"When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money." - Susan Heller
This is very good advice.
Having done a good 10 years of budget travelling with just a carry on with a 15kg allowance (thanks Ryanair) which, even when you calmly explain that you "actually weigh 15kg LESS than the person behind you" so surely you should be allowed to keep ALL 5 paperbacks, you are STILL faced with a smug flight attendant watching you scrabble around flinging most of your belongings at other people just so you can get through check-in. I was once informed I could "check in" a 30ml bottle of foundation to create more space in my hand luggage which did very little for my sarcasm.
"Twice the money" is wonderful advice but lovely, wise Sue doesn't really expand on where that money is meant to come from.I took it to mean "sell most of your things." My wonderfully supportive Mother responded with "your Primark frocks are probably not worth a dime but good luck." She was probably right about the "frocks" but it turns out that people ARE willing to pay more than a dime for broken electronics. Finally, my years of breaking things is starting to pay off.
So I'm going. With approximately 12 hours of Italian lessons (most important Italian phrase learnt: mi sono persa), just over a month's salary saved and a rucksack bigger than me.
I may blog. If I do blog you will be able to read it here if you would like to...
