Day one and two...plus the pre-travel musings of a packaphobic

Swissyland Adventure – take off and landing

"Sixty pounds!" That is ridiculous! That is the result of my packing light? Packing light was my guiding force. Packing light influenced all my decisions while I packed. I will take these pants because they weigh less. Granted there are six pairs. These layered shirts are good because I need to be ready for summer or winter since I am traveling to the alps and then to Ohio, maybe 14 of those. I decided not to take many things, like shoes…what if I would have taken them all? I must admit that I may have a Packing Disorder, it is a little known disorder, not yet listed in the DSM.

Someday when it is listed in the DSM (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) it will probably contain some of these in it’s description:
- Feels extreme anxiety when it is time to pack for a trip
- Empty suitcase and open closet door may cause a panic attack
- Stress level rises as packing begins.
- Questions like, “How will I know what I want to wear on day 1 or even day10?” create increases in blood pressure.
Once packed, the repeating thought that “there is still room for one more thing” wins out over any kind of sanity.
- Packing does not end until the absolute last moment of exit from home, and may include a trip or two back into the house for last minute forgotten items.
- When arriving at the final destination there are immediate remembering of what was forgotten.

I don’t think it would be listed as a personality disorder like being borderline, or a mental disorder like schizophrenia or a medical condition. But then again, if I am suffering from it, would I even know? Maybe it is psychosocial… a generational result of depression era parents, who worried that there may not be enough for the next day, week or year. Or maybe it is purely mathematical or organizational, and I am missing that gene. I know I am not the only one afflicted by this disturbation, maybe a support group could help. "Hello, my name is Tish and I am packingly challenged." I have a fantasy of someday going on an extended trip, okay maybe not extended (to begin with) maybe start with a week or a weekend…with just what I can comfortably, easily, without hardly noticing it is there, carry on my back or wear on my back. A good bucket list item or new years resolution. This reminds me I did do that for a few days last year when I traveled in Switzerland before school started. I grabbed a few items from my suitcase and shipped the big ole thing to Saas Fee while I carried the weeks needs on my back…(Wow, the exceptional case! I have one, maybe there is hope for me!)

To make a long story shorter, I had (luckily) packed an extra duffle bag for the option of bringing more home than I left with, so I was able to transfer 10 pounds of “stuff” to that bag and avoid the $50 Your-bag-is-way-to-heavy-lady fee. And low and behold, between last year and this year, someone conveniently redesigned the Swiss trains so now you do not have to lift your bags up 3 or 4 steep narrow steps to get on the train, but just roll it on. (you must do it quickly enough that you get a smidgen of air so that your wheels don’t get caught in the 4 inch crack between landing and train.)

So, I have arrived. Have a lovely room in the hotel this year rather than an apartment at the edge of town. I had to pay them 3 francs more a day to get them to unlock a little mini kitchen so that I could store my apples and cheese in the fridge for my evening ritual and not have my vitamins all over my dining room table. I have a little sitting area also with a television that has cable. I hope that my life here is never so boring that I need to ever watch it, unless it is to learn a little German. I have re-arranged my room so that it passes my personal feng shui expectations. There is little to do about my bed, which looks like it was made for Heidi, but I do have two hideaway beds if I want to sleep in the middle of my living room, or invite guests for a sleep-over.

Thanks for listening to my musings. I decided that this would get me writing, which has been my goal as of late, and also, keep me from having to write the same thing over and over to each of you. So check in every day. Or every once in a while. Or never again! Your choice. Granted I won’t have as much to say as school begins tonight and I won’t have leisure time like right now. Feels good to be on vacation for a day…or most of a day! Lots of love to you!