Too much baggage?
I frequently travel for work, domestically and overseas, mostly within the Asia and Pacific region...and I have never seemed to master the art of packing just the right amount of clothes. Why is it that I either over-pack, or leave out vital bits of attire? Who are these people who can just casually pack enough clothes to last them a month into a carry-on hold-all, and manage to look fabulous every day? Without even knowing them, I'm pretty sure I dislike them!
That's never been me. Even on a school camp I would pack something inappropriate to wear like a hand knitted picture jersey (photographic evidence below) on a geography trip in the middle of summer when everyone else was wearing cool tops and Skin jeans. I would accidentally pack my school shoes, when everyone else was wearing the latest Converse (yes, they were a thing back in the 1980s).
And things haven't improved. Considering I spent over 16 weeks out of town in the last year, one would think I have got this packing thing sorted. Nah...not me. I've even managed to take someone else's dry-cleaning with me on one trip - did wonder why the trousers I put on in the hotel room one morning came up to my armpits and still managed to drag on the ground. Checked the label - oops, not mine. True story!
And see that wee hint of pink at the top of my suitcase? That's a brightly coloured ribbon to distinguish my grey bag from all the other grey bags. Why? you ask. Because one Friday night, after returning back home, very tired from a long week of working away, I had to wage war for my bag at the carousel with some man, but I was very determined and amazingly he gave up fairly quickly...wimp!. To be fair to the "wimp", I was in a pretty mean mood as my flight had been delayed several hours due to weather. I think I would have been nervous of taking myself on that night. It wasn't until I got home and unzipped the bag that I realised there might be a teeny, tiny problem. I was pretty sure I hadn't packed a bloke's pair of jeans and polo shirt. I only make that mistake once. Dammit! Back to the airport. I blame him for not putting up more of a fight. Nothing to do with me actually checking bag tags (and being a bit of a cow at the carousel)!
When it came to this international trip, I was determined to get it right because this time around, I decided to be more mindful with my packing and to photograph every item that went into my bag, then list the items on my return that either didn't suit the occasion, weren't worn, or weren't taken and were actually required. Don't be shocked by the amount of clothes I take...I warned you I wasn't good at this packing thing! When people question the size of my suitcase I blame it on work stuff I have to carry, and umpteen cans of insect repellent I need to totally eradicate the mosquito population in any country I visit.
And see that wee hint of pink at the top of my suitcase? That's a brightly coloured ribbon to distinguish my grey bag from all the other grey bags. Why? you ask. Because one Friday night, after returning back home, very tired from a long week of working away, I had to wage war for my bag at the carousel with some man, but I was very determined and amazingly he gave up fairly quickly...wimp!. To be fair to the "wimp", I was in a pretty mean mood as my flight had been delayed several hours due to weather. I think I would have been nervous of taking myself on that night. It wasn't until I got home and unzipped the bag that I realised there might be a teeny, tiny problem. I was pretty sure I hadn't packed a bloke's pair of jeans and polo shirt. I only make that mistake once. Dammit! Back to the airport. I blame him for not putting up more of a fight. Nothing to do with me actually checking bag tags (and being a bit of a cow at the carousel)!
When it came to this international trip, I was determined to get it right because this time around, I decided to be more mindful with my packing and to photograph every item that went into my bag, then list the items on my return that either didn't suit the occasion, weren't worn, or weren't taken and were actually required. Don't be shocked by the amount of clothes I take...I warned you I wasn't good at this packing thing! When people question the size of my suitcase I blame it on work stuff I have to carry, and umpteen cans of insect repellent I need to totally eradicate the mosquito population in any country I visit.
Here goes...don 't judge me!
CHECK IN BAGGAGE
Gym Clothes
Three (3) sets of each (excluding the shoes). The reason why I take three sets of gym clothes is that in high humidity environments, I find it really hard to dry the items in one or two days in an hotel room - especially the gym pants. And you can't always guarantee a clothes-line in the bathroom.
Swimwear
Shorts and tankinis hide a myriad of issues
I'm loving the rash top and sarong and how much skin and sins they cover
Plus my handy, dandy pair of reef shoes as my tootsies are very delicate!
(And my faithful white jandals)
Maxi-dresses
Three easy to wear maxi-dresses which don't crease (so no ironing when I arrive at my destination)
The fabric is light, therefore easy to wash and dry
For evenings and weekend
(And I threw in another pair of jandals - these ones are a little more glitzy)
Work clothes (because I am actually there for work)
Three work polo shirts, three pair of cotton trousers and two pair of old/cheaper shoes which I switch over every other day - insect repellant does no favours to my shoes (check below)
Some extra tops - just in case!
Can pair with work pants above if necessary and with the pair I am wearing on the aircraft
The other bits and pieces
Two pieces of nightwear
The travel bag keeps my lingerie contained
Toiletries and First Aid
And liquid detergent (trying for the first time)
Hair "stuff"
And believe it or not...
...because no hotel I ever stay in has enough, I always pack some cheap clothes hangers left over from dry-cleaning
And yes - it did all get in!
HAND CARRY (AND WEARING)
On board the aircraft - I included a merino shrug because I always get cold onboard
Makeup and LAGs (Liquid, Aerosols and Gels)
Work "stuff" including a lap-top and phone in the bag
(because as I stated earlier, I'm actually there for work)
And personal "stuff" that's pretty important!
So how did it all work out? What items didn't I need, what items did I wish I had packed?
What didn't I use?
Not a lot actually so well done me! The pink top remained unworn (and I could have probably ditched the other cream top in the picture below as I wore another one over). But surprisingly...or not...I should have left my makeup at home - pretty hard to keep it on one's face when you are battling up to 95% humidity. So my makeup lived in the fridge for the nearly two weeks I was away.
What did I need more of?
COATHANGERS...come on hotels...get with the play, I've booked in for ten days, five coat-hangers 'ain't going to cut it! Sigh.
Things I got right - old shoes.
Check out what insect repellant does to a pair of leather sandals, let alone the nail polish. If it can work like acetone, what the heck is it doing to my skin? On a positive note, not one mozzie bite. Yay.
Gruesome close up for the nail polish - and this was only after a couple of days
It got way worse than that
What did I forget to pack?
A BOOK - I flew back on an airline that does not provide an inflight entertainment system - you use your own device and utilize their on-board Wi-Fi to pick up movies. Great if the battery life-span on your tablet isn't in it's death throes. I'm not ashamed to say that I need amusing and entertaining on an aircraft, I'm not great at just sitting there and contemplating life, so if I can't watch a movie, I read. Have you ever tried watching a movie on your itty bitty phone screen? Even the battery on that gave out eventually.
So...I got this trip mostly right. I could have done without a few items of clothes, but it was nice to have a few options especially as I was dining in the hotel restaurants each night. Now I just have to remember not to grab other people's dry-cleaning and luggage and I should be set.
Bonus picture - the hand-knitted (by yours truly) jumper worn to school camp in 1985. I would like to say they were all the rage...but when I look back at my school photos from that trip, I do appear to be the only one wearing that particular fashion statement! I wonder if hand-knitted picture jerseys will make a comeback like Converse?
did yoy knit that one? i always liked it.. just didnt remember you knitted it
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