Moving on...

If you saw my last wee post you'll know I now have Scotland on my mind! I need to take another look at my arrangements to make sure I haven't forgotten to book a train here, or a bnb there. This is my most ambitious trip to date and I don't want to add "sleeping rough" to the itinerary.

Then there's always, every single year, the debate over which suitcase to take. I managed with just a carry-on for my week in B.C. BUT even though I was only gone for 8 days I ran out of tops (hiking = pee-yew if you now what I mean!!) and I ended up at a thrift store in Qualicum Beach and found two tops that were perfect and inexpensive! So Tammy, I did get a bit of the west  coast thrifting experience ;) I also ran out of clean socks so washed a couple pairs and hung them on a radiator to dry.

Just so ya know - I hauled both of these tops out of my dirty laundry basket so they are wrinkled (like me!) and don't look their best at the moment.

The first top is a Danskin semi-fitted grey number - if you saw my complete selection of clothes that I took west with me you would know that anything grey would fit right in! Comfortable and stretchy - perfect for hiking.

The second top looked brand new though of course it's a wrinkled mess at the moment. Both tops are getting a lot of use. It's an original Seabreeze, fitted and flattering and with its grey cap sleeves it fit into my colour scheme for the week.

Where oh where was I going with this train of thought?.....oh, yes, suitcase size. Well, I do believe I'll end up taking my usual suitcase which is pictured above in the header photo - the one that is wide open to receive everything from my broken down old suitcase. Last year after hiking in Ireland with Annie I didn't want to wear my hiking boots when we were sight seeing in Galway and Cork. So I had to fit them into my suitcase. That will be the case again this year, I'm sure.

Once the hiking portion of the trip is over I'll want to switch to my comfy GoWalk shoes for carousing around Edinburgh. I also need a variety of clothing - travelling in September means I could encounter cold, cool, mild, warm and possibly hot (not bloody likely!) weather. When hiking I get hot and off come the layers. However, when in the highlands (warm air does NOT rise in the highlands!)  the layers get added on in addition to my monsoon ready coat. So I need tank tops, T-shirts, long sleeved tops and some really cozy hoodies. The bottom half of me isn't quite as needy as I wore my rain pants with side zippers every day of the hike with yoga shorts underneath. Too hot? Open the zippers. Too cold? Close the zippers. Easy-peasy!

If I'm really lucky I may not face too many midges as their season will be winding down. I got stung a few times in Ireland but I didn't find the bites very itchy. I found as long as I kept moving they didn't bother me too much but I like to be prepared. If I'm prepared then I usually have good luck with both weather AND midges.

And then I need clothes for the sight-seeing portions of the trip and as long as I don't slop food on myself I can usually wear things more than once. A lot of places will allow use of washer/dryer - I'll always remember the lovely lady (I think her name was Cathy) who washed Annie's and my clothes after a wet day of hiking. Such an angel she was.

Oh yeah, playing slow-pitch introduced me to another way of wearing a T-shirt and a long-sleeved shirt...this doubles my options!! Once the long-sleeved shirt gets slopped on it can go UNDER a T-shirt! Cool beans!

So a carry-on won't work for such variable weather conditions in addition to various activities - hiking, shopping etc. I also like the "swivel in any direction" wheels and the hard outer shell. It has stood me in good stead the past three years and the 1950's magazine images makes it a standout on the luggage carousel!

There's usually 800 black suitcases and then mine :) yes, always last!!