off we go…
Packing for a family trip requires a certain amount of methodology. I don’t have a methodical bone in my body. The mere thought of packing a weeks worth of clothes for Che, Poet and I has had me procrastinating for days. Hence, it’s the night before we leave and I’m in a sea of wintry layers wondering what on earth I should take and what really needs to stay behind.
“It’s easy,” says Daniel (Mr Methodical). “Just put aside 6 pairs of undies, 6 long-sleeved tees, 6 pairs of socks…”
This is very good advice. I’m still finding it difficult to follow. But I need to follow it because if past experience is anything to go by my ‘packing for travelling’ skills are severely lacking (when we arrived at the river house I discovered that, for an entire five days, Che had ten t-shirts and only one pair of shorts to wear.)
In the scheme of things Che is quite easy to pack for. But Poet? She has tights and leggings and bloomers and booties and beanies and nappies and bows. She has a pretty gorgeous new mama-made lavender cardi too…lucky girl. I’m thinking of stripes and florals, woollens and pyjamas and the fact that she’s a messy eater and a new crawler – hence, a lot of clothes are necessary.
As for me? I’m nowhere near figuring out what I need to wear. I’m going as a mum/journalist/photographer/person-to-be-photographed. I need practical and professional, warm and stylish, comfortable and chic. Possible? Probably not, but I’ll try. When in doubt I’ll cover the Vegemite stains with a wrap-around scarf and wear red lipstick.
Preparing aside I am so looking forward to Tasmania. I’ll be interviewing the guys from A Common Ground, visiting Fat Pig Farm (aka. The Gourmet Farmer’s abode), eating Tasmania’s best produce, hanging out with Michelle in her to-die-for kitchen and meandering around Salamanca. It will be busy but wonderful…I just know it.
Till I get back…enjoy a few posts I’ve pre-written (including two scrumptious giveaways) and I’ll see you on the flip-side – with a plethora of stories and even more photos, I presume.
love the sweet cardi – can you share where you got the pattern? ps – I have been a reader of your blog for a long time 🙂 Kelli
Have fun! When I pack I also make piles on the bed 1st (t-shirts, tops, bottoms etc) so that I don't end up with too much of one and not enough of the other. Still takes me forever though! x
How fab to be heading to Tassie! It's true that you can never have enough fresh clothes for a bubba Poet's age. At least her clothes are small, right?
Just read you River House posts and I'm all relaxed and settled now. x
your life seems so wonderful at the moment…or always. x
Sounds amazing- I am very envious as we spent some time in Tassie and really loved it. The natural produce is amazing and we felt strangely at home as the countryside was quite like bits of Scotland. Enjoy- don't stress the packing- it will get done- you will all look amazing! Jo xx
I hear ya, I'm a hopeless packer. Lists save me. Have a wonderful time in tassie. Visiting Matthew Evans' farm?? Wow, how amazing. Tell him I make his recipes regularly!
Have a wonderful trip, and good luck with the packing. We drove from Broome to Darwin last year and discovered one day along the Gibb River Road that I had left all of my boys' socks and underpants at home. They survived.
Have the best time! Sounds like it's going to be amazing. Kellie xx PS I am a notorious over packer. On my first ever back packing trip to Eruope when I was 21, my pack was so heavy that I fell over like a turtle at Schippol airport train ticket queue. So embarrassing. I had about 4 pairs of shoes in there I never even wore!
In my experience you can never pack enough for a baby. I have always wanted to go to Tasmania…have a wonderful trip, looking forward to hearing all about it 🙂
Xx
Hope you enjoy Tasmania! It's a lovely place to live. Sounds like the perfect trip to me.
Lists, that's the only way I can pack. It's going to be coolish here over the next week, so lots of snuggly warm cardigans and jumpers are recommended.
Have a wonderful time away, Tasmania is a beautiful place to visit. xx
have a lovely time away…i look forward to seeing all your beautiful photos when you return. and i totally sympathise with the packing! (my husband always leaves his packing until around midnight the night before we leave and has "one" glass of wine to help settle his nerves (he hates packing!) which quickly turns into another glass and then another and finally he throws just about all he owns into the case. it's a tough thing, packing!
I hope you all have a wonderful time visiting here, I think you may like it a lot : )
My advice park warm, as it's a wee bit cold but the sun is out. Enjoy all the food and Michelle is wonderful. x
Hi Jodi,
It's quite chilly down here in little old Tassie at the moment so packing some Winter wooleys is a must! Lots of layers are a good way to go as it can warm up of an afternoon (pack cardigans, jackets, long-sleeved tops). I'm heading to Hobart this weekend too (coming down from Burnie on the North-West coast)with my husband and 2 month old daughter, so we might bump into you while we're there. I love reading your blog! Have an incredible time, Anna (Sage Says…)x
Have a lovely time Jodi. Tassie is so so beautiful! Enjoy the food, the markets, the lush green hills and the morning fog. x
I get the whole packing thing I'm so hopeless, and when there are four of you … eek,
I'm still to visit Tasmania but it has been on my wish list for a while now, Oh and lucky you going to Michelles, I love her home so much (especially that kitchen !!!) …. Can't wait to hear all about it.
Have a great trip. And I disagree- 12 outs fits each for children on a six day trip. My kids go through clothes so quickly- poonamies, mud puddles, overexcitement at the beach, babcinos gone wrong…. etc. We went away for the weekend and it rained the whole time. I brought 4 outfits each kid and started panicking on FRIDAY NIGHT thinking we wouldn't have enough clean, dry clothing by Sunday. LOL!
xo m.
ha! Wait till you have those four children you're planning on having…that's at least 8 kid shoes you have to find anytime you go somewhere (not to mention your own). My advice, teach them to pack their own stuff…they may not remember everything but at least they'll get some of it done for you!! Have a great time lovelies, we'll see you soon.xx
I must be a little strange, but I love packing – making a list, laying everything out, making sure we have everything. Perhaps I should rent myself out? 🙂
Enjoy your time away. I'm so looking forward to sharing a little of your experiences through your gorgeous photos and words once you are back.
Have a great trip – good luck with that packing though. We went through 5 clothing changes today and we didn't even leave the house. You always look gorgeous in your photos and look forward to seeing your Tassie ones soon.
I hate packing – it stresses me no end. But I've got better at it over the years and I don't get so stressed now. I just figure if I forget it we can just buy it (if we can't live without it). One time I got my boys to pack for themselves and they did pretty well, but my youngest forgot to pack shoes – any shoes! He didn't even have any on his feet when we left. So our first stop was a hardware store where we bought a pair of gumboots.
Good luck – one thing I know for sure, the holiday is worth all the stress of packing 🙂
Have a most wonderful time. I read somewhere that you need twice as many tops as pants for young kids. I followed that on our recent trip and it seemed to work out ok. (I did spend one afternoon hanging out in the resort laundry though!) Sounds like a lot of exciting plans in store for your southern sojourn.
rachel xo
I first went to Tassie in 2007 to watch friends marry under a windmill on their property. Such a beautiful place, I've been dreaming of going back ever since. Have a wonderful time x
Safe travels Jodi, hope you and your family have a wonderful adventure! Belinda x