(no subject)

[which_chick]

Packing, packing, packing. If I took everything with me that people have told me to take with me, I'd have to hire a porter. As it is, everything fits in one carry-on piece of luggage.



As I'm sure everyone knows by now, I'm going to Amsterdam from June 8 to June 19 with three (much) younger people to make sure that they don't die or do something irrevocably stupid. Here's what I'm taking with me...

Clothing.

Three pair footie socks
one pair big socks (wearing)
one pair grey socks
faded maroon t-shirt
pink t-shirt
black t-shirt
saiyuki t-shirt (wearing)
embroidered shirt
brown tank top
black and white tank top
blue longsleeved shirt
grey longsleeved shirt
black turtleneck
navy sweatshirt
regular jeans (wearing)
painter jeans
khaki pants
pink pants (yes, really)
black pants
blue skirt
black shorts
white sneakers (wearing)
sandals
crappy blue shirt (wearing)
six pairs of underwear (wearing one)
four bras (wearing one)

Stuff.
frisbee
hair elastics
bandana for hair
bun hair accessory
deck of cards
comb
wearable bag, quite possibly a purse, for holding nonvaluables (map, guidebooks) when we go out
shampoo, conditioner, soap, washcloth, two razors, tweezers, deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss.
aspirin, bandaids, kleenex, moist towelettes, sunscreen
digital camera
battery charger for digital camera
adapter for battery charger for digital camera
spare battery for digital camera
2 Gb memory stick for holding pictures off digital camera
sharpies in five colors (for writing on anyone who gets too drunk)
list of addresses (for postcards)
guide books (two) and waterproof map (one)
pop tarts, four, strawberry frosted, for emergency food
gum, traditional bubblegum and Dentyne Ice
lock and key (for securing stuff at hostel)
swiss army knife (has corkscrew)
small notebook and pen
neck pouch for things to not-lose
wear-under-clothes thing for money/passports
a folded-up cloth carry-on luggage, empty
one small towel
several gallon-sized ziplock bags
two bic lighters

Really Important Stuff.
Passports (I have all four)
money in cash, money for to deposit into Trys's atm card (never put all eggs in one basket)
credit card (for emergencies)
driver's license (ditto)
photocopies of passports (My secretary has copies for to keep in the states, mom. Please quit worrying.)
flight information (we did the e-ticket thing)

I am taking one piece of carry-on sized luggage plus that which I can sling around my person (like the digital camera and the bag for carrying nonvaluables). Everything fits. Invasions have been less thoroughly planned and no, you may not borrow my bag of infinite holding. :P

Comments

Swiss army knife

[ardvaark99999.livejournal.com]

Might this be a problem going through the airport?

Re: Swiss army knife

[cousin-sue.livejournal.com]

Yes, this should go in your checked through suit case.

Are you taking knitting for the 6 hour flight? Bamboo needles if you have them.

Re: Swiss army knife

[ardvaark99999.livejournal.com]

They'll probably bitch about knitting needles, too. Even bamboo. I'm not sure where you can check on this. Perhaps the FAA or Homeland Security fo some guidelines.

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

I was planning on checking the luggage in which this was packed.

Airport security won't let you have a Swiss Army knife on board a plane -- and if I hadn't known that already, I would have known it after dad bitched like hell all April because they confiscated his when he flew home from Mexico this most recent time.

Re: Swiss army knife

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

I will be sleeping for as much of the flight as I can possibly manage. We will be arriving in Amsterdam at 7:45 AM local time.

Packed for Trip

[valleyhi.livejournal.com]

Sister -

I might suggest less clothing for 2 reasons:
1. You will be seeing neat clothing to buy across the pond and need space for said clothing.
2. You need less clothing then you think and what you might possibly need can be purchased.

The soap, shampoo, razors and such (except dental floss) are readly available in stores. Don't waste time carrying that. Buy small and leave there.

two copies of padlock key.. for just in case.

Re: Packed for Trip

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

On the clothing front:

If I enjoyed shopping OR had any interest in wearing elegant European fashions OR wanted to buy clothes abroad to take advantage of a strong dollar, packing fewer clothes so's to be able to buy more in Europe might be something I would pursue. However, since I totally hate shopping for clothes, don't have any desire to look elegant/chic/Euro, and am traveling abroad at a time when my woefully pitiful Merkin currency's ass-sucking inflationary habits will work to my considerable disadvantage, I'm going to vote no on this one. I believe I'll save my money for the liquor, whores, and hash. :)

Also, note that the packing list includes an empty, cloth, folded-up carry-on bag. That's included so that I can take home more things than I left with. While I am not PLANNING any extraneous shopping* for tourist purposes (except for MDV's shot glass), I did include a way to get any untoward purchases home in the event that some happen because one never knows.

*Because, d'oh, I fucking hate shopping.

I also do not want to engage in buying toiletries abroad because I have perfectly good ones here at home in brands and flavors that I like. I already had travel-sized containers and I just topped them off with the shampoo and conditioner of the moment. Also, I'm totally not very adventurous about bath products. Since my whole kit of shower stuff takes up about an inch-thick quart-sized Ziploc (tm), it's not taking up a ton of space. I have more room in the luggage than I'm currently using, anyway. For a longer trip than ten days (like several months), I'd think twice about packing this sort of stuff, but for a little trip like this, I figured I'd be happier having my own things.

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

Interesting reading from Dear Leader... you may not take a lighter of any kind in your carry-on luggage and you may only transport an unfueled lighter (such as a Zippo) in your checked luggage. You may also not have lucifer matches but you are permitted four books of saftey matches as carry-on items.

Knitting needles and crochet hooks, just so that folks know, are allegedly allowed items but reports from the field suggest that this is not uniformly enforced.

Want to know more? See the Permitted and Prohibited List (http://www.tsa.gov/public/interweb/assetlibrary/Permitted_Prohibited_Facts.doc)

Re: Packed for Trip

[valleyhi.livejournal.com]

Well then I expect we have different tastes in things. Sorry to have suggested anything at all. Enjoy your hash, alcohol,and babysitting.

[sara-merry99.livejournal.com]

You *own* a pair of pink pants?? Really!

I can only imagine how nice they must make your ass look for you to have bought pink pants.

[which-chick.livejournal.com]

They're not made out of denim or sweatpant material. They're sort of a twill. They don't have holes in them. They don't have errant paint on them (which is apparently only OK if it is artistically dribbled on at the factory instead of unartistically dribbled on by someone who left too much paint on the roller).

The pants are a pale, sort of summer-y pink, and go to mid-calf. They go with several of the listed tops in an actual coordinating sort of way. They're not a very wrinkle-prone fabric. They don't have a hideous elastic waistband, the pockets are real (I hate fake pockets), and they fit. As pink pants go, they could be a lot worse.

They are not at all the sort of clothing that I wear in my real life but seeing as how no fewer than four people told me I had damn skippy better dress more nicely there than I do here, I'm making something of an effort.