How to not pack anything!

As big believers in backpacks, Andrew and I have an unhealthy tendency to make fun of travelers who over pack   There is something so freeing about using a backpack rather than a suitcase, it puts you in the class of "cool-hippie" travelers.  Under that title, you can just about get away with anything.  3 pairs of underwear for a month?  Of course! (Andrew's Note:  Actually, you can wear one pair of underwear 4 times...regular, backwards, inside-out regular, and inside-out backwards!  Right? .....right?......) 1 pair of pants that function simultaneously as shorts, pants, duffle bag and bandanna?  Yes please!!  3 shirts that can be wadded into a ball the size of my hand and then unwadded and not be at all wrinkled?  Check!!  This kind of travel is only for the brave.  

5 weeks in Asia means lots of elephants.

3 years ago Andrew and I trekked across South East Asia, visiting South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia for 5 weeks.  I think I packed 5 shirts, 2 pairs of shorts and no make up.  Now, for you male readers, this might not be a big deal.  I know that if I didn't do laundry weekly, Andrew would probably wear the same Darth Vader shirt daily.  But for the girls out there, I want you to know that I had no makeup, hair dryer, straightener.... just one brush and a few hair twisty things.  The pictures from the trip of me might be a little sketchy, but heck.... who cares??!  I woke up, washed my face, threw my hair into a ponytail and left.  Wow!  Don't you wish we could do that everyday?!

I have a point here.... all of our previous experiences with backpacking weighed heavily on our minds as we considered what to do for this trip to the UK for a month.  Backpacks could work, but we're not staying at hostels like we did in Asia, hotels and B&B's are much more suitcase friendly.  Thus, we compromised and decided to go with carry-on suitcases.  For the record, I'm pretty sure that carry-on suitcases hold less than our Asia trip backpacks held.  So, we'll pretty much follow the same procedures, 5 shirts for me, 2 skirts, 1 pair of jeans (for 50 degree weather in Scotland & Ireland!), and a hoodie and fleece.  That's it!  Oh, and I will bring mascara and eyeliner (but nothing else!) this time since all these fancy concerts probably won't let me in unless I have a least a smidgen of makeup.  (Money saving tip - get your suitcases at Ross, Marshall's, or TJ Maxx.  I have had junky off-brand suitcases most of my life and they rarely last very long without something cracking, tearing, or falling off, and that's just a little trip to another state here and there.  Those stores have name brand (Samsonite, etc.) luggage for about half of what you would pay for them normally.  I'm very proud of my awesome new suitcase!)  

Now just in case you're worried that we'll start to smell after we've used up all our clothes, no fear!  Stores like REI carry TSA approved LD (Laundry Detergent)... (felt like I had to keep with the abbreviations theme) (FLIHTKWTAT).  Ha!

See?  TSA approved!

Rick Steves (super-nerd travel guru) also has a laundry line that velcros to two ends of a room and is braided so you can hang you clothes from it to dry after you've washed them, so really, there is never ever an excuse to bring lots of clothes on a trip.  (Um, except not wanting to stand over a sink and wash clothes every night for an hour...)  The only complicating factor on this trip is all the concerts we'll be attending, I've got a non-wrinkle L.B.D. (can you guess this one??) to wear to such occasions.  I have no idea what Andrew's wearing, I can tell you it won't be the Darth Vader shirt.

(L.B.D.  Ok.  I guessed:

1) Lame Bass Drum (wouldn't fit in a suitcase, doesn't wrinkle anyway)

2) Large Bricklaying Device (may be a little a heavy)

3) Lengthy Brown Dachshunds (Won Ton!!  I tried...see video at the bottom)

4) Lumpy Bird Droppings (Ew.)

She had to tell me - Little Black Dress.  Whatever.)  

Laundry  day in Malaysia!

Since we did lose our bags coming to Thailand on that Asia trip and had to wallow in the same clothes for 3 days, we're being slightly neurotic this time around and keeping our carry-on close by.... as in above our heads.  Bags with clothes + non-smelly husband = happy wife.  (Indeed.  Below is us packing!  Note the relative tiny-ness of our suitcases!  3 DAYS 'TILL WE'RE OFF!)