How NOT to Pack

Time to Pack!





Thanks Rick Steve’s. No seriously, thank-you! Because of your books, DVD’s, PBS show and attending your free travel seminars in Washington State; I have learned to travel through the back door, with purpose and only with a backpack.



And we have the opportunity to travel again. And pack. And travel light.

The backpack is bigger than it looks

The first time we traveled to Europe, I took only a backpack as Rick Steve’s suggested. However, it was a huge backpack and I crammed it with clothes. Carrying 50 pounds on my back was taxing and we skipped some sightseeing spots due to the excessive weight of backpack. Just wasn’t interested in walking any distance much less across the street.



Lesson learned: Don’t heap the backpack full of stuff. .

The great idea of a wheeled bag

The second time, I took the same backpack but didn’t squeeze a bunch of clothes into it. However, the weather was so very cold and rainy (in the middle of August) I had to buy warm sweaters, rain jackets and pants. I found hidden pockets and wedged my items into them. My backpack was such a burden it made our first trip seem easy.



Lesson learned: Take a smaller backpack.



The third trip, I couldn’t find a backpack to suit my needs so I bought a carry-on, with wheels. Goodie! No more bag on my back to weigh me down. However, I learned to condense and compressed my items into my bag. No airline would let me carry it on due to weight. I had it at 69 pounds. And when a small carry-on is that heavy wheeling it becomes deadweight. And troublesome. And I had the bruised ankles to prove it.

Look, no carry-on; it's too heavy.

Lesson learned: I know how to squeeze items like sardines in a bag of any size.



This trip. Back to the backpack. I have a tiny backpack. Some would call it a book bag. On a short, one week trip to Arizona I was able to fit the backpack underneath the seat on the airlines. This trip, I am only packing one workout jacket with a hoodie; one tee shirt, one tank top, a pair of shorts, and a skirt. I will wear the only pants & long sleeved shirt. That’s it. Okay Mom, I will pack a couple pair of underwear as well. My goal is to keep it light weight and able to check onto an airplane. I suspect my camera, notebook & makeup bag will take up more room and weight. Maybe this time I’ll travel lighter; maybe this time I’ll learn to stuff my goodies in my husband’s bag.

My new, small backpack

We’ll see.



As Rick Steve’s would say, Happy Travels and see you next time.

It's FREE!

One weary coffee drinking blogger

Blogger. That’s what I am now. Can’t say I’ve mastered grammar as well as I have the commitment to post musing of my life weekly.  However, I must admit I’m a bit sad. Last week I had three people read my blog. Yes, three and I don’t even think one of those three people include my mom or my husband. So, I’ve considered a host of ideas to draw people to my blog.  Here is my list thus far:

1.   Free Beer. Oh wait, I don’t know if I can offer free beer since the legal drinking age is 21. I don’t even know if you can legally offer free beer much less allow those under 21 to view my blog.  Case in point, go to Widmer.com.  You must click on the button agreeing you are over 21 to even read about beer.  Scratch that idea.

2. Free Coffee. It’s not I’m into the free stuff but everyone should love coffee as much as I do and I just want to share that with the world. I realize not everyone shares my fondness. Plus, I have a couple good friends (okay you caught me only two) who are Mormon and I think one of them already reads my blog.

3.   Naked photos. That will capture attention. A couple of problems of posting nude photos. One, who would they be of to attract reads and not repeal? And two, do I really want those readers who want to look at nude photos on my blog?!?! Definitely scratch that idea.

4.   Can’t think of a fourth.  All of the other ideas running through my head are those free offers (be the 100^th person to read my blog and you’ll win a free computer. Everyone knows that no one gets the free computer.)  So I suppose I’ll have to address the lack of readership in another manner. Such as stop being  predictable. Me, predictable? Does everyone in the world know I love bacon on maple bars? Or that the color purple simply makes me happy?  Oops, maybe.

I suppose it all boils down to only getting people to the blog but to keep them as well. I do hope those who read are enjoying the content. My blog goals are to focus on travel, drink (e.g. coffee & beer) and a few adventures along the way. You can subscribe via RSS feed on the bottom of the page.

To the faithful three, thank-you.

The regular musing of adventure continues next week. For now, I'm heading off to have a beer for breakfast, with bacon and waffles. Until then.

Prost!

Travel Job Wanted!

Motivation is lacking. My goal was to blog about my unemployment and job search. No wonder I don’t have any readers. Who wants to read about my tragic issue? And if you are living it, and since unemployment is still looming at 10 percent and not getting any better, you defiantly not reading about what you are currently going through. I know, I get that.


You’ve heard it a hundred times, do what you love and the rest will follow. Not always so practical if you love yourself and just want to showcase that however thanks to reality TV you can. In fact, you can even graduate from a Utah College with a Bachelors degree in reality TV. I can’t make this stuff up folks. Well…. I can but why when the truth is always stranger than fiction (thanks Mark Twain for that quote.)

Embarking on my job hunt, I’ve listed my skills…they are:

• Drinking coffee. Hanging out in Coffee shops.

• Drinking Beer. And the good stuff. Not the cheap stuff that comes in a can.

• Eating chocolate. Darker the better.

• Bacon! Need I say more?

Oh Wait; those are the things I like to eat. I didn’t even add donuts to the list. Okay, let me try this again. My skills:

• Adventurous. Like to Travel and explore the world.

• Physically fit. Can ride a bike for 7 days in a row across countries, like Hungary.

• Stamina. Lots of it. Walked up a mountainside in Dubrovnik Croatia that had 27 switch backs.

Oh, not marketable skills you say. Hummm. Now I’m at an impasse.

Ideally, I’d like to combine those two skill sets. Eat, drink and travel. I don’t see myself as Anthony Bourdain. After all, he’s a chef with a witty sarcastic attitude who smokes and drinks. (I don’t smoke.) And I’ve watched Samantha Brown. I think she is a bit, dry. My sense of humor and adventure is greater than hers. And I don’t want to be Rick Steves and education people on traveling across Europe. Although Rick is my hero and I take his travel advice to heart.

Maybe, just maybe there is a niche for me. Maybe somebody needs a (gasp) a middle-aged woman who is sassy, witty and a bit zany with wild red hair and the personality to match.