I've been home for a week now after a 31-day trip to London, South of England and Ireland. I'm posting just the packing report now. The rest of my trip report will follow in a week or so as a separate topic. Suffice it to say for now that this was one of the best trips I've taken.
Packing was challenging for this trip, my first trip in years to a “cold and rainy” climate. After several test packs and creative packing I finally fit everything within United’s carry-on specs (22x14x9). Outbound my RS Rolling Carry-On fit United’s size requirements and weighed 21lbs. Homebound I expanded and checked it.
Question: why do other passengers’ carry-ons look so much larger than mine? Optical illusion or they are truly bigger?
As I sat in the hotel room stitching the seam on my RuMe tote, I realized I’d be lucky if it made the trip home (it did). Luckily I bought two totes when RuMe was closing. I crammed a lot into it. The tote barely fit underneath the seat and weighed 13lbs, less after removing my purse after boarding. I never thought I’d use the packable, fillable neck pillow I bought several years ago and was ready to donate it. However, my raincoat wrapped in a pashmina fit perfect.
I changed from my usual travel black/gray/red travel wardrobe to blue/pink. Clothes took no more room than usual until I added the rain coat, two sweaters and a jacket, plus a pair of water proof shoes. Sadly, I wore it all and didn’t regret anything I packed, just the weight.
Temperatures ranged from England heat wave with humidity, to Dover and south coast fog and rain, back to England heat wave, to 9 straight days of Irish rain.
I hand washed either daily or every two days depending on tour schedule. All shirts were nylon or polyester for quick dry. That’s relative to the weather: warm days dry overnight, cold days dry in two days. Here’s what I packed and comments:
3 pair leggings, all blue or navy, planned on 1½ days to dry
5 long sleeve shirts, the reversal one I posted about gave me an additional shirt
1 short sleeve tunic
5 sets undies and socks. 2 pair compression socks are a must so my feet and lower legs don’t look like sausages.
1 set PJs
1 blue pashmina
1 pair FitFlop sandals, reserved for travel, on warm days, my feet love them.
My previous packing lists included a cashmere sweater and jacket or an additional sweater. I usually pack a packable lightweight hooded rain poncho bought in Sorrento, but it would not have worked in the wind.
Here’s where the bulk and weight piled on:
1 gray yak cardigan for warmth but it pilled when I wore a backpack. I either need a smooth back backpack or leave the sweater home. I choose the former for next trip.
1 pink with blue flecks synthetic pullover sweater, warm and got lots of compliments
1 hoodie jacket, fit good under the rain coat but not windproof/rain resistant on its own.
1 blue Eddie Bauer hooded thigh length rain coat, worked great but weighed 1½ lbs and didn’t pack small.
1 pair Ryka walking shoes, not new, wore out towards the end of the trip and thrown out
1 pair Keene waterproof shoes, happy to wear those in Southern England and Ireland; if I travel somewhere warm these stay home
I also packed 35-day supply of drugs and enough lotions, potions, eye drops, etc for the 31-day trip. I won’t change any of these for future trips. The only things I bought at pharmacies were bandages for my sensitive toes and antibiotic cream for the leg travel rash I get every year. I ran low on both.
Packing assessment: it all worked although heavier than I like. I think traveling in summer or to warmer countries is a better choice for me for future trips.