This is packing day. I hate packing day. I have this weird ritual I go through when I
fly. For some reason, I have to do
housework, so things seem orderly before I leave. I should probably do that prior to packing
day, but packing day is always preceded by thinking about packing day. It's not like I haven't had enough time to
think about this. It's been in the works
for a long time, but still I wait until packing day to finish the laundry,
clean the bathroom, finish paying any bills that are due before I return, and thinking about what I need to take with
me. I never get it right. No matter how long I am gone, I take a couple
of things that I end up wearing the whole time leaving the other clothes to
take up space that I could have used for other things I probably wouldn't use but
might have. The other thing I do on
packing day is make lists. I want to
make sure that I take everything that I want to use that is not related to
clothing. I have gone on trips where I
have forgotten toiletries and had to go buy them, so toiletries are always on
my list along with cell phone, chargers,
laptop, ipad, chargers, cameras, toothbrushes, a book, a movie, sun screen,
boarding passes, etc and so on...Why I need a laptop and ipad on this trip I do
not know, but I am very connected to my laptop.
It's like an umbilical cord , and I get a little anxious when I can't
get my nourishment from cyberspace. I
will not be working, cause I don't have a job right now, but I do start a new
one when I come back. I may check a few email, post a few things on
FB and of course get this blog online. I
am sure there are transformers in French Polynesia, but I went and bought one
anyway. A small one that shouldn't be
used for more than 10 minutes at a time. (Better than nothing, I guess.) I do find that I rest easier with my laptop
along, even if I don't use it. It's kind
of like an inhaler in case of emergency, IT'S THERE.
So I have no clue what to pack. Shorts, bathing suits, shirts,
underwear. I can deal with that, it's
the SHOES that take up so much room. I
always bring too many shoes. Flip-flops?, Dressy sandals? Sneakers? I bought 2
new pair of sandals that I am taking, I'll wear the sneaks, (although I don't
like wearing sneaks to the airport, slip off shoes are much more practical.) I
end up packing 5 pairs of shoes.....no flip flops, I will be sorry about that I
just know it. I guess the philosophy is,
if you don't have it, you can buy it.
Maybe I should just take an empty suitcase and work it out from
there. But I did buy a new bathing
suit...I hate myself in a bathing suit.
You can't cover all the flaws like you can in clothes. I'll be in the water, I'm old, no one cares
anyway....keep repeating that... The strangest thing happens when I travel. Everything that is so neatly placed in the
bag with room to spare, expands on the way home. Really!
Without adding one purchased item, the bag either shrinks, or my clothing
magically expands to fill every nook and cranny of the bag leaving no room for
the other stuff that, prior to leaving,
fit perfectly. I have yet to figure this
out. Some random physics thing, I
believe. The Law of Conservation of Packed
Clothing...You know whatever you pack cannot be reduced, but can be enlarged
after being on an airplane.....Just a guess on my part.
So I am packed, but when I have an early flight, we leave at
5:30 in the morning, I cannot sleep. I
will stay up the entire night, thinking about what I have packed, making my
bed, adding things, subtracting things, going online to check the flight,
making sure I have my passport and my boarding passes, hoping I will sleep on
the plane. I take a shower, check my lists, revise my lists.....It is quite
maddening, really. I drive myself a
little bit nuts. OCD? Maybe. This
trip is international, so It is even worse.
I worry about vouchers, and transport and money, the list goes on and
on. I will say this: Once I am on that plane, it all goes
away. Anything I haven't thought to do is now forgotten and just too bad. I will handle anything that may come up. Wayne is up at 4:30, Anthony is going to take
us to the airport, the dog is going to
Brent's house. (I hope he doesn't go
crazy, he doesn't like being away from home...that worry will also go away once on
the plane.) The kids will just have to
do without their parents for a couple of weeks. Shawn will be Big Daddy while
we are away, I'm sure. They will all
deny that they need anyone while we are gone, but we are still the glue, even
though they are all on their own. At
least that's what I like to think. So
packing day is done. I am going on an
unbelievable vacation. I just need to
check my list one more time.
