of the trip is just how it worked out, but I know it will make an old friend very happy. I can see Reindert's eyes rolling when he sees the bag. But he's a bloke who's over to see his folks in the Netherlands and only needs to bring a day pack.
Lucifer is now ensconced at Jay's place. He was curious, but not overly unhappy to be there. He tried to follow me out the door. He'll like it there - there are birds and bats and bugs to watch from the balcony doors.
The next job is sort out the last of the daypack. There's the writing laptop, a small bag with all of the cables, chargers and peripherals. The dinky clear back with some liquid toiletries. A change of clothes. Just some knickers and a t-shirt dress - just in case the bag doesn't make it.
Passport, boarding passes, train ticket from Stanstead to London. Spare credit card. A couple of N95 masks.
Oh yes, and in the bottom of the suitcase is a small keyboard. The main part of this trip is a writer's retreat - and write, particularly when I'm in Provence, is what I want to do.
Okay, time for a nap and then a shower, before I call for an Uber to take me to the airport.... at 1 a.m... for a 5.15 am takeoff - and a 23-hour flight.
No comments:
Post a Comment