The Christmas gifts are opened and everyone’s happy, so it’s time to pack for the next trip. As you — my traveling friends know — my favorite gift is a boarding pass! On January 1st, my 19-year-old daughter (JC) and I leave via Thai Airways for Bangkok, where we’ll spend 2 days then fly to Kathmandu. Travel along with us on this blog.
What are we doing in Nepal in January? I’ll be doing research for my upcoming book: Best Girlfriend Getaways Worldwide, and JC will do anti-trafficking research with Nepalese NGO’s.
Our trip will be a true “girlfriend getaway” because our neighbor Mary is joining us and we’re staying with another girlfriend who lives half the year in Kathmandu, Olga Murray, the founder of Nepal Youth Opportunity Foundation www.nyof.org.
Packing countdown. What luggage shall we take? We’ll check our roller bags, (I usually travel with one carry-aboard suitcase with wheels) but this trip I’m taking toys and basketballs for the boys and girls at the Nepalese children’s homes we’ll be visiting. And we’ll need extra room to carry home our shopping treasures from the bazaars of Kathmandu.
At my home, packing begins a week in advance. I put lots of clothes on the floor next to my suitcase and begin adding and deleting. Since we’ll spend a few days trekking in the hill country, we’re packing walking shoes, moisture-absorbing socks, layers of warm clothes and a small backpack.
Next posting I’ll tell you what “I never leave home without” and as the departure day gets closer I’ll share my “long-flight” survival kit with you.
Please share your best packing tips with me too.
Cheers, Marybeth