Well, not quite! I still have to get my suitcase and Little Red Bag down from the attic … and, in actual fact, the packing is the easy part. I’ve long since had what I call the Five Day Warning:

‘If you want to take it with you and it wants washing, put it out today!’

 

The trouble with going away these days is the amount of ‘ticking off checklists’ you have to do. No more ‘Passport, tickets, money; that’s it, let’s go!’ Let’s see … done a top-up for my mobile phone; charged the batteries on my camera, camcorder and voice recorder. I’ve got two 2GB memory cards, so I’m not taking the laptop this time. Chargers, charger leads, Continental adapters, notebook, spare pens … does it ever end?

Toilet bag … I keep one already packed, so I don’t have to scoop toiletries out of the bathroom at the last minute, but I must make sure it goes in my checked baggage. And, my medication must go in my hand baggage, in the pharmacist’s box.

MP3 player … that thing really is a Godsend when you have an hour or two to wait, but must go and buy some AAA batteries today. Travel alarm … jeez, it’s still on Sydney time! Business cards … Madrid street plan, Metro map …. oh, and DEFINITELY the Trip Diary!

After all that, the clothes are a doddle!

Hasta la vista!