The All-New Ready-to-go List

What To Take When Traveling With Your Girlfriends…

The book of lists

When our kids were small, I started a book of lists. It was a great tool. It held a variety of lists, including one called READY TO GO. It listed everything we needed to do before we went out of town for several days, including arranging for pet care, locking doors and windows, etc. There was also one for what to pack for the baby, and a camping list that had everything from matches to sleeping bags to bug spray. 

Having pre-made lists in the book meant I didn't have to rethink and recreate the lists every time we left home. It helped me remember important things like diapers and baby Tylenol and a camera. It also meant that my husband and kids could look on the list and see what needed to be done, without me having to do it all myself or constantly direct everyone else. 

I suppose that a person can find lists like that online now, but I liked my personalized lists. I liked my list book. It still sits in the same drawer, the lists inside ever-ready should we decide to jump in the car and go somewhere.

Updating the lists

We are long past the need to take diapers and teething gel for the babies, and our cell phones have replaced our cameras. But I recently decided that I might need to add a new list for the book—one for what to pack when I go traveling with my girl friends. Because let’s face it: a trip with my husband is worlds away from a trip with my friends. 

Plus, the list will need to include things I didn’t need when my kids were small, but do nowadays—a mask, a cell phone charger, and enough remedies to treat the ailments most likely to interfere with me having a good time. 

I’m trying to decide what to put on that list.

Right now, really, all I can think about is grabbing my credit card and an I.D. and (as my mother would say) getting the hell out of Dodge. I’m so excited to go and so anxious to jump on a plane that I don’t even care if I take anything. There’s stores down there, right? And shopping with friends? YES, PLEASE!! 

It’s a symptom of the time of year, I suppose. I’ve been slugging away at my computer for days, with less progress than I expected, less fun than I like, and less time outdoors than I need. Ugh. Not the way I pictured February 2022. I thought we would be spending the last 6 weeks in warmer climes this year, preferably with a significant amount of those days on a trail. No such luck. 

But we’re leaving soon, and I pulled out my carry-on bag, so here goes…

The all new, traveling with girlfriends ready-to-go list 

Refill the 3oz bottles for all my personal care products.

• Shampoo

• Conditioner

• Cleanser

• Face moisturizer

• Sunscreen

(And everything else that’s liquid that I might possibly need, including cosmetics, but no more than can fit in a quart bag so I can get through security. Done. No problem. I’ve done it before. Lots.

But security, now, that's a thing. It means I have to have shoes that are easy to slip on and off.)

• Security friendly shoes 

(Okaaayyy… Check.)

Next: Clothes... 

(Hmmm. Here’s where it gets tricky. I’ve been working from home and playing at home or in the hills for two years. Although my closet is full, I have nothing to wear for a trip to warmer climes where I might be seen by other humans. 

It’s not my fault. When I went to the city to shop for clothes, they had stocked (minimally) all the stores with items unearthed from forgotten 1960’s warehouses. I’m not talking 2nds or slightly less than the best styles. I’m talking about 102nds. Styles way beyond something you would consider “not to be caught dead in.” These were Not To Be Caught In Selfies While Wearing level. In fact, I’m quite sure that if you read the third label back, it would have a warning in eight languages that being caught in a selfie while wearing those clothes could be grounds for abandonment. 

Here’s the thing. When my friends and I travel, we do two things:

1. Take a gazillion selfies of the four of us. 

2. Laugh. 

While I love laughing with my friends, I don't want anyone laughing at my clothes. Or making plans to abandon me somewhere. 

Yes, I could order clothes online, but here’s the other problem. These last two years have definitely been a time of growth and reflecting for me. As in COVID’s 19 lbs of growth, and avoiding all reflecting surfaces that might expose it. Such as mirrors. So I have no clue what size to order. And every brand has a different size scale. Which doesn’t reflect well on them, I might add. 

Which leads me to the 3rd thing we like to do while traveling together. We like to dine. Within the first half-hour after we meet, one of us will inevitably ask, “So where are we eating today?” (And if you read my blog last week, you’ll know what we do three minutes in.) In other words, my clothes need room for expansion on top of the growth and not being too terrible in reflection. 

And speaking of reflective surfaces, my legs have not seen the light of the sun for so long that they even make my dermatologist happy. They’re so pale they look like they’re already slathered with sunscreen. So not only is my warm-weather apparel outdated and unflattering to the growth I’ve been experiencing the last two years, I can’t wear it because it would show my legs! Heaven knows, I can’t risk showing my true color in public! 

Also, I checked the weather forecast for our destination, and it’s going to be hot. The kind of heat we don’t achieve up here until the middle of June or July. I’m not used to that kind of temperature. If I wear clothes that cover me from neck to toe, I’ll roast! Besides, I’m just using a carry-on. I can’t fit enough neck-to-toe clothes in it, because it doesn’t expand either!

Well, this is a true conundrum. But I have to solve it because there is no way, I’m staying home. And I can’t share this with my husband, because the last time I mentioned not having anything to wear, he simply led me by the hand to our closet and said “Anything from this side.” Clearly, he does not grasp the gravity of my situation.

If only my girlfriends were here. They’re great at telling me what looks good, what goes with it, what shoes to wear…

Wait. I think I have a solution. Sandals. Easy to slip on and off. They’re not from the 60’s and they’re expandable. And at least my feet will be cool.)

Well heck, this list is going to be shorter than I thought. I think I’ll call it the 

GIRLFRIENDS GO LIST 

1. Mask

2. ID

3. Cell phone & charger

4. Credit card

5. Quart bag of essentials

6. Sandals 

7. Spare credit card in lieu of non-expandable, outdated, neck-to-toe clothes. (Hopefully the stores at our destination will be well-stocked…)

Got it. I’m ready to go. 

So, what’s on your list? And what’s your destination? More—who are you going with? Because really, that’s what it’s all about. And the shoes.

(Tell us all about it in the box below)

Bon Voyage!