Saturday, April 9, 2016

Compact Travel by Margot Justes









This time I’ll be gone for over a month, and the items I’ll take will increase, but they will still fit in the same expandable suitcase, except this time it’ll probably expand a little on the way.

I keep the suitcase relatively small and compact for that reason. If I had a big suitcase, I’d probably manage to fill it up. Laundry is available on board ship, and I have a couple of free coupons per cruise. That will suit me perfectly. As a rule, I never, ever put anything valuable in the suitcase.

I take the suitcase, a carry-on, and a big purse that folds into a little purse.  In that purse I carry my passport, wallet, a bit cash-the local currency as well as dollars,  2 credit cards, phone, and any important papers I may have, all personal items, anything I can stuff in the big purse I do, and that includes my small compact laptop, Kindle and camera. It all fits in that big, lightweight black bag-it is terrific for travel. That bag stays under the seat in front of me. It does not go in the luggage rack on the plane. I carry a change of clothes and personal  toilette items in the carry-on.

My travel shoes have arrived, they’re not pretty,  but they are incredibly comfortable. Since I buy my walking shoes for comfort, I keep them until they literally fall apart. Even though the trip is in October, I have already started my list.

I list everything I’m going to take on vacation, along with the clothes, shoes, absolutely everything. I have one pair of dress shoes that have lasted for years, and so far they’re holding up really well. I call them my sparkly shoes, and they’re perfect for the formal nights on cruise, or just an evening out, as long as it doesn’t include a lot of walking.  I find that at my age, comfort and cute shoes are not interchangeable-it’s an either or situation.

I pack 2 pair of  comfortable and durable strap sandals that I use for excursions, and a couple pair of fit flops, for the pool and easy excursions, and the mules I'll wear on the plane. That’s it for shoes. I love shoes, but I do not over pack.

For the formal nights, I picked 4 sparkly tops, one pair of dress silky black pants, and I alternate the tops. They're lightweight, and I roll them up-they take up less space in the suitcase. I roll everything I can to consolidate space.

Slowly things fill up the pages, and for me it is much easier than worry at the last minute that I forgot something-like a passport.  As I think of things I add to the list.

Next is the trip closer to home coming up in May.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness...”  Mark Twain

Cheers,
Margot  Justes
Blood Art
A Fire Within
A Hotel in Paris
A Hotel in Bath
A Hotel in Venice
www.mjustes.com



5 comments:

Rosalie Marsh. Author said...

As a traveller myself and someone who writes travel biographies, I enjoy reading about your adventures. Especially as I have visited some of the Europe destinations myself - with my husband.

As someone who dithers and shilly-shallies over what to pack and what to wear for the journey, I have found your viewpoint very interesting. One thing that I have learned when flying is that the 'carry-on' or cabin bag has to be lifted up into the overhead locker. All very well using the full 10KG (scheduled flights) but quite a weight to swing up!

Travelling light does not come naturally to me. The problem is Margot, that I do not know what I will want to wear two weeks hence! I have a feeling that you empathise with this.
Rosalie Marsh
www.discover-rosalie.com

Margot Justes said...

Rosalie,
Thank you reading the blog and taking the time to comment.

I do empathize, but I keep in mind that as you mention hefting the carry-on up requires effort, as does the lugging of suitcase. I'm brutal when it comes to selecting clothes and shoes for a trip, and comfort is paramount. Think about the lighter and smaller suitcase, and the fun you'll be having.

Some people are concerned how they will appear to others. I think that I'll never see these people again. I'm comfortable, clean and not over-burdened with stuff. Practice, it took me years to get to this point.

Morgan Mandel said...

The problem I have when preparing for a vacation is including clothes for all types of weather. It helps to find clothes you can wear in layers. Soon, I'll be getting my clothes and other items together for our trip to our cottage in Wisconsin, not a fancy a place, but we enjoy going there. This time, we'll be bringing Buster, the dog we adopted in November, who's never been to the cottage, so we'll have to see how that works out.

Margot Justes said...

Morgan Mandel,
Layers are an excellent choice, and mix and match outfits.
Buster will love it, as long as you're there. He adjusted quickly to a loving home.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.