Don't overpack they said...

Once upon a Christmas…. Call me a late bloomer, but I did not experience a “Euro Vacay” until I was the glorious age of 47. So, depending where you are ranked in the age department, it seems it is a right of passage for most late teen early 20 somethings, beauties, lovers, fashionistas, instagrammers, jetsetters, anyone with a beige trench, a passport, lip balm, a bikini and a backpack…Well, I’m a late 40’s beauty (yes, self declared, so what ? No one’s going to do it for you, as the saying goes), and I quite literally ran away from home with my boyfriend (husband of 24+ years) and a 65 litre backpack with wheels…and baby I rode that lil’ beast, till the wheels fell off :) not literally, and maybe I really mean my own wheels, meaning my kneecaps - which may I say, quite literally were buckling beneath the weight of this over-stuffed bad boy. Yep, EVERY> SINGLE> PERSON> WARNED ME> “Don’t pack too much, you can buy things over there, only take a few things. “Ok” I thought to myself, “You clearly don’t know me, I will be taking as many things as I can to fit inside this because I’mma need some variety. I need to express WHO I AM, and I NEED choices. Right…..it was at this point and for the ENTIRE duration of the trip that I needed a packing intervention.

But, no.

It all started the night before. Looking back there were definitely a few tell tale signs of impending trouble. Not being able to zip it closed…perhaps it was a sign? I was cryovacing bundles of clothes and having my husband squeeze the air out just so I could fit everything in, another sign? The plastic buckles were unprepared for the fight they had on their hands whilst I was leveraging my entire weight to pull the tiny remaining flap through the slot. In summary, it was a fantastic cocktail of moves incorporating cardio with some customised jujitsu moves, wrestling and twisting to make the sides join together, followed by relief and a celebration, satisfaction and amazement once the zip finally met the end of it’s tracks.

And I was to do this every time I opened my suitcase FOR ANYTHING for the rest of the holiday….oh. and the best part. I could NOT buy anything. (INSERT CRYING HERE)

Because.

ALREADY FULL.