It's nearly time...

Tomorrow is the day I begin an adventure, the kind that I never thought I'd take. I am heading to the USA to travel to a few places then up into Canada before returning to NYC where I will have a few selfish days all to myself. A couple years back I hated doing anything alone and now I'm doing this? I will be with a group of people who will also be doing the same trip. I am nervous and excited all rolled into one. What sights, friendships and musings will the trip bring? I was lucky to receive many great gifts from my kids at the end of the school and one in particular I loved. It was a pretty notebook which as soon as I opened I thought would be a perfect blog book/journal for while I'm away. I never know when I'll feel inspired. 

While I am away, this little blog will not be standing empty. I have wrote a few posts and have a few guest posts (Thank you for helping me out!!!) to keep you all entertained. See how thoughtful I am? Well, I'm off to pack the itinerary and make sure I haven't forgot anything.

Battered and bruised but ready for another journey...

I look forward to sharing some great photos and stories when I return.

Packing my bags...

My flight to NYC is tomorrow and I am so excited to be having a break. I do love my job but after 7 weeks my body (and mind) are ready for a break. Exhausted does not cover it, I've worked twice as hard the past few days to bring less work home for when I return.

I am currently packing my suitcase and feeling stressed!! I always have the thought process of:

- Have I charged my camera/phone/Ipod and included charger for all items mentioned.

- Do I have enough underwear? For some reason I always over pack on this item.

- Do I have clothes for all days?

- Is my case too heavy?

- Do I have suitable shoes for day/night/ice/snow!?

- Do I have all my toiletries and make-up?

I could go....no really...I could. I will stop there though before you fall asleep. I'm sure you have panics of your own? On the subject of clothes,  I have to admit I create something which I am quite renowned within my friends for doing. I create a clothing itinerary.

The clothing itinerary consists of :

- Brief outline of what you are doing each day.

-Images of outfits taken to match days.

-Options page with 2/3 extra outfits...you know...just in case haha!

It sounds silly and hard work but it pays off. It keeps my suitcase streamlined and hopefully (please!) underweight. I remember the time my case was lost.... along with my itinerary!! When I realised I exclaimed, " Nooo!! My first days outfit will not happen?! My itinerary is all over the place now!" I then had to buy a spare outfit which became an option haha!! I'm really not that high maintenance as this post may make me to look.... I just like organised clothes. Even a friend of mine tried it and was converted :-)

Here is my itinerary I am currently working on (it spans a few pages...):

OCD? Possibly!

Anybody else out there who does the same?! Or do you have some other way of making sure you just pack what's needed and a couple of extras?