It was half an hour before I had to leave, and I was frantic. My room was a mess. I wasn’t done packing, and I COULD NOT FIND MY WALLET.
My good friend Anna came over to say goodbye. I stroll cannot believe what I said to her, in that stressed and frantic state of mind. I said, “Anna, can you take this sheet and sew it up like a sleeping bag?”
Goodness me. But she sewed it up for me, and I hugged her goodbye, and now instead of making room for a top sheet AND a bottom sheet, I only had to make rom for a sheet-sleeping-bag.
You see, I was ambitious on this trip. I decided to put everything in a backpack so I wouldn’t have to bother with checked luggage and overhead bins. I got the idea when I read this article.
Three dressers, two shirts, swimwear, and the oldest most threadbare towell I could find, all rolled up tight in the bottom of the backpack.
Underwear and socks stuffed in shoes.
Non-liquid cosmetics in a plastic bag in my mug. (Power packers still gotta have their tea.)
Second later: slip wrapped around shoes, sheet-sleeping-bag, mug.
As I ran around I asked mom, frustrated tears in my eyes, if she would make me some food, as it was six thirty pm and all I’d had to eat all day was four crackers with tuna and part of an egg sandwich.
Bag full of food. Will it fit?
And…it fits!
Liquid cosmetics and notebook in front pocket.
Other front pocket…cell phone, tea bags, card holder, and droid.
I used my phone to take a picture of my droid, which is the biggest space saver as it functions as my computer, and lets me read books and listen to music.
I’ll end with a picture of the cute Thai water bottles mom sent along.
Adoreable!
Oh yes, there was one more thing I wanted to say. I tried so hard to pare down on clothing, ending up with three dresses, three shirts, and one skirt. It felt like nothing, but when I thought about it, I can make it into twelve outfits…almost a different outfit everyday.
Well we will have to see how it goes, but so far I have enjoyed the simple lack of bulk.
The Girl in the Red Rubber Boots 