What a girl wants, what a girl needs…

I like pretty dresses, with matching purses and shoes. I like to blow dry my hair every morning and sometime give it curls. Fresh ground coffee beans are a great way to start the day or perhaps a home made espresso on the stove, brewing away. In the winter time, colour coordinated scarves, mittens and toques are a must. I like matching pillows and curtains and a house decked out with plants. To pass the time, I knit, sew, play the piano or simply cozy up on the couch to watch a movie on a 46″ flat screen T.V.

Laura’s Closet

I used to cry when I lost a ring, or broke a glass or plate. I use to get upset if I ruined a piece of clothing,expensive or cheap. But over the past five years I have grown away from the materialism of my childhood. Sure, I still like nice things, like pretty dresses, matching shoes, purses and blow driers, but like many good ol’ cliches make reference to,  “They aren’t going to make me truly happy”.

I don’t need pretty dresses, matching pillows or an espresso to survive (well, maybe the espresso). They are just things. Things can be replaced. Things, like money, come and go. Jobs come and go. When I return back home to Canada, there will be jobs to be found. I will not look back and say, “Ah! I wish I didn’t travel to Turkey, India, Greece, Italy, Nepal and move to Thailand. I should have taken that job in Canada.”

So alas, my adventure has begun with my husband. From the day I met him, both of our spirits have always been up for an adventure. A chance to learn and see something new. The past five years we satisfied this urge with weekend to ten day trips, mostly based on weddings we were invited to or seat sales we found.

This time we bought one-way tickets and we are only taking one bag each, a carry-on nonetheless. So even though I like all the pretty things of “What a girl wants”, I had to think about it, do some research and some select shopping to determine just “What a girl needs”.

What a girl needs (Laura’s new closet/new way of life)

I suppose I could do with only one pair of shoes but I have huge feet and from past traveling experience find it difficult to find shoes that fit.

Okay. So here’s the list of things you see in the picture.

1. Rain coat (orange)
2. Hoodie (Blue - fleece)
3. Money belt
4. Hat
5. Camera
6. Two lenses
7. Battery charger for camera
8. CF cards (I’ll bring a few more than shown)
9. Merrell sandles (more supportive than flip-flops, good for showers and hot weather)
10. Hiking shoes (comfy, broken-in and I’m not concerned if I have to ditch them somewhere)
11. Belt (not essential, but don’t you just hate it when peoples butt cracks and underwear show?)
12. Mummy sleeping bag silk liner (to help protect me in hostels)
13. Pillow case – MEC- (I’ll stuff it with my clothes to make a pillow at night)
14. Superstore extra small black shopping bag (I’ll use this as a day-bag, if it is possible for us to lock our bags up in a locker at a hostel of hotel.)
15. ~50 tampons and ~50 liners (Damn girl stuff taking up space, but apparently tampons can be extremely hard to find and expensive in some places we are going.)
16. Mesh blue bag (For putting dirty laundry in – we’ll be washing our laundry in the sink mostly and the occasional laundry mat.)
17. Toiletries (contained in clean, plastic bag)
18. Medicine/1st Aid Kit (contained in clean, plastic bag)
19. Two bras (black & white)
20. Bikini (bottom, top and mesh wrap around)
21. Bike pants (black, MEC, bike pants I will use as long-John’s and PJ’s)
22. Tupperware container (small blue container for left overs from restaurants)
23. Panties (two pairs, on special Tilly brand, quick drying pair)
24. 3 thongs (Synthetic – no cotton – apprently the synthetic fabrics dry faster)
25. Tank top (wicking material, fast drying, with built in bra)
26. Dress shirt (collored, long sleeved black dress shirt)
27. Helly Hanson long sleeved shirt (pink in colour, wicking material, and fast drying)
28. Pants (black MEC, fast drying pants, that zip-off into shorts)
29. Skirt & shirt (my fancy outfit for restaurants, interviews etc.)
30. Shawl (black shawl to act as a scarf and head cover in some countries)
31. Towel (MEC travel towel, fast drying material)
32. CAMEL water bottle (green)
33. Wool socks (1 pair)
34. Bamboo/rayon socks (2 pairs, black)
35. Zip-lock bags (3 large bags for packing clothes)
36. Elastics (~12 to help make clothes smaller)
37. Glasses (extra pair)

There you have it. The complete story from “What a girl wants to what a girl needs”.  Ciao for now. -Laura-