{"id":501,"date":"2015-03-23T20:32:35","date_gmt":"2015-03-23T20:32:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=501"},"modified":"2016-08-21T01:05:03","modified_gmt":"2016-08-21T01:05:03","slug":"put-it-all-on-the-table","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.virginiaparker.net\/travel\/?p=501","title":{"rendered":"Put it all on the table"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"IMG_2278\"<\/a>Robert kindly completed his yeoman work on the taxes. This gives me access to the dining room table, my preferred staging area for packing.<\/p>\n

There are three luggage components: the main suitcase, the carry-on and my little backpack purse. The carry-on stacks on top of the suitcase, the handle of the suitcase slipping under a strap on the carry-on. This makes it exponentially easier for me to wheel away from baggage claim and into a taxi and down the city streets to my destination.<\/p>\n

This year I am trying a new suitcase with the kind of wheels that rotate in all directions (thanks Boatie!)\u00a0 I’m bringing a couple of things that were either difficult to find or prohibitively expensive in Paris – tea and oatmeal.<\/p>\n

I loved the way the space bags – like giant ziplocks you roll up and squeeze the air out of – turned my pillow into a wafer, so I am going to test out packing shirts, my rain jacket, scarves and knickers that way.<\/p>\n

Clothes don’t take up the most space\u00a0 – shoes, toiletries, equipment (flat iron, dryer) and my trip planing folder do that. Electronic have their own place in the carry-on; my Nook, Laptop, iPod, iPhone and camera, plus accompanying cables and chargers, along with a change of clothes. It only took one sloshed vente latte to convince me you alway need a change of clothes on hand. I’ve never had my luggage lost (wait while I knock on wood) but my carry-on could see me through. A comforting thought.<\/p>\n

\"IMG_6755\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Things I am leaving behind<\/p>\n