"There are two types of luggage: carry-on and lost"
~ OneBag: The Art and Science of Traveling Light
Today I have to address my packing strategy in earnest.
We don't want a repeat of Paris (reference our very first blog post). So many bags. So many things carted across the Atlantic that were unnecessary.
For this trip Francois is allowed 3 bags with one carry-on plus 1 handbag (or as he prefers to call it his European carry-all). So we figured: 1 barrack box, 1 duffel bag and 1 regular suitcase.
I am allowed 1 bag with one carry-on and one handbag.
Several weeks ago when we found out about the Kenya trip I purchased a great bag for each of us that we have been trying out during our 2, 3, and 4 day road trips. Francois now refers to it as a 'sweet bag'.
It's from the company GoLite:
It weighs just a little over 5 lbs empty and fits the carry-on criteria. Wheeled, telescoping handle, convenient handle at side and top, tuck-away straps to convert to back pack. Two front outside pockets and two internal zipped sections.
When I did a trial run I was able to fit in all (you read that correctly - ALL) the clothes I am taking including 'essential' pretty shoes.
Here is the criteria to plan for:
Here is the criteria to plan for:
1. seven weeks away...
2. equatorial climate for all but 4 days
3. four days in foggy London Town (I've been, Francois not - chilly, rainy but will be an amazing city to explore together - however briefly)
4. from resort living to safari life
5. Francois' needs will include work gear (combat kit), civilian gear for off-time, cocktails or meet & greet (suit), safari gear.
6. my needs: same but without combat gear. Camouflage is not a smart thing for a tourist to be seen in anyway.
7. enough sun screen for two for the duration as apparently it's not always easy to find and when available, expensive. My daughter said she used one regular-sized bottle per week applying three times per day so I will use that as a guideline. She also said availability and cost is not just limited to Africa - she found Europe to be the same.
7. enough sun screen for two for the duration as apparently it's not always easy to find and when available, expensive. My daughter said she used one regular-sized bottle per week applying three times per day so I will use that as a guideline. She also said availability and cost is not just limited to Africa - she found Europe to be the same.
7. pool gear as both resorts and safari lodges have swimming pools. A cute anecdote comes to mind (not really related to packing strategies) from my sister-in-law, who, when shopping for a trip to the Bahamas, asked the sales agent for a bathing suit that looked sexy but covered like a burka - what we all now refer to as a burkini. So my burkinis are now packed
Can you see that I am having trouble focusing my packing strategy? Passing through 2 different climates. 3-4 different types of clothing (although granted there can be a lot of double-use things). And I haven't even addressed the issue of 'pretty shoes'. How my daughter traveled through Europe for several months with 1 backpack is beyond my understanding.
Can you see that I am having trouble focusing my packing strategy? Passing through 2 different climates. 3-4 different types of clothing (although granted there can be a lot of double-use things). And I haven't even addressed the issue of 'pretty shoes'. How my daughter traveled through Europe for several months with 1 backpack is beyond my understanding.
I read an interesting blog directed at women traveling alone and one traveler said after 2 days she gave up trying to look chic and started wearing what she referred to as 'old lady' clothes: loose fitting and covering all exposed parts.
I am also liking the packing strategy of Francois' daughter - pack less bye there. Great advice!
I am also liking the packing strategy of Francois' daughter - pack less bye there. Great advice!
So while I am formulating my packing list for the day, I ask Francois what he would like for supper (trying not to accumulate too many things in the refrigerator this week). His response - that pizza I like with living stuff on top. I laughed at the 'living stuff' part.
This is the recipe for Francois' all time favourite pizza!.......
This is the recipe for Francois' all time favourite pizza!.......
‘California Pizza’ Club Pizza
Makes: 2 pizzas
3/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees F)
1 -1/2 Teaspoons yeast
2 Teaspoons granulated sugar
1 -3/4 Cups bread flour
1 Teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts pounded thin
olive oil cooking spray
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup cooked thick bacon crumbled-about 6 slices
3 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
1 cup chopped romaine lettuce
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 large Roma tomatoes-sliced into 8 slices each
1 avocado, sliced into 16 slices.
Pizza Dough (our local grocery market sells really good pizza dough so I usually keep some in the freezer instead of making my own):
Dissolve yeast and granulated sugar in 3/4 cup warm water in a small bowl. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes or until it gets foamy on top.
Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a depression in the flour and pour the yeast mixture and oil into it. Stir the liquid and gradually drawing more flour in with the liquid, until you can form the dough into a ball. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, or until the texture of the dough is smooth. Coat dough with oil, cover it and let it sit in a warm spot for 1-2 hours or until it doubles in size. Punch down the dough, cover it again and let it sit overnight in your fridge.
When ready to use pizza dough remove the dough from the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature to warm up. This will take about 2 hours.
Cooking the Chicken: (as a time saver I usually have some chicken in the freezer which I have oven-grilled). Preheat a skillet to medium heat and sauté chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Cool chicken and chop into 1/2" cubes.
Place a pizza stone in your oven and crank the temperature up to 500 degrees F.
Divide the dough in half and rolling one-half into a 10" circle on a lightly floured surface. Place the dough onto a pizza pan or a pizza peel that will be used to slide the dough onto the hot pizza stone. Be sure to flour the pan or pizza peel liberally with flour so that the assembled pizza will slide off easily.
Spray the pizza dough with a generous amount of olive oil spray. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella on pizza dough, followed by 1/2 of the crumbled bacon and 1/2 of the chicken.
Bake for 9-10 minutes or until crust begins to brown.
Assemble the pizza or as Francois likes to call it, adding the living stuff: combine 1- 1/2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce with 1/2 cup chopped romaine lettuce in a large bowl.
Stir in 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and mix until lettuce well coated with mayonnaise.
Cut pizza into 8 slices. Place lettuce mixture evenly over the pizza. Top each slice of pizza with a slice of roma tomato and 1 slice of avocado.
