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I'm ready to pack!

artnbarb

1000+ Posts
We leave for Italy 4 weeks from today, and I'm not sure how much longer I can hold myself back from packing!!! You'd think at my age I'd have learned by now that when you pack too early you have to unpack everything just to double-check, but still, the urge is strong! Packing will be a little easier this year since we're only packing for 2 months in the same place, as opposed to packing for 3+ months in idfferent locations. AND - we have a washing machine in our apartment, which will be a real treat! (Yeah, I'm weird!)

Am I the only one who packs too early?
 
No, not weird at all!
I start packing weeks before a trip.
I put my travel bag in a corner and put things in it as I think of them, along with a list that I modify right up till departure.
You go ahead and pack right now!
 
So far I have 2 bags - one larger for 'stuff' as I think of it, and then a smaller one for all the stuff I'll want during our flights. Somehow that smaller bag gets larger and larger - eyeshades, neck pillow, contact solution and case so I can take out my contacts for the overnight flight, glasses so I can still see when my contacts are out, some kleenex, evening and morning pills, wipes, and of course all the stuff that's normally in my purse. I feel like I should have gotten better at this over the years!
 
We leave for Italy this Sunday for 3 months so I started packing 2 weeks ago.
I’m a little OCD so I cataloged everything I put in the suitcases. I’m changing out our clothes at our house there , so it looks like we are traveling with more than we should .
Our hope is to eventually just have carryon and not check bags but thus far that hasn't happened.
 
We leave for Italy this Sunday for 3 months so I started packing 2 weeks ago.
I’m a little OCD so I cataloged everything I put in the suitcases. I’m changing out our clothes at our house there , so it looks like we are traveling with more than we should .
Our hope is to eventually just have carryon and not check bags but thus far that hasn't happened.
Luggage restrictions by the airlines have forced us to go smaller, but I still can't travel/pack for 3 seasons/mulitple countries/3+ months with just a carryon. I'm still not sure what I'm doing wrong.
 
Have a great trip! Please report back concerning your travel experience, especially as to covid-19. Packing for three months/seasons with just one carry-on would be tough. Have you read any of the expert books on packing light? Shipping luggage ahead may be an option for a long trip of three months.
 
Good luck artnbarb with the upcoming trip. My daughter returned a few weeks ago from a short trip to Italy, which she really enjoyed, in spite of the situation.
Remember, though, that it looks like daily cases of infection are rising in Italy, as the Delta variant has become the dominant one there, too. There will probably be a fourth wave at some point over there, and you would do well to take all necessary precautions while being in the presence of other people, eating at restaurants, etc.
 
Good luck to artnbarb on your trip! Are you still going to Ireland? I'd also love to hear about your experience in Italy!
 
Italy’s rates may be going up, but they are better than a lot of places.

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We won't be doing a lot of touristy stuff, even though there are still museums and churches and places we haven't yet seen, or like so much we go back again and again (Galleria Borghese). We DO plan to eat out a lot, but it'll always be outdoors, and we'll still keep our distance and wear masks when we go to the grocery etc. It'll be strange to be in Italy without being surrounded by loads of people, but at least we'll be in Umbria. ❤
 
And who has to pack the bags secretly so the dogs don’t see??

Our beloved chocolate Lab, gone almost exactly a year ago, was especially sensitive to seeing the suitcases come out of hiding. One time, he jumped into the car trunk while we were loading it, spread himself out over the bags, and would not move! How we miss him.
 
Leaving for Italy in about 5 weeks. I feel safe because I'll be in country settings, not in crowded cities. Not that there will be the normal crowds at this point. Keeping in touch with friends there helps keep the information fresh. Getting so excited as it's been almost 2 years since my last trip. In 25 years I've not been away from Italy for more than 6 months so it will be all new again!!! Yay!
Re: packing.....I think about weeks ahead and then start the gathering/packing process about 10 days ahead. That's what works for me. And I love seeing if I can pack less on the upcoming trip than the last one.

BarbnArt; Let's plan to have a meal together. Will you be seeing
 
Yes, let's plan a gtg! And yes, we also plan to see Larry and Shelly - and lots of others. We don't plan to do any sightseeing this trip at all, just small gatherings of vacinated, conscientious friends with lots of food and wine. We'll be there in 3 weeks!!!! As a sign of confidence we got Art's IDL yesterday - we had the pics but I was waiting til the last minute to get the license, just in case something changed.
 
My wife and I were packing our bags and eagerly anticipating checking off destinations on our long travel bucket list. In the past month, there still was a myriad of things to be organized; we had to book my flight, I had to find proper health insurance, we applied for an apartment and bought suitcases that would fit all our necessities.
 
So
We leave for Italy 4 weeks from today, and I'm not sure how much longer I can hold myself back from packing!!! You'd think at my age I'd have learned by now that when you pack too early you have to unpack everything just to double-check, but still, the urge is strong! Packing will be a little easier this year since we're only packing for 2 months in the same place, as opposed to packing for 3+ months in idfferent locations. AND - we have a washing machine in our apartment, which will be a real treat! (Yeah, I'm weird!)

Am I the only one who packs too early?
Sounds perfect to me. We leave a week from this Tuesday, arriving in Venice, then on to Nico's at Sant'Antonio. Actually flying first class all the way, since we saved so much money from canceling four trips.
 

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