Pack it Up

So why does it take longer to plan an vacation than it does to be on one? It doesn't matter if you fly off to an all inclusive or go camping, it all takes longer than it should. By the time you decide where you are going, what you need to take, arrange the details through the travel agent or Internet, arrange for animal care..etc. I am exhausted before I even begin on the adventure.

And adventures they are! I am probably a very annoying person to travel with, as I like to see every possible thing there is to see from a back road with special trees that I saw in a flyer all the way to the biggest tourist trap. Luckily my husband is up for this as well, the only problem is that by the time we get home we need another vacation where we just can just sit.

So here I am getting ready to go to a cottage for the upcoming long weekend and I am up at 7am to arrange things. I have planned the menu (because there isn't a grocery store for a whole 10 mins), written a list about what the cottage has vs what we need to take, doing the last minute laundry, vacuuming and cleaning-as I like to come home to a clean house- along with a multitude of other things...and we are only going for THREE DAYS.

Mind you, just because others are "roughing it" with the bare essentials doesn't mean that I have to. One of our first camping adventures involved a very packed car, with equipment you could plug into the cigarette lighter for power and one embarrassed husband -then boyfriend.

You see- his nickname is wilderness boy! His idea of camping is a tent (optional), sleeping bag, matches and some snacks. I think this sounds like torture. Where is my change of clothing and toiletries....and don't even get me started on having to take a poo shovel. I do not apologize for liking the finer things in life. I do not need a 5 star resort with hand and foot service(although this does sound appealing) but running water is essential and I am not referring to the stream "over there".

So as I pack up the final items into the car to go off on our "relaxing" adventure I think that the bare essentials of a toothbrush and a change of undies might not be so so bad....then I laugh myself silly and pack four more pairs of shoes...after all, a girl has to be prepared for any fashion emergency.