Honestly, I thought I'd win the respect and admiration of my friends for my packing skills, but they all look at me like I'm plain crazy. Two weeks in Europe with a 6"x12"x16" rolling carry-on? Impossible, they argue. Let's just say that my first European jaunt 25 years ago was a luggage disaster; I tried to take all my worldly possessions in a backpack that was larger than me, and couldn't even manage to get out of the Gatwick airport on my own without jettisoning most of what I'd packed.
Ever since then, I've been trying to follow Susan Heller's sage advice: "When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money." Then, for good measure, I halve the clothes pile again. That leaves more room for books, which are my #1 essential item. Given the current exchange rate, I should probably also double the money again. Now if I could just convince Chloé to leave behind those fur-lined Ugg boots she believes are an imperative element of her summer travel wardrobe...
Hey! I said I totally admired you for being able to pack that light.
ReplyDeleteI want to try it the next time I travel, but when traveling is going to Mom's in a car, you might as well bring the electric toothbrush.