The Packing Mission - Part 2

     It was time to get packed and the closet of possibilities was beckoning me… I can do this, no problem.  I have listened to everyone’s advice and truly want to reduce and take a moderate amount of clothing and accessories.  Everyone that has travelled anywhere has said - pack light.  But…when it actually came to deciding what to bring the conversation went something like this…

Lisa – Mark, come and have a look at what I have set out to pack and let me know what you think. 

I was quite proud of the reduction I had made from the closet of possibilities.  Mark walked into the bedroom, took one look at the bed that housed the neatly folded plethora of ‘stuff’ and laughed!

This was the first attempt from the closet of possibilities, no wonder he laughed!

Mark - You can take about half of that amount.

The hopes of being praised for my accomplishments….dashed! Did he have any idea how difficult this was? He, the one that has a whole bag devoted to the bagpipes, surely I should get an extra bag devoted to….well…the things that I think are important like hair dye, shoes, wine gums or clothing.  Even the girls have a whole bag devoted to their highland dancing.  I get the tank…my extra piece of luggage that has been devoted to medication…of all things.  Now, don’t get me wrong, we are taking our health very seriously on this trip and I’m fairly confident we have enough medication to outfit us (and the rest of the country we are residing in at the time) should anything ail us.

The bags have names now...I'd like to introduce you to The Dancer, The Piper and The Tank

Anyway I digress…I was trying to tell you about Mark’s reaction to my clothing….after he said to take about half, I gave it another go and asked for the 2^nd inspection.  Mark was more complimentary this time and was quite impressed with my explanation of the 3 pair of pants sitting in the pile. One was travel fabric for outdoor adventures, one travel fabric but rather dressy for multi use and the last, Capri jeans, which I can wear in the warmer climates with, flip-flops and tuck inside my boots for the chillier times.

Mark - Three pair of pants, very impressive, I’m proud of you babe.

Yippy, I had received the praise I had been searching for…until he looked at the next pile. 

Mark - What is this pile?

Lisa – oh those are yoga pants.

Mark - so you have 4 pair of pants, and what about these?

Lisa – oh…those are tights

Mark – So really 5 pair AND THESE?

Lisa – black tights

Mark – You really need a gray pair and a black pair?

Lisa – hmmmm

Again my spirits were dashed.  Later that evening while Mark was running an errand, I packed.  I didn’t ask for any more input – honestly this was hard enough without his input.  Everything fit in the backpack and I even had some extra room at the top.  I was thoroughly impressed with myself.  It looked like an overstuffed sausage about to burst at the seams, but at least it was packed and I could lift it onto my back – no problem! 

The girls had great success packing as well, I’m just afraid to discover what they have forgotten as the trip progresses.

Meggie all packed and ready to go. She will keep
us all in line during our travels!

Ally's bag all packed, just like Dad showed her!

Mark didn’t miss the overstuffed sausage when he returned, and he doesn’t know exactly how many pairs of pants that I have packed, but in the end he only said, “If it makes you happy it makes me happy, just remember that you have to carry it and we are sending stuff home before we hit Asia”.  Honestly, I’m OK with that, I’m sure by then I will have settled into this trip-around-the-world thing and be sick and tired of carrying my closet full of potentials around AND be happy to reduce.  But until then, I’ll just burn a few extra calories.

We made it, the only bag that isn't in the picture is The Dancer - the beginning of the
things we would forget along our journey.

Oh and just to let you know…Mark threw an extra pair of jeans in his pack the night before we left….he also figured 3 pair of pants was not quite enough – so there!!!! I promise to write another installment in the Packing Mission as we continue to travel as I’m sure things will certainly change – they’ve got to because when we put the pile of luggage together…even I said it was WAY TOO MUCH! 

…to be continued.