“I really like my luggage.” “That’s exactly what it is, it’s luggage. You know how much time you lose by checking in?”

Starts with: The Pile

One of the biggest challenges of this trip was making sure I packed everything I needed to take without bringing a lot of extras. As my bio indicates, I’m a chronic overpacker, bringing an extra outfit, pair of shoes, swimsuit or workout gear on trips that simply don’t require it. Knowing that I was going to be shopping in London, I didn’t want to fill up the bag before I ever left my house.

The List

Luckily for me, I’m also a crazy list-maker and a bit obsessive when it comes to making outfits. In addition to my VERY detailed itinerary, I made a list of each day’s outfit, down the shoes. This was actually incredibly helpful for me not to forget anything as well as not pack unnecessary things. My main problem was that I was not able to double up the usage of any items of clothing the way that all the travel bloggers encourage you to do. I also brought too many pairs of shoes, owing to the fact that I had one navy dress mixed with black dresses.

All the Clothes

As it turns out, my feet swelled up with the heat, making both pairs of strappy heels almost unwearable, given the amount of walking I was doing. I’m on the hunt for dressy shoes that I can walk 5 miles a day in in 80 degree heat. They have to exist! With the heat, I didn’t need three pairs of jeans and could have used another skirt or two instead. But I was glad I wasn’t trying to wear any article of clothing more than one day because I was sweating too much for that to be not disgusting. I didn’t need a converter either, just the plug adapters, so I will be keeping that in mind for my next trip.

All in all, I was pretty proud of how I rolled my clothes and maximized the space in my suitcase. I wasn’t able to fill it only half full, but at least I have a goal for next time!

“It’s the saddest part of my day, leaving you.”

My last day in the UK, much like this post, was bittersweet. I was just finally figuring out how to get to the bus stop on time, which restaurants are worth a second visit and how to power-walk past slow-moving tourists in the Underground like a local. But all good things must come to an end, so armed with a list of things to do “next time,” I tried to manage the LONGEST DAY EVER with a little bit of grace.

I woke up at the same time I did on Tuesday and quickly got dressed. The sun was barely out, but the flat was already warm. I knew it was going to be another hot day. The weather had been a pleasant surprise, but I had not brought the right wardrobe! I dragged my large, purple suitcase down the four flights of stairs to the ground level, mentally apologizing to Katia’s neighbors as I went. It felt like I had just arrived and here I was, pulling my suitcase behind me again.

“Whenever I get gloomy with the state of the world, I think about the arrivals gate at Heathrow Airport.”

The last time I went abroad was in May 2008, when I visited another good friend from high school (Ellen) in South Korea. I spent six glorious days exploring the Land of the Rising Sun with Ellen, including a powerful trip to the DMZ, briefly setting foot in North Korea while under visual and video surveillance. Four years later, I set off for England with the same luggage, but a new brand-spanking new passport, ready for visa stamps.