Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Miracles for Today



What started out looking like a disaster...has miraculously been contained in tidy Ziploc(r) bags into one checked bag and one carry-on...both with room to spare! It's less than 10 hours now until we leave and the family has been called, the house cleaned and the details left for those taking care of my house and home.

Every time I pack, with each successive time finding me packing less and less, I'm reminded of my first trip overseas. I went on a young adult missions trip to Barcelona in 1993. It had been a tough year, particularly with my beloved Grandfather passing away shortly before I was to leave. But, even with all the family trips, I never learned how to pack. In fact, I probably didn't really learn until I became a travel agent 12 years ago. Even now, each trip finds me learning a new technique to roll, pack or stuff to lighten the load. My, how far I've come! That first trip found me schlepping two VERY LARGE Pullman suitcases that I had received as a high school graduation gift several years before. They were packed to overflowing! Oh, AND a large matching carry-on. That was back in the day when airlines didn't regulate much and the thought of paying for an extra bag, or even one over 50 lbs was absolutely unheard of. Everyone seemed to understand that when you went overseas you needed everything but the kitchen sink. Incidentally, only one of my suitcases weighed less than 50 lbs...the other was 73! Who knows how heavy the carry-on was? Today, I managed to pack one Denier-nylon-extra-tough-with-rotating-wheels-and-retractable-handle-suitcase-in-easy-to-spot-red to check that is probably pushing the 50lb limit, and one matching carry-on. Need me to take anything for you? No problem...I've got room.
Well, at least until I hit the souvenir stands...

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