T minus 6 Days & Counting

This is getting serious now, I fly out to visit Diane on Sunday, 20th April 2008 - only 6 days from now - and it is time for me to start packing. My holiday of a lifetime is almost upon me, an event that when booked 94 days ago seemed so far away is now approaching like the proverbial runaway frieght train. I need to start to pack...

Horror of horrors. What do I take? How much can I take? Is there a size limit on my carry-on luggage? Will I be able to sneak my MacBook in the carry-on luggage? Do I have enough pairs of underwear to see me through the holiday?

Fortunately for me I didn't have to purchase new luggage; I "borrowed" a case and carry-on set from my parents who are frequent flyers. A very nice matching set of Antler luggage courtesey of my aunt who can supply thing on the cheap from the Department Store she works for in Southport.

So. I am going for 10 days. What do I take with me? Well, so far I have made a list of the following:-

Carry-On Luggage

• MacBook & Power Leads;
• Digital Camera;
• iPod Touch & associated leads;
• Dell PDA (not compatible with the MacBook);
• A change of clothes for one day;
• The latest Kate Mosse novel, Sepulchre;
• The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy paperback edition books in case I need cheering up;
• Passport and Travel Papers;
• A pen to complete my visa application & sign any anti-terrorist, Nazi or otherwise unacceptable peoples list (as in I am not one... Are you a practising Muslim? No. Did you participate in the German Nazi Government between 1935 and 1945? How old do I look, matey? Have you ever been, or are you now, a practising Communist? Niet.)

I think that will about cover it... unless you include my mobile telephone. I just need to decide on what clothes I am going to wear. My main problem being I don't know what the weather is going to be like over there. At least when you go to Tenerife or the Med you have a rough idea that the weather is going to be sunny and if you go to the Highlands in November you have a reasonable chance that the weather will be cold, so you can pack accordingly. But New York state is a different matter, or so it seems. 

New York is more southerly than the United Kingdom and if it wasn't for the gulf stream we here would be having icebergs in Liverpool Bay. My house is at a latitude of 53 degrees 32.9 minutes north and longitude of 2 degrees 17.5 minutes west, if I were to travel east along the same longitude you end up in the frozen wastes of Canada where, according to Google Earth, there is MMBA (Miles & Miles of Bugger All). We are a lot closer to the Arctic Circle than we are to the Equator. I've just checked on Google Earth and New York is on the 40th degree of latitude- that's quite a difference when you think about it.

According to Metcheck it's going to been in the high teens degrees centigrade when I'm over (the BBC is just not accurate enough for me) so I think I will be packing for Spring. Spring in New York City - is that a Woody Allen style of movie, or a song? I can never remember.... Anyway, I'm rambling when I should be succinct; if I ever am succinct.

So, my main luggage looks like it will be: -

• 3 pairs of jeans
• 2 pairs of cargoes
• Barbarians Rugby Top
• Copy of the Holy Qur'an (joke)
• Sundry shirts & tees
• 1 pair of shoes
• 1 pair of trainers
• My Doctor Who pumps (and I'll buy a paid of white All Stars when I am over there)
• My denim jacket (although certain people think is is very unfashionable - Hi Gem!)
• My pj's & the Juventus football shirt for sleeping in.

Hopefully that will all be a lot less than 24 kilos - but I weigh the case when I get to my parents on Saturday to make sure and leave some clothes at their house should I be over.

All I need to do now is iron a few more clothes and make sure than I don't wear anything I want to take for work, which is easier said than done when you are as forgetful as I am.