Packing to Go Nowhere

I used to travel for work.  It was exciting to accompany groups on international tours.

But when Bill and I retired to the joys of a quiet country life I vowed to curtail roaming.

The travel fever had subsided after eight years of tours.   Flying became challenging instead of an adventure, crowded instead of elegant,  uncomfortable instead of fun.  And our international tours were fraught with the anxiety of pleasing 25+ people at a time.

“Enough was enough,” as Dad used to say.  It was time to stay home.

The urge to travel afar did not plague me for years.

But now there is a strange compulsive need to discover and collect travel accessories!

Where other folks love fashion catalogs, or gardening issues, or even food catalogs, I love TRAVEL THINGS!  Not PLACES you know – THINGS.    I literally “pour” over all the travel catalog treasures:

1. mix and match wrinkle free outfits,
2. ideas for minimizing packing,
3. under-seat carry-ons,
4. travel soaps,
5. jet lag help,
6. sleep masks,
7. first aid kits,
8. packing cubes
9. clotheslines to string up in hotel bathrooms,
10. blankets,
11. pillows
12. air purifiers,
13. collapsible mirrors,
14. sample size detergents, and
15. the whole range of THINGS to make travel less cumbersome, sleeker, easier to manage, safer, more comfortable, and organized.

Even articles about how to be away from home for a month with one carry-on have my full attention.

Oh, the temptations there are in direct mail catalogs, newsletter articles, travel blogs, and even invasive social media advertisements.

With instant take-off in mind,  I started a real collection that is taking up space in the closet (I am READY!):

• A passportwallet that is positively amazing for all it will hold and ease of access.
• Shoe bags that do double duty holding slippers and shoes or socks and shoes, or  other things besides shoes.
• A drawstring makeup bag. Open it up and see all your cosmetics spread out (no digging).
• Oblong packing cylinders (don’t ask me to describe what these are for because I am not sure)
• A valet tray with snap up corners. Snap the corners, and it becomes a walled tray for keys, watch, change, etc. Unsnap and it lies flat at the bottom of your luggage.
• A mini umbrella and a foldable reversable raincoat.
• Neon colored luggage straps for easy identification.
• A collapsible water bottle.

The collection keeps growing and it will one day soon be ready to go.

And surely there will be another day when the urge to roam will take over.

Will the travel things I thought were perfect actually work?

Will the odds and ends necessities come in handy?

Will I be able to find what I need when I need it?

The question now is where in the morass should I pack my toothbrush?

 

 

 

 

 

 

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