Packing Mission Part 1

I have no idea what to pack! And this, my friend, is not because I have not spent any time researching, contemplating and thinking about it.  The exact opposite in fact, I have created many lists and asked anyone who would listen, for input.  I have scoured malls and outdoor stores looking for appropriate travel clothing and shoes, with not much success. You know you are desperate when you scout out peoples photo's on line to see what they are wearing during their holidays or honeymoon (K and S - you look fabulous!) The reality is everyone has a different opinion on what is important to pack.  It might be easier to write about what I am not taking with me...

The storage room!

My closet all packed up, OK not all of it!

 

The stuff that didn't make the cut from the closet!

 

A girlfriend mentioned that she envisioned me with colour co-ordinated trunks all stacked up. She couldn’t believe that I was limited to 3 pairs of shoes (which I am still negotiating on) - she of course, knows the ‘work’ me. The one with co-ordinating outfits who everyone comes to if they need anything from glitter, to paper plates, to minutes from the last leadership meeting.  How on earth am I going to be able to pack everything that I will need for a whole year into two pieces of luggage and a carry on?  One of those pieces of luggage being a back pack for crying out loud!  OH and did I mention that we also have to pack eight solar ovens, bagpipes and three Scottish kilts?

These are my bags! My Asolo pack, My North Face - the tank on wheels
 and my Lug Puddle Jumper and Skipper

Another friend said pack light, you end up wearing the same thing over and over again anyway. This just adds more stress to the ‘what to pack dilemma’.  If I have to wear the same thing over and over again, I can tell you - I better love it and it better make me look 10 pounds thinner than I am now.  Not to mention the other criterion that has been suggested such as it can’t be; too bright, made of cotton, too bulky, too skimpy or too heavy – and the list continues.  

I prefer our friend’s H and J's advice who honeymooned around the world.  They said pack light, take as little as possible - you end up giving away and buying a lot of your clothing as you travel – hmmm this packing thing might not be so bad after all!  The less that I pack the more opportunity I have to shop.  A colleague at work tells me I will love shopping in Australia – but we are not going to be there until May 2014, I won’t be able to wait that long! She said Asia was great too, I can just see the expression on Mark’s face now when I say, ‘You go ahead and see the Taj Mahal, I’m just going to poke around in this shop for a minute!’ Yeah, that is not going to work, I need to pack, at least some good essentials to get me through!

I am trying to convince myself that a backpack is not all that bad, it might not be the beautifully co-ordinated trunks mentioned above, but you can dress it up.  Heals and a little black dress can be paired with any accessory, right?

Getting my pack fitted at The Adventure Attic in Dundas!

The girls both have 60L Asolo packs, theirs are
travel packs where the straps can be zippered in for flights

OK, who am I kidding! The reality is we were having our backpacks fitted and it just happened to be after a very schwanky fashion show fundraiser event! The heels and little black dress were not planned, and as much as I love those peek-a-boo toes, they will not be poking out of the top of my pack...I must negotiate myself and my belongings into a compromise between the beautifully co-ordinated trunks and the reality of the backpack!

So this is the closet of possibilities.  I still have a lot of work to do to whittle this down, but at least it is a start.

 The plan is to take as little as possible.  I love lululemon so that will be a staple in my wardrobe.  I'll wear tights and leggings in the cooler climates with my riding boots and with flip flops in the more temperate areas.  We all have great rain coats that we will layer up under for cooler times. We have scarves to cover up shoulders, to dress up outfits and for warmth. A few long shirts, shorts, tank tops, t-shirts, capri jeans and a another pair of pants that still need to be purchased.  Headed to SAIL this week!

Finalizing our packing list is not going to happen quickly or appear in one blog post, but I assure you I will update you as the mission continues!  Stay tuned...