During our recent trip to Europe, sixteen days or so (I say "or so" because with 12 hour flights and many time zone changes it's hard to keep track of what day it is) our itinerary was as follows:4 air flights
6 train rides
2 countries
3 cities
6 hotels
Plus numerous taxis and physical luggage lugging(is that where the word comes from?)
I can tell you that I was in trouble before we even left our apartment in Manila.
I have never travelled light. As a matter of fact, I think the last time I did was that notorious trip to the south of Spain I wrote about earlier. However, a few years ago, on my first trip to Australia, on a dare, I travelled with carry-on only and it worked out just fine. Question: "What do you do about shopping when you have no luggage". Answer: "Jewelery!"
However I regressed big time on this trip. First of all, I was an "accompanying spouse" on the Bank's annual meeting and I was led to understand that there were a lot of different social events I was supposed to attend. Multiple receptions, luncheons - semi-formal stuff. Then of course, there was the spousal program which included tours of places like Toledo, a mediaeval, cobblestone town built on a hill - lots of walking (read comfortable shoes and attire). Then we were tacking on vacation time, so casual wardrobe required. Then just before we left, the weather forecast for both Spain and Netherlands was spring weather, 19-20 degrees C. so out comes the old Canadian spring wardrobe.Well, the best laid plans...
So there I was, in Manila, struggling to get this suitcase closed, jammed to capacity or beyond, with a ton of clothes - something for every event, shoes to match, oh, let's just put a few more things in, in case I get bored with the selection, oh and how about another bag, oh, did I mention shoes... Weighed a ton.
I had a back ache by our first stop - Amsterdam. In Amsterdam they have a fantastic train system that takes you directly from the airport to downtown. Easy, efficient, comfortable (hear that Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver??).
That is, unless you are lugging around what I was. The next day, unknown to us, it just happened to be the Queen's Birthday, when everything in Amsterdam shuts down and the entire place becomes a street festival. The streets are completely closed to traffic. Meaning no taxis from hotel to train station. More walking and lugging.
When we got to Madrid and I got into the program there, I realized that I really didn't HAVE to attend most of these annual meeting social events and blew them off. So at least half of these carefully chosen, bulky outfits never even got worn (plus the matching shoes, did I mention the shoes?) Also, to make matters worse, I was so suffering the back wrench, that I had to miss the spousal program trip to Segovia, and a few other things, as I had to take it easy.
TAKE IT EASY??? There I am in Europe, where the thing I love to do most is WALK, and I'm forced to "take it easy" because of a f*@$%!g suitcase?
Oh, and the final kicker is that the weather changed. Instead of that mild 19-20 degrees C, a little heat wave descended, and we were up to 26 degrees+ and almost nothing in that bag was at all appropriate.
Here is the charming canal house hotel we stayed in Amsterdam. A three floor walkup. Yes, no elevator for the luggage challenged.
They say that one gets "older and wiser". I have long maintained that I have been only getting older and stupider.
So here's the thing. I'm reforming. I intend to make an art form of travelling light. On my next trip, to British Columbia in July, I will be a changed woman. Just watch me (and my BC friends and family can bear witness). And, for the next annual meeting next spring, I intend to spend a month there (Bali). I will travel with one small suitcase. (But there I'll have to have a big empty one for the shopping!!!).
Here's two more delights from Amsterdam. A great bar we found right on the canal where we watched the amazing canal boat life, and you gotta love a town that names its streets like this!
Here's my web help on my luggage rehab program. Top photo courtesy of The Art and Science of Travelling Light.
