Dress up

What you take with you on a trip can either make or break you sometimes. Carrying around a bunch of luggage can make you slow and, sometimes, vulnerable. So, what does a girl take with her to India aside from the essential underwear? I hate packing so I like to start early so I don't feel overwhelmed at the last minute. Quite frankly, I'm a much better packer for longer trips than I am for short ones.

One pair of jeans - I know what you're thinking, but one pair is plenty. Remember, it's hot. Very hot. And wearing shorts will make me feel like I stick out too much. Anyway, most of these hotels have laundry service.

One pair of good trekking/sailing pants - Luckily I am well versed in trekking wear and have a great pair of pants that are breathable, stretchy, have plenty of pockets, have little tabs that secure the cuffs when you roll them up and are light. Perfect.

Two Saree's - Sharanya loves to dress me up like her little doll and I don't mind. It's a girl thing. So, I have some experience wearing sarees, and wearing them is a bit of an art. I picked a very traditional, light, silk one to being with me. Saree's consist of a short top, an underskirt and the saree it's self. The Pallu is the pretty end that wraps across your front then hangs over your left arm, or (if you are wearing it Gujarati style) behind your back then over your right shoulder. I am bringing one as a 'just in case' for her wedding, but I will have to buy at least two more when I get there.



One Salwar suit - Who wouldn't want to wear one of these. Luv sneered at me the first time he saw me  in one and said something about his mother always wearing one. He has obviously not worn one or he would have known that it's like wearing your pajamas and feeling fancy at the same time. They are practical, comfortable and cheap.

One pair of cotton sweats - duh.

Two tee-shirts - I picked a black one and a light colored one.

One or two Kurti's - These are cotton Indian tops.



Shoes - one pair of tennis shoes, one pair of flip flops and one pair of fancy shoes. I will undoubtedly wear the flip-flops the most. I would take flip-flops with me to siberia. Although they may not be practical for everything, the are practical for most things. They are light, don't take up a lot of space, washable, disposable, comfortable and cheap. Okabashi's are your second best bet.

One bathing suit - Chetan has sold us on staying one night at a five star hotel (for, no kidding, $100 a night split between Nyasha and I) in Agra and they have a beautiful pool.

One towel - If you don't know why you need to take a towel with you on trips, read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

http://www.itchotels.in/hotels/itcmughal/overview.aspx

Yup. That's about it ladies. The rest can be purchased along the way if necessary.

The other issue with traveling is that you always want to have at least one day's clothes and the things you will need in your carry-on. And lets face it, the best carry-on's around are diaper bags. I picked one up at Values Village for $5. Conveniently, my Kindle Fire is about the same size and thickness as three disposable diapers so it fits perfectly in the little pocket. Packing properly is important on long trips because lugging around a heavy bag for 24 hours straight gets old really fast. Additionally, they are made of softer fabrics than suitcases, so they make better pillows and the interior is almost always wipeable.

I have one small, rolling suitcase and one small carry-on. I guess I did learn something in Girl Scouts - be prepared. Thanks mom.