Packing

Six days to go!

Like the big kid that I am (sometimes), I started packing for our summer holiday weeks ago. And finished. We don't have wardrobe space on Warrior; seems a bit inefficient when we can just keep everything on the bed during the day and it's the work of a moment to sling it out at night. In the past we've used those big laundry bag thingies, but I find them a bit unwieldy to handle and to scrabble around in, so I have invested in some Woolworths laundry baskets. They have nice smooth bottoms to slide onto the bed easily, and stack inside each other when empty.

I managed to fill two of these with my stuff; just my clothes, none of the other stuff we're taking. As I'm always berating Jim for taking too much stuff (no, you do not need three pairs of boots, smart trousers and a shirt for every occasion), I thought that this really wouldn't do.

Firstly I removed two thirds of the undies. It will be jolly good for my soul to wash them in the bath and hang them up to dry over the engine, and will make me feel very virtuous and horny-handed (but I use Neutrogena for that). Then I removed about half the t-shirts and most of the long sleeved ones. It won't be cold, will it? Even if it is, they'll be on the outside so it doesn't matter how filthy they are. I removed the pretty little tops I was taking for best; a clean vest will do instead. I shall still take one skirt, and am still debating over a pair of jeans. They're fearsomely impractical from a washing point of view, but if fairly clean, will take you anywhere. The other leg coverings I have packed are strictly for boating only, being of the hi-tech synthetic fibre, multi-zipped, outdoor type which I wouldn't want anyone to think I wore as a style statement.

In pursuit of a stylish birthday present for my friend Donna, I went Up West (as we denizens of the metropolis call it), and they have clothes shops there, on Oxford Street and Regent Street. Normally this would be a closed book to me, my main suppliers, since the demise of jumble sales, being charity shops and, if I'm feeling particularly wicked, Primark, but I was feeling bold, and stepped inside a few of these pulsating temples of youthful adornment. The fact that it appeared to be the tail end of the sales helped. And in H&M I found some splendid shorts. I shall say no more other than that they go rather well with my Boating Hat... must remember to pack pink and orange socks.

Anyway, I got it down to one basket in the end.