Prepared for every event or travelling light?

I used o drive to visit family 'down south' but now restrict my driving to short local trips. So now I can't just throw umpteen bags in the boot and set off. I try to restrict myself to essential layers to cater for all possible weather conditions. As I iron garments I take them to the suitcase and pack them - I turned up for a week in Majorca with eleven tops/teeshirts. However, I once forgot necessary items of medication and was lucky to be able to find an out of hours centre where the doctor was very obliging - I keep a copy of my prescriptions in my wash bag. If I go abroad I carry my glasses prescription too. Shoes are a problem if I am trying to travel light. I wear one pair to travel and put a contrasting pair in my suitcase. Sandals at this time of year if I'm feeling optimistic! Never forget the packable raincoat! I still have one that I had to buy on the Isle of Mull. Who else would go to the Western Highlands without a raincoat?

I use every last ounce (gram)of extra luggage allowance. I take everything I can think of & wear it all. I have to have my own hairdryers etc.& all my makeup. I buy all sun creams & face creams at airport now to save weight in case.
I have a holiday wardrobe as I rarely wear the clothes over here- too cold.
Thanks to Kindle I no longer pack 12 books!
DH who travelled all over the world some years ago for his job is almost as bad but with him it is laptops etc.
I don't understand those lucky people who take 2 or 3 things & wear them over & over again. I wish I could do it ( we do wash things out & if there is a local laundry we use that too)
These new ultra light suitcases are brilliant too.

speaking of travel, I'm not sure if it's appropriate to post this here, but I am judging a free to enter travel writing competition! Please spread the word to your writer friends...I am thoroughly enjoying the longlisted entries that are being sent to me! www.imustbeoff.com/p/blog-page.html

Last minute packer too - check what DH has put out [about a fortnight ahead ] - then put my own stuff out. Get all the necessary plugs and flexes for electronics, medications and various bandages and stuff, which we'll inevitably need if I don't pack them [happened more than once, so now I'm belt and braces], and finally squash what i might need!
We travel with as little as possible, unless we are going in our car, in which case we take TONS!

Last minute!

I am a minute packer! I have everything ready but don't put it in the bag until the morning of departure. Mine times out of ten I forget to pack something I need, but wherever we go there are always shops, so I don't worry. My H on the other hand takes everything imaginable, and then some. He always has far too much. I believe in travelling light.

The last few years we have been on the ferry to the Ise of Wight. SC in a caravan.
The things we take have to fit on the back seat of the car wile the large dog has the boot to herself.
We have a bag of clothes each, bag for towels and tea towels. Dog stuff and some kitchen useful items.

DH traveled a lot when he was working, for work and also over here to see me. He always makes a packing list even if it's only for a night!
We both more or less have it sussed now and only pack what we need for however long we're going away.

I well remember flying to see DH (before he got the DH promotion and was just a bf!) with no luggage as he'd taken my stuff over a few days earlier. I stood in Manchester airport watching a SAS plane limping in with full fire engine escort and just knew it was my flight. Yes, we were put up overnight and me with not even a clean pair of pants!!!!! Never did that again, I can tell you.

Used to pack for 5 in one suitcase when DC went too. Now we usually have 10kg max weight (unless on a cruise, which has only happened twice). Planning 2 weeks holiday in Italy later in the year - Bologna, Tuscany, Venice - and DH has booked 10kg baggage allowance. Shall have to get the micro bikini out again

Just come back from a holiday to Greece. As usual put everything on the spare bed then halved it! Still came back with stuff unworn! Both of us used one small suitcase and a carry on bag between us.

I am very much "everything but the kitchen sink" person. I used to work on the assumption (stupidly) that there were no shops at my destination. I was caught out about 40 years ago, forgetting deodorant and could not find any where we were! Lovely as the T was very hot.

I've recently been on a 3 week no fly cruise, and with no weight restriction took the kitchen sink!! The cruise company had failed to mention it had abandoned one of the three dress codes which meant a third of my clothes were surplus to requirements. This was my first cruise, I will know better next time.

My DH packs and can get all my, his and DGC (2) in one large wheeled holdall, including wash gear and towels. The poor thing groans when it sees DH coming.

I end up buying lighter suitcases, so I can take more with me, lol! I hate packing, and find it less stressful if I can lay things out on the beds over a long period of time

I always find packing for holidays incredibly stressful. Next week we are going to France for a week in my DH's sports car, so space is very limited. We've bought new luggage that fits into the boot, but I'm so worried about what to take! I always try to pack light, but I'm very tall and it's not so easy to find things that fit me should we need to! I'm worried because my DH will insist on keeping the hood down and I feel the cold more than he does!! My sensible side tells me that I'm worrying needlessly, but I can't help it. This is a first for us!

Depends where I'm going but try to travel light with mix and match items, if going somewhere hot just one slightly warmer set of clothes (usually what I've left UK in, if somewhere cold take layers, as Badenkate says there are only a few essentials, I do take a sketchbook, pens, water brush and pocket watercolour set and sketchbook. If flying I make sure I can survive a few days on that, change of underwear, spare quick drying top, tee shirt to wear or sleep in in emergency. I also never wear anything expensive, that is just asking for trouble.

As a non flyer I either drive, UK or Continent, or cruise and of course there are no weight restrictions. I do now pack less than I used to when younger but it is so tempting to throw things into the boot 'just in case' and of course half of the things packed never get worn. One day I'll learn!

I have a summer list and a winter list which I find helps me to stick to hand luggage only. I'm currently on a 2 week trip to Estonia and Finland and am managing perfectly well with hand luggage. A bottle of travel wash for socks and pants and the odd t shirt which I soak before breakfast and rinse out after and I'm sorted. As mentioned in a previous post, stick to 3 colours only.

I went away unexpectantly for three days this week. Hubby was going on a business trip to Waterford, Ireland. He said I could come if I got ready in ten minutes! I threw a change of underwear in a bag and that was that. It turned out fine. So what if I wore the same top for three days! I was clean underneath! I bought a pair of comfy trainers while i was there as my feet were really hurting in the shoes I'd brought. I had a toothbrush, and used the hotel shampoo and conditioner. It's amazing how little you can get away with.

Depends where we're going and how long for. If we're going abroad, I manage to keep to the luggage weights, but these days we mainly take cottage holidays in this country when, if I am not reined in, the entire contents of my kitchen will be decamped to wherever we are going - just in case! Then there are the boots and shoes, rucksacks, poles, fishing tackle, folding chairs....... I already have a long list for our holiday in August. Thank goodness for Honda and their "magic seat" system!

Have a good time Mick can you let us know how you get on.

My SIL had a colleague who always made 14 new outfits every year for her holiday - one year she arrived at her destination but her case did not! She spent the entire holiday in the outfit she travelled in and a few bits she could buy locally as her case turned up a day or so before she returned home. !

We used to travel about so much that we eventually came up with the rule that as long as we had our passports, my medication, and a credit card it didn't matter what else we forgot. Oh, and a spare set of car keys.

I'd love to do that Mick - I always get very envious of Michael Portillo on his train trips. Are you going across Rannoch Moor? That's an amazing journey. I also wanted to plan a journey using local buses and my bus pass (while we still have it) but DH is not very enthusiastic

We always know when we have packed just what we need for a weekend away -- the car boot is full and the backseats are full.

Wow Mick - what an adventure. It sounds great and I hope you have a wonderful time.