A fairly solid block of colour is looming in my Outlook calendar as I begin yet another activity-packed couple of weeks. Today, my last day at home for a while, I thought I would work out a schedule for my packing, which could prove almost as interesting as when we were in Peru earlier in the year, because although my feet are unlikely to hit the ground in one place for very long, my Hero will be to-ing and fro-ing, coming home from time to time whilst I’m gadding about.
The first bag is packed. Well, to tell the truth, it hasn’t been unpacked. When I arrived home from the workshop in Cwmbran last week, I simply checked everything to make sure I had plenty of supplies for the next event, tidied it up a bit and put it to one side ready for Wrexham, the day after tomorrow. But I haven’t put aside my overnight things nor given one thought to what the weather is going to be like and if I need to wrap up warm.
My mind was already beyond North Wales and into next week and I googled “packing lists” in the hope of finding a starting point. There was certainly plenty of choice and yet, nothing quite fitted my requirements.
For example, I’d probably consider taking about half a dozen items from the list above – does anyone take “bandages” on holiday? Am I likely to need a universal sink stopper in the next couple of weeks? I don’t think so.
So I took out my paper and pencil and drew up four lists. One, for things I’m going to need the whole time and which can stay in whichever bag I decide to take. I think the charging cables and so on will go in this collection. A second list is for the next two nights away in Wrexham, when I’m unlikely to need very much at all but must remember to take that bag of resources!
Then it gets more complicated, but thankfully, I’ve got most of Sunday at home to think about the next two stages and write a couple more lists…
I would find it so much easier if I took the time and trouble to work it all out like this but sadly, if I did, there’d be no time to actually do the travelling!
Maybe I need a capsule wardrobe?
