Pack Mode

Well, I am in packing mode. I've got most of my clothing sorted out and in my gigantic suitcase. Packing, you see, is the.most.important.part.of.an.overseas.trip. It is. I have nightmares about packing. The last time I went to London, I waited until the night before I left to try to throw my clothes together (evidently I was high on some sort of pain killer or something), but otherwise, I spend at least a week with the suitcase out and in various stages of preparedness.

For this trip, I actually went out and purchased a NEW suitcase. Because I am ridiculously anal about all things travel-related, I researched suitcases, for I kid-you-not, six months. Sizes, brands, styles, stores, etc. I have read three different websites about suitcases. I finally went to TJ Maxx over the weekend and was ready to take the plunge. I found the perfect case. A simply divine brown suede Delsey 28" rollercase that had white leather trim and all kinds of compartments and sections and fabulous striped lining. God, it was beautiful. And a steal at $112. I got it down and rolled it around. It was a smooth as a Mercedes. The handle was like it was made for my hand. But the white leather trim just kept screaming at me: BIG BLACK SCUFF MARKS WILL MAR ME AFTER THE FIRST TRIP! I tried to make the voices be quiet, but I just couldn't do it. The practical side of me was drawn to the deep red Cal Pack that was only $55. Plain black trim. Nice wheels, though, good handle. Rolled like a Lincoln instead of an expensive German car, but smoothly nontheless. Handy plastic interior bag and separate suit zipper area (this matters not one whit to me because I don't travel with suits, but it looks nice).

I can't tell you how much it pained me to put the most gorgeous suitcase ever back on the shelf and take the nice, practical one home with me. I whimpered as I did so, but I got over it when I realized that I should do the smart thing. I spent the money on brown suede walking shoes instead.

Anyway, now I've got my clothing stacked in what is called the "twin towers" method of packing (is that disrespectful now?). Two stacks. I considered rolling, but right now, I have plenty of room, so I'm not going to mess with it. If space becomes an issue, then I may look for other methods. I'm trying my very best to keep the clothing to a minimum, but it's hard to pack for a 25-day trip to a country that is notoriously variable in its weather, plus we'll be out until midnight somenights and outdoors all that time. I've already done two "cullings" so far. I've pulled out four tops that I had packed in Round One. Round Two and Round Three were just a sorting of what I had in the suitcase to see what's missing and what I really didn't need. Round Four will occur when I find the khaki pants that are the basis of about half the clothes I'm planning on wearing and the last striped shirt that I simply cannot find anywhere. Then, I'll go through with my wardrobe list and make sure that I can make outfits with every thing in there and that I've got everything I need to match, etc. Then I'll see what I might still need. Oh, and my pajama pants and robe are in the laundry and I've got to find a rain jacket. That's all I think I'm missing at this point. I need to make final shoe decisions, too. At this point, I've got next to nothing in my carry on and that's good news. I'm usually packed to the gills. I'm glad I got the larger suitcase. It's not even full yet, either. I'm really trying NOT to take a zillion things. It's hard for me because I usually take every thing I own for a weekend.

I packed a shoe box full of meds today. I can't wait to go through customs with that one. I hope Gatwick is as easy as Heathrow is. I've got enough pills to choke a horse. I decided to put them all in a box and put the box in the carry on in order to make them easier to sort out just in case. I'm going to look like Judy Garland minus the bad bangs and the fake lashes.