6 Pairs of Sunglasses

In just over three weeks I am flying to Auckland to begin my Kiwi adventure. In this time I have to finish work, attend a wedding, see my family and not only pack for New Zealand but pack up and leave my flat which has been my home for the last three years. As someone who has perfected the skill of burying my head in the sand and NOT getting things done I feel these few weeks are going to be high stress.

To say packing is not a strong point of mine would be an understatement. Don't get me wrong – years of Kennedy holidays driving across Europe has honed my skills of fitting things beautifully into the back of an estate car – but the thought of not being able to take everything and choosing what to throw, what to sell, what to donate, what to store and what to take has been hurting my head for weeks. Last week I went for two nights to Yorkshire to complete the Yorkshire three peaks with my Regfit family. For this I managed to completely fill my backpack which I'm taking to NZ. Not only this but I had an additional 2 bags, and this didnt even include my tent or sleeping bag! This is not an isolated event, my sister's other half routinely looks incredulous at the staggering amount of STUFF I bring with me for a night in Reading.

I have a luggage allowance of 20kgs. 20KGS!!! That's not a lot for a year's adventure. I am aware that there's nothing stopping me getting things out in Enza but I do think that it would be nice to say “I'm ready for anything” at the start of the trip without having in brackets afterwards “but I just have to pop to the shop first....”. I guess I shall have to adopt the relaxed go-with-the-flow kiwi nature I want to develop over my trip a little early AND prove to my first world self there are some things I CAN do without. Unfortunately every time I start thinking about what to take my mind fills with stupid conundrums such as – I own 6 pairs of sunglasses (I have NO idea how) – do I take 1 pair, 2 pairs, more? What shoes do I take? I have stupid sized feet so they're going to take up space – do I take heels? One pair of flip flops or more? Trainers and walking boots or trainers or walking boots? Oh to be decisive!

Packing up the flat is another struggle. I have the boxes and I have the stuff, but somehow the idea of putting things in boxes exhausts me before I even start. So far I have packed my photo albums up. But even this took weeks as I skilfully delayed by deciding I first needed to complete the part finished photo albums for previous trips to Norway and New Zealand. Cue many happy hours of cutting up photos and trying to be artistic. All very well and good but not technically packing. I know it'll all get done and I'll pull my finger out soon but cant help thinking that my heroic attempts to avoid packing is a good indicator of how worried and scared I am. I know its going to be the adventure of my life but at the same time its a big change. Don't get me wrong – I am so looking forward to it, but as my flight looms and so many constants in my life are coming to an end I cant help wondering if where I'm going will be as wonderful as where I've been. 

                                                       boxes, mess, and a kiwi!