I am Karan from Olympia, WA.
Almost every other name used here is a pseodonym pseudonim pseudonymn alias.
The rest of it is true - mostly - and all of it is my own.
Don't even think about taking any of it, unless of course, you want to pay me.
Random Wisdom: Never trust a computer you can't throw out a window - Steve Wozniak
Archives
Complete Archives
Syndicate
RSS 2.0 Atom
The counter says that 3220008 have been flummelized, but I personally think it's all a big lie.
[ Tuesday, October 25, 2005 ]
Packing is all math
mostly subtraction....
After careful research and a profound commitment to minimalism, I started packing my suitcase for the big trip.
I bought a new suitcase just for the trip...a sporty number sold by Rick Steves. This is a picture of the one I own. It measures 9” x 21” x 14” (with an extra expandable bit that adds 2” more to the depth of the thing). It may appear small, but believe me, when I started stuffing my things into it, it shrunk right down to itty bitty.
My stack of necessities included a seven day supply of garanimal-type outfits...including sweaters, a jean jacket, pants, tops and under tops plus those delicate under things. I packed art supplies, a moleskine journal, small gifts, touristy books, toiletries and electronics with accompanying chargers and adapters.
First try....I had too little suitcase. Rick Steves is insane.
I pared down the stack to five days of outfits and employed those squish-out-the-air bags. I stuffed them full, squeezed them and then repacked.
Second try....I had too little suitcase.
I tossed aside all but two pairs of pants, some of the art supplies and half the toiletries. I excluded the oh so fashionable doubling up top combinations for a total of five and threw out two sweaters. I eliminated extra books and an additional language dictionary.
Houston, we have touchdown!
I was able to zip the suitcase closed...but in the spirit of full disclosure, I have to admit that I had two additional bags that would serve as carry-ons for the entire trip, a rucksack style bag that worked as purse and camera bag and a laptop messenger bag that served as a laptop messenger bag. Lots of extra stuff was jammed into both.
I think that in all, the three bags weighed close to 700 pounds.
Oh...I forgot to mention that I also went Heidi for the flight over....one pair of pants, one short-sleeve top, one long-sleeve top and one sweater, all covered with that aforementioned jean jacket. I can tell you for certain, that even in the cold Seattle 4:30am morning air, I was sweating like a big pig.
Thinking myself oh so clever....not only could I hardly move, the pure and solid weight of my luggage was killing me. Yet, to Rome I proceeded...very very happy for any opportunity to sit and recover from my folly.
I forgot about the trains.
Italian trains are not forgiving of overloaded passengers and after my first ride, I found a post office and shipped the irreplaceable, yet expendable home and threw out many items. After the second train trip, I repeated the purge and by the time I got to Venice, I was a happy traveler.
It seems that Rick Steves was right all along. Less is best.
My advice....don’t pack for every eventuality....Italy had everything I needed when and if I needed it. In other words, don’t pack like a mom.
Tomorrow....life in Roma.
This is an on-going saga of my recent trip to Italy. I traveled with two friends, Carol and Nancy, while we toured the countryside for almost a month. Read the whole thing in one place here.