A big vacay looms shortly, and I’ve noticed different people face it in a plethora of ways.  My sister and her crew have planning parties in the weeks before that are as much fun as the vacation will be.  But here’s the caveat–my sis and her friends are crazy, party animals who have a party if it’s National Doughnut Day.  Enuf said, right?

Then, there appears to be a segment of the traveling population which I will dub the Terrorized Tourists.  They are scanning the newspapers for any international news which may affect their vacation, getting ready for warfare with bedbugs and practicing their defensive moves.  You’d think they were Liam Neeson planning a weekend getaway.

I’m a different sort of vacationer.  I look through travel books for background on the country and its people.  I gaze at photos of places I’ll be visiting in awe.  Yes, I look at US Customs and State Department websites.  I ‘m aware of the issues journeying to other countries can bring to the traveling public, but I’m unwilling to allow fear to dull my enjoyment of the trip.

My biggest concern is packing–over or under packing, that is.  I’m a woman, albeit I believe myself to be low maintenance, I still want to look put together even if I hiking around in the rain in Ireland.  I wouldn’t worry about taking a checked bag, but I’m thinking about lugging around a big bag for two weeks, and I groan in dismay.

I purchased lovely suitcases last year for a trip and was very pleased with only waltzing through security with my purse after I checked my bag.  My trips last year I had one destination and didn’t have to deal with the bag each day.  So, I bought two small carry-on bags–one for my hubs and one for myself–hoping I could downsize my packing, still have room for my electronics and look good each day.

Four days later,  I have packed, repacked, removed clothing, added clothing, and removed clothing again.  Can’t forget my trench coat or my hiking boots.   I think I have gotten it down to the basics.  Now, I just have to remember my boarding passes and passport!