Travel

On Wednesday I leave for Puerto Morelos, Mexico with three friends. I thought I had it all worked out. First step: Buy a new suitcase that is large enough to carry everything. (I like to pack everything I can think of and then make choices about what to wear when I'm at my destination.)

I first went to Macy's where there is a BIG sale and newspaper coupons to add to the sale discount. Nope. Luggage was still hundreds of dollars. Then I remembered that a friend had told me to buy luggage at places like T J Maxx or Marshall's. At T J Maxx, I found a 30-inch, HUGE, RED Samsonite suitcase for $89.00. Score! I was hoping to find red luggage so that it was conspicuous on a luggage carousel at the airport, so I'm quite happy with my find.

Second Step: I came home to pack and had thought that all of my summer clothes would be stored in one place. Nope. Would be all clean. Nope. Would be already ironed. Nope.

Rats. So now my packing is much more involved than I had expected, and I have to iron. I hate to iron.

And as a note on packing, I travelled last spring to Paris with a friend who retired from US Airways, and travelling non-rev with her means taking only carry-on luggage. Ouch. That was really, really difficult for me. But somehow I did it (wearing the same black pants every day helped) and managed to bring back a copper saucepan, two clocks made from round wooden cheese boxes, and fragile geese salt and pepper shakers. I have no idea how I managed it, but I did, and I probably should let packing so lightly teach me to do better on other trips.

Or not.