When one is committed to carry on luggage exclusively, packing becomes an art. Especially when a person is striving to live up to the title bestowed upon them in 1980 – “best dressed girl” in the 8th grade Greenwood Lake Middle School class.
As I started preparing my back of the envelope packing list, I considered the weather, activities planned and level of comfort and what garments would work best. I decided upon 4 dresses, 3 sweaters, 2 pairs of pants, a blouse, a couple of t-shirts (long and short sleeved varieties), a rain coat and a cool leather jacket. I focused on blue and brown as my primary colors with some green and a bit of pink mixed in.
Added to what is pictured above are a pair of jeans, a dark blue merino pullover, a dark blue long sleeved t-shirt, 2 white t-shirts (one long sleeved, one short), a short sleeved brown wool sweater, my pink beige moto jacket, a pair of leggings and tank top for sleeping, rain anorak, undergarments, 2 pairs of Adidas (white/green Stan Smiths and dark blue suede Busenitz), brown Clarks Maryjane’s, plastic Birks and a swimsuit.
Why a swimsuit and beach Birks, you ask? I have high hopes that I’ll find a sauna to enjoy as I make my way between the Irish Sea and the Atlantic, a realistic wish, I believe, after a quick Google search revealed an array of sites around the country. I’d like to find one that relies upon wood for heat and provides a view of water. Like this one:
In addition to the itemized clothing, I’ll also squeeze some accessories into my bag, like a scarf or two and some jewelry. My travel attire will need to bridge the gap between the forecasted 78° in NYC when I depart and the predicted 48° in Dublin the morning I land. Jeans, a short sleeved t-shirt, my blue merino sweater, sneakers and my raincoat should cover it, with a scarf to add some color.
Layers are key, in my opinion. I find the temperature in planes to swing wildly between hot and icy, something I appreciate in a sauna/cold plunge setting, but not so much when it comes to when I’m traveling.
Better to be prepared.
Which brings me back to my philosophy when it comes to packing – be prepared for the weather, planned activities and personal comfort. After many trips to Europe, I’ve gotten pretty good at assembling a travel wardrobe (and style) that meets all of those requirements.
Is it time to pack yet? I’m ready!
DelSo 
Bon voyage. I need to go to Ireland in the next 2 years to find the parents of my 2nd-great grandmother Margaret Collins, probably from Munster, County Cork.