Just to be clear, I am trying to be 100% focused on the task at hand which is to pack and arrange for myself to get to the airport Saturday. I’ve had today at home and it was meant to be a day of packing and planning.
But. Life happened in the form of this sunrise and I’ve been a bit drifty ever since I witnessed it with my running shoes in the sand.
So I went to Priceline for a bit to browse its ordered aisles while looking for the three things on my trip shopping list.
These hair masks look as if they’d travel well. Except if the foil packaging was to explode up in the air. All over my thoughtfully packed bag.
So I went with this set from US brand HASK which features two sachets of hair treatments and a vial of Argan oil.
A half bottle of milk had to be bought as well because I’m nearly out and only need enough to get me through to Saturday morning.
Which brings me to the packing and its progress, or lack thereof. This assembly of things still hasn’t packed itself in the three days that have elapsed since I confidently draped them over the beds in the spare room.
I’ve been worried that despite being a city of just under 4 million, I won’t be able to find dried fruit, salty snacks that aren’t too salty or biscuits that aren’t too sweet anywhere near my hotel in LA…. so these provisions have joined that pile of clothes that I am now resignedly packing into my suitcase myself.
I’m not taking any chances with tea either. This cube of T2 teabags is coming along as well. Each bag in the box is individually wrapped in foil which makes them especially handy for travel. The box will also look suitably glamorous on the shelf in my hotel room,
Another thing that’s pretty much sorted and ticked off my ‘to do’ list is my inflight reading list. Thanks to some great Instragrammers who have been posting micro book reviews in their feeds, I’ve got a great list of books loaded onto my Kindle. I love the bookmark function. As you can see, I use it for only matters of great importance. Aside from book recommendations, I’ve saved a few handy housekeeping related posts and that’s about it.
I wonder if I should bring a scented candle along as well? And bath oil…. Nah. What’s even better than those two, combined even, is a mug of tea. Made the ‘proper’ way. With kettle boiled rather than coffee machine heated water. This el cheapo kettle has just gone into my suitcase… I might change my mind later but gee a good cup of tea on holiday in the US would be lovely.
There’s a part of me that’s already missing the busy relentlessness of my ‘everyday’ life in Sydney. The workday morning hustle to get out the door on time, work itself, the working mum juggle, the mum who works juggle… but I’m also just a little bit excited to be hopping into that taxi Saturday morning after one last run up the road and one last ‘real coffee’ at my favourite cafe.
I do need a break and a change of scene. A few days of unashamedly ‘me’ focussed activities, some time immersed in art, the intellectual challenges and discoveries of the conference program and also those luxuriously long flights there and back which allow me to decompress. There’ll be more leaves to rake and sweep from my front courtyard waiting for me when I return, of that I’m sure.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend and week ahead.
I’ll report back after I’ve arrived at the airport or deplaned in LA. Or possibly even both.
Be well.
