I recently returned from a twelve day trip to Lake Tahoe and the San Francisco Bay Area.  This was a tricky trip to pack for, as the weather forecast was different for both locations, plus it was the “cusp” season between summer and fall anyway.  I experienced some challenges in deciding what to pack and dealing with the repercussions of my decisions.  In today’s post, I share my insights in the hope that some of you may benefit from my mistakes and difficulties.  I highlight what I packed, what worked well, what didn’t work, and what I wore during my trip.

Do you find it stressful and difficult to pack for travel?

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I recently returned from a five day trip to Fort Worth, Texas (sister city to Dallas).  It was my first time to that area other than the DFW airport (which doesn’t count…), so it was an adventure.  The reason I went there was to meet up with some of the wonderful ladies from the private Facebook group I started, most of whom I had never met in person but had conversed with many times online. A Fort Worth local took the reins in planning the event and thought of lots of special details that I never would have considered myself.  She even organized an early celebration for my 50^th birthday, complete with tiara and Hawaiian lei (photo below).  Here are a couple of pictures of me embracing the Texas culture with a fringed boot and cowboy hat:

While it’s true that July isn’t necessarily the ideal time to visit Texas, the heat wasn’t as extreme as I’d feared.  I mostly stayed indoors during the day and enjoyed the balmy evenings when no jacket was required.  All in all, it was a fun-filled trip and I’m so grateful I was able to make it!  I don’t get many in-person interactions in my day-to-day life, so it was so nice to be able to look into people’s eyes and share laughter and meaningful conversations face to face.  I wish I could show you the photos I took of the lovely women in attendance, but not everyone wants to splash photos of themselves across the Internet, so I’ll respect their privacy.   Suffice it to say that they are all beautiful inside and out and I’m pleased to know them.

I hadn’t traveled in almost a year (see my last travel debrief here) and I just don’t do it often enough to get good at packing.  I don’t know if I will ever be a packing minimalist, but I’ve found that reflecting back on what did and didn’t work has helped me improve in terms of making the right decisions and not over-packing so much (I have a long history of doing just that!).  In today’s post, I look at what I brought to Texas with me, whether or not my packing served me well, and what I wore during my stay.

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I recently returned from a ten day trip to Lake Tahoe (see my photos here).  It was originally supposed to be a week-long vacation, but I extended my stay for three additional days.   I don’t travel very often and always struggle with what to pack.   Since I have been doing so much refinement of my wardrobe and style over the past year, I wondered how that might affect my packing prowess.   In today’s post, I look at what I brought to Tahoe with me, whether or not my packing served me well, and what I wore during my stay.

One night on my recent Tahoe trip – a warm summer evening by the lake. 

What I Packed

Tahoe during September can be a bit “iffy” weather-wise. While it is often still quite warm during the day, the temperature can definitely plummet in the evenings.  It’s also not uncommon to have a cold snap in early fall. All of these factors can make packing challenging.  In the days leading up to my trip, I kept checking the forecast and refining my list of what to take with me on my trip.

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I’m back from my week-long travels, so it’s time to do a debrief on how I did with my packing for the trip.  If you missed my post last week on packing tips, I definitely recommend your giving it a read (and check out the many insightful comments made by readers, too!).

First, a bit about my trip…  I went to Incline Village, Nevada, which is where my mom and brother live.  It’s in the Lake Tahoe area and was also where I went on my last trip in December.  The reason for this trip was to help my mom after a hip replacement surgery, but I also got to spend some time with my brother, nephew (age 11), niece (age 5), and a friend lives in the area.

I’m happy to report that my mom is healing from her surgery quite nicely and has progressed from using a walker to walking with a cane.  Although I didn’t inherit her “nurse gene” (she worked as a nurse in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years before retiring and moving to Incline Village five years ago), I was able to help her with basic tasks to make her recovery easier.  I brought her food, drinks, ice packs, and medication, and assisted her with getting into bed and putting on her socks and shoes.  I also took care of her adorable tabby cat, who I spoiled like the two kitties I have at home (I Skyped with my husband while I was gone, so I got to see him and my cats that way – isn’t technology great?). Continue reading →