It's 2016!!
2015 was a bit crap for various reasons, with some good highlights, so this year is going to be really awesome.
I've decided to do some more travelling this year, as I feel like I need to see more of the world. You see loads of things across the media about this country and that country and this and that... I sit and wonder is it really like that? Are people really like that? With that in mind I thought now is probably the best time to get up and find out! I figured that, although I'm earning ok, I am never realistically going to be able to move out on my own unless its in rented accommodation, and even that will have to be some hideous house share, and I can't do that again! So might as well put my earnings towards some fantastic trips, only thing to do was to get a new passport, which The Old Lady and The old man kindly brought for me for my birthday!
Over the next few years (or until life takes another massive change) I plan to travel the world, go to as many different countries and experience as many different cultures as I can. I'm hoping to be able to take photos of different places and get some new perspective. I realise everyone says that but you never know. anything will be new to me and that's what's important!
With that in mind: first stop is Spain! I know its not a particularly adventurous destination for you seasoned travellers out there, but I'm going with one of my very dear friends, M, and his passport runs out in a few months so we're stuck with the EU and I was told "I have a drawer of Euros, so pick somewhere in the Eurozone". After spending a few hours scouring Google, Trip Advisor, TravelSupermarket and eventually booking with Expedia (never do that by the way, they are liars...) we've booked or trip to Madrid.
I've got half term off ( 13th-21st Feb) off so we're visiting Madrid between 16th-19th, flying home on the 19th and going to visit the Sausages (they know who they are!) at the weekend. Sorted. :)
Naturally, being me, I've packed and repacked about 5 times so far, and we have no check-in baggage allowance with Ryanair, but I think I'm sticking with this list:
1. Clothes
- undies
- 2 string vests
- 1 pair leggings
- 1 pair skinny jeans
- 1 pair PJ trousers
- 1 t-shirt
- 4 Tops (2 double as nice going out tops)
- 1 pair of flat shoes
- 1 long cardigan
- 4x socks
wearing: skinny jeans, comfy top, hoodie, scarf, & jacket
2. Liquids
(never quite sure how far their "liquids" policy goes, do balms count s liquid? What about solid perfume?)
- hand sanitiser
- face wash
- shampoo
- eye drops (contact lenses, these are essential!)
- lip balm
- solid perfume
- foundation (in a mini pot!)
- solid deodorant (home-made, in a mini pot)
- benefit travel mascara (amazing..)
- first aid balm (home-made, goes everywhere with me!)
- all-purpose soap (Lifeventure, in a smaller bottle)
- blush (Maybelline the mousse one, really nice!)
- sleepy time balm
- toothpaste (in the contact lenses pot!)
- moisturiser (home-made, in a mini pot)
3. Flight Essentials
(its only 2.5hr flight, but I'm not planning to sleep beforehand, so might as well try to sleep on the plane!)
- passport & tickets etc in their own under-clothes-carrier thing
- neck pillow
- eye mask
- earplugs (also in case M snores in the hotel!)
- mini eggs
- Green and Blacks milk chocolate (delicious!)
4. Makeup & Toiletries
- Gelert giant travel towel (never quite trust hotel towels...)
- make-up bag (from Primark, isn't it cute!)
- MUA face palette (enough for bronzer, highlighter and a few different neutral and dark eye shadows)
- mini brushes (both eco tools and Primark, eco tools are the best)
- bronzer and powder (in contact lens case which isn't shown)
- mirror compact
- make-up remover pads (from Primark, so small..)
- 4 hair bands
- tweezers
- fold down toothbrush
- antibacterial wipes (for the plane...)
- toiletry bag to hold it all, in cammo obviously!
5. Travel Book & Organiser
- Travel book (I've been slowly filling this in over the past few weeks and will continue to as I travel the world)
- Organiser (this is great, has space for notes and a few zip up compartments, data is still expensive in EU so I might have to actually remember to write things down rather than rely On Google...)
- Pink satchel to hold books and pen!
6. Backpack & Bags
- borrowing Teapot's 40ltr backpack as mine was too tall for Ryanair...
- big blue handbag (JUST in Ryanair's "plus" bag size...)
- Tripod (technically too tall for Ryanair... we'll see if they complain...)
- Selfie stick and remote! Had to be done....
- 3 pack down shopping bags (one is a backpack style... this is a hang over from Scotland where bags were 5p, this rule also came into the UK in October... and I'm cheap)
- Water To Go bottle in the pocket (or at least it will be when I can find it...)
7. TECH
(here's where I packed too much I'm sure...I can't help being a gadget fan who hates being bored...)
- Nexus 6P phone
- spare phone (hopefully my Nexus 5, with a sim card from 3 so I can have data connection... hotel has free Wifi and we have the BT wifi password too!)
- 10" netbook
- Nexus 7 tablet
- DS lite & M3 card
- 3.5" Chinese mini tablet (its cute! It also plays video and takes a 32GB card)
- mp3 player (arrived in the post today!)
- 3 portable batteries (2 of which are solar)
- 3 EU travel adaptors
- 2 USB plugs
- 1 USB Type-C plug (for my phone... thanks Google for being such a great innovator that no-one has caught up yet)
- bluetooth speaker
- Headphones
- Moto 360 charger
- a shitload of leads and adaptors for various devices
8. Camera
- Pentax K-50
- 18-55mm kit lens
- another lens (I think its 70-300mm but can't remember. Really lovely vintage manual lens!)
- a few filters
- 2SD cards (32GB)
- remote shutter release control
- battery charger
I am clearly over packed for 4 days... but at least it fits into two bags for the flight!! I've read loads of those "round the world trip in a carry on" crap articles and every time I'm like WHERE IS YOUR TECH?!?
As usual, feel free to comment... and wish us luck!!!
2015 was a bit crap for various reasons, with some good highlights, so this year is going to be really awesome.
I've decided to do some more travelling this year, as I feel like I need to see more of the world. You see loads of things across the media about this country and that country and this and that... I sit and wonder is it really like that? Are people really like that? With that in mind I thought now is probably the best time to get up and find out! I figured that, although I'm earning ok, I am never realistically going to be able to move out on my own unless its in rented accommodation, and even that will have to be some hideous house share, and I can't do that again! So might as well put my earnings towards some fantastic trips, only thing to do was to get a new passport, which The Old Lady and The old man kindly brought for me for my birthday! |
| By the way... I have nothing against Australia, and do plan to visit... but it looks like my pin fell out! |
Over the next few years (or until life takes another massive change) I plan to travel the world, go to as many different countries and experience as many different cultures as I can. I'm hoping to be able to take photos of different places and get some new perspective. I realise everyone says that but you never know. anything will be new to me and that's what's important!
 |
| M booking our trip, while I watched the ice hockey! COME ON ANAHEIM!! |
I've got half term off ( 13th-21st Feb) off so we're visiting Madrid between 16th-19th, flying home on the 19th and going to visit the Sausages (they know who they are!) at the weekend. Sorted. :)
Naturally, being me, I've packed and repacked about 5 times so far, and we have no check-in baggage allowance with Ryanair, but I think I'm sticking with this list:
1. Clothes
- undies
- 2 string vests
- 1 pair leggings
- 1 pair skinny jeans
- 1 pair PJ trousers
- 1 t-shirt
- 4 Tops (2 double as nice going out tops)
- 1 pair of flat shoes
- 1 long cardigan
- 4x socks
wearing: skinny jeans, comfy top, hoodie, scarf, & jacket2. Liquids
(never quite sure how far their "liquids" policy goes, do balms count s liquid? What about solid perfume?)
- hand sanitiser
- face wash
- shampoo
- eye drops (contact lenses, these are essential!)
- lip balm
- solid perfume
- foundation (in a mini pot!)
- solid deodorant (home-made, in a mini pot)
- benefit travel mascara (amazing..)
- first aid balm (home-made, goes everywhere with me!)
- all-purpose soap (Lifeventure, in a smaller bottle)
- blush (Maybelline the mousse one, really nice!)
- sleepy time balm
- toothpaste (in the contact lenses pot!)
- moisturiser (home-made, in a mini pot)
3. Flight Essentials
(its only 2.5hr flight, but I'm not planning to sleep beforehand, so might as well try to sleep on the plane!)
- passport & tickets etc in their own under-clothes-carrier thing
- neck pillow
- eye mask
- earplugs (also in case M snores in the hotel!)
- mini eggs
- Green and Blacks milk chocolate (delicious!)
4. Makeup & Toiletries
- Gelert giant travel towel (never quite trust hotel towels...)
- make-up bag (from Primark, isn't it cute!)
- MUA face palette (enough for bronzer, highlighter and a few different neutral and dark eye shadows)
- mini brushes (both eco tools and Primark, eco tools are the best)
- bronzer and powder (in contact lens case which isn't shown)
- mirror compact
- make-up remover pads (from Primark, so small..)
- 4 hair bands
- tweezers
- fold down toothbrush
- antibacterial wipes (for the plane...)
- toiletry bag to hold it all, in cammo obviously!
5. Travel Book & Organiser
- Travel book (I've been slowly filling this in over the past few weeks and will continue to as I travel the world)
- Organiser (this is great, has space for notes and a few zip up compartments, data is still expensive in EU so I might have to actually remember to write things down rather than rely On Google...)
- Pink satchel to hold books and pen!
6. Backpack & Bags
- borrowing Teapot's 40ltr backpack as mine was too tall for Ryanair...
- big blue handbag (JUST in Ryanair's "plus" bag size...)
- Tripod (technically too tall for Ryanair... we'll see if they complain...)
- Selfie stick and remote! Had to be done....
- 3 pack down shopping bags (one is a backpack style... this is a hang over from Scotland where bags were 5p, this rule also came into the UK in October... and I'm cheap)
- Water To Go bottle in the pocket (or at least it will be when I can find it...)
7. TECH
(here's where I packed too much I'm sure...I can't help being a gadget fan who hates being bored...)
- Nexus 6P phone
- spare phone (hopefully my Nexus 5, with a sim card from 3 so I can have data connection... hotel has free Wifi and we have the BT wifi password too!)
- 10" netbook
- Nexus 7 tablet
- DS lite & M3 card
- 3.5" Chinese mini tablet (its cute! It also plays video and takes a 32GB card)
- mp3 player (arrived in the post today!)
- 3 portable batteries (2 of which are solar)
- 3 EU travel adaptors
- 2 USB plugs
- 1 USB Type-C plug (for my phone... thanks Google for being such a great innovator that no-one has caught up yet)
- bluetooth speaker
- Headphones
- Moto 360 charger
- a shitload of leads and adaptors for various devices
8. Camera
- Pentax K-50
- 18-55mm kit lens
- another lens (I think its 70-300mm but can't remember. Really lovely vintage manual lens!)
- a few filters
- 2SD cards (32GB)
- remote shutter release control
- battery charger
I am clearly over packed for 4 days... but at least it fits into two bags for the flight!! I've read loads of those "round the world trip in a carry on" crap articles and every time I'm like WHERE IS YOUR TECH?!?
As usual, feel free to comment... and wish us luck!!!
