Rose Brooks

Episode 464 – Packing Two Suitcases: Cruise & Land

After a very short Airbnb stay in Maple Ridge following our river cruise, Christmas with our grandkids, a couple of lovely local walks enjoying the mild BC weather, and a nice hike near Alouette Lake, it’s time to get back to travelling.

Under the moss-covered tree limbs in Kanaka Creek Park, Maple Ridge BC.
Alouette Lake Beach. There’s just something breathtaking about water right beside snow-capped peaks. It won’t be hard to spend 2024’s non-travel interludes here.

And back to travelling means back to packing.

I pack. Well, Ted packs too… but only his tech bag.

Brian Crane’s PICKLES comic sometimes feels way too close to home.

2024 starts with two months on the road, part of which is actually on the sea. For 24 days in January we’ll be aboard the Holland America Koningsdam, on a “circle cruise” to Mexico and Hawaii, beginning and ending in San Diego. That will necessitate a full-size suitcase. (Well, not actually “necessitate”, because it is definitely a choice I’ve made to pack more changes of clothing than is our usual practice.)

Here’s what’s in that 24” case:

ROSE: navy blue palazzo pants x 2, white palazzo pants, navy bermuda shorts, pink shirt/scarf, yellow tunic & scarf, blue/white tunic, 2 blue caftans, blue & white tank tops, print capris + 6 black/white/navy tops, navy cardigan, black mesh shrug, tie-dye blue maxi skirt, white scarf, white Mexican maxi skirt & top with embroidered belt, blue tiered maxi dress with Mexican embroidered shawl.
Not in photo: navy/tan sandals, yellow sandals, white/gold flip-flops, black flip-flops, sparkly Mexican sandals, white canvas runners, red/white/blue maxi, blue Tigua nut bracelet, silver & blue enamel hoops, purple/turquoise print short dress, blue/pewter jewelry, turquoise shrug, blue/yellow midi dress, blue/yellow scarf, yellow Berber bead necklace, black/silver enamel jewelry, a container of assorted silver and crystal earrings, and a week’s worth of intimates.
TED: lightweight jeans + 4 blue print short-sleeved shirts; black dress pants + 3 collared shirts; dress shoes & tie (in lieu of a jacket for cruise “dressy” nights); beige convertible pants/shorts + 2 long-sleeved beige tone long-sleeved shirts; khakis + 2 print short-sleeved shirts. Not in photo: running shoes, Tilley hat, and a week’s worth of socks and gotchies.

We’re leaving Vancouver in what passes for winter here on the coast, so will be wearing jeans, long-sleeved tees, spring/fall weight jackets, and closed-toed shoes onto the plane – thankfully those bulkier things don’t need to be packed. We have one overnight in a port-side hotel in San Diego before embarkation, requiring just a change of shirt (we’ll wash out our quick-dry body wear), which is easily done from the little carry-on duffel bag that will also hold our toiletries, vitamins, and prescriptions.

Then, for the entire month of February, we’ll be living in the Mission Hills neighbourhood of San Diego, California in a 1 bedroom apartment with a washer and dryer. The few warmer clothes needed to supplement/replace our cruisewear will all fit into a single carry-on-size suitcase: casual pants for each of us, plus some short and long-sleeved tee shirts.

As always, Ted will carry a tech/camera bag, which is a new backpack-style one bought just last November to replace what he’s been carrying for around 10 years. This new bag can free up his hands, and still fits under an airplane seat – unlike the tech backpack he tried many years ago that was pretty bulky.

Old (tan) vs new (grey).

So, suitcases packed…. we’re off!

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