Well, I did it. I traveled out West for a week and only brought one carry-on suitcase and a backpack. It took some thinkin’ and some organizin’ but I made it happ’n. I’m still talk’n like I’m out West cuz I wuz.
Anyway, we flew from the Southeast to Phoenix. We then drove to Flagstaff and spent the night. The next day we drove to Williams, Arizona and took the Grand Canyon Railway to the Canyon. If you ever get to go to the canyon, TAKE THE TRAIN. It is a great experience, especially if you have kids. We met an adorable family from New York and became instant friends. Great fun. After the return train trip, we drove back to Flagstaff and spent the night. The next few days found us traveling east on I-40 to see the Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest and Painted Desert. We finally ended up in Amarillo,TX to help my Grandma celebrate her ninetieh birthday. We spent three days romping around the Palo Duro Canyon and Amarillo before flying home to Southeastern Virginia.
Now, about the packing. Here is a list of what I packed. I packed everything in two half-gallon ziploc bags and smooshed the air out.
Bag 1: Tennis shoes, black sandals, white sandals
Bag 2: 1 pair pajamas, 7 pair underwear, 2 bras, 3 pair socks, 1 bathing suit
Bag 3: 4 sleeveless shirts, 4 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt
Bag 4: 1 pair khaki shorts, 1 pair denim shorts, 1 pair jeans, 1 pair black crop pants, 1 knit skirt
Jewelry Bag: 1 necklace, 1 pair earrings, 1 bracelet
Medications, feminine products, curling iron, make-up and toiletries in sample sizes in a 1 quart ziploc bag
In the backpack I carried: reading material, day planner (for phone numbers and addresses), wallet, snacks, lightweight jacket, small first aid kit, maps for traveling, and my hydra backpack (for carrying water on our hike in the Grand Canyon)
We were able to travel in and out of airports, and hotels with not much effort at all. Another good thing about traveling light is that it limits what you can purchase on your trip. We always buy a Christmas ornament when we travel, so we had to vote on a small ornament that would fit in our luggage. I also bought a dainty pair of sterling earrings as a treat for myself and a bracelet for my daughter who couldn’t come on the trip.
When we got home, the ziploc bags (full of dirty clothes) were dumped onto the laundry room floor and I began to wash clothes. Everything was put away from our travels before we went to bed that night. I like that!
As I put away the map, I was already thinking of the next trip we will take. I’ll definitely be packing lightly!
