A week of Planning and Packing

I will be hitting the road on the 6th to go to Ankara. That is our starting point for the big road trip ahead of us. This is the first time we shall be vacationing together with my pram (or stroller) buddy. Imagine knowing someone since you both have been literally infants. 

My sister left my BIL in Ankara yesterday and drove back to Izmir on her own. She did not want to take additional days off since her husband is just fine after his procedure. They had extracted 11 moles and only two turned out to be carcinomas. So, that is good. He is still on medical leave. While he has this time on hand, he will try to take care of some stuff related with his parents. When my friend and I are leaving for our vacation, we will take him with us to Izmir next week. It was our first stop anyway. We just decided to go one day earlier.

So now, I have to come up with my packing list and start packing my stuff. The road trip will be long so, I am guessing I need lightweight, easily washable things that will not require any ironing. I always start my list with the medicines I must take and some optional stuff. 

I am still contemplating whether I should take one large suitcase, or two smaller ones. I am definitely taking my beloved backpack which I also use as my beach bag and a bag for shoes. My car is a Ford Escape so, if you are familiar with it, it does not have a very large trunk. Plus, we are both taking our folding chairs, a beach umbrella and a small folding table.

It is hard to plan for such a long trip.

Today, I took out the suitcases and the things I will be packing but, I had left most of my beach stuff back in Ankara. Some of the clothing items have been sitting in a drawer or a closet for a long time so, they were smelling a bit musty. I am putting them through a very quick cycle of 15 minutes just to freshen them up. 

Meanwhile, I have been consuming the meat products in my fridge and I can say, there will be nothing left. That means a big shopping trip when I come back. I have been noting pantry items that need to be purchased as well. 

From now on, I will try to keep only the healthier versions of pantry items. For instance, no more regular pasta, white rice or flour. I love pasta but, the regular kind is something I should not be consuming. I still have some on hand and once those are gone, they will be replaced with whole wheat pasta. That will be less tempting anyway. 

Before I leave I would like to clean my fridge. I can never clean it after I come back from a vacation. Lesson well learned. 

As for the freezer, there will only be the tomatoes and tomato sauces plus the beans left in it. All those were intended for the winter anyway. I decided against freezing more tomatoes. I will need the space for meats when I get back. Also, since I do not eat a lot of bread anymore, I need space for a loaf and some small whole wheat tortillas too. I used to have a separate under the counter freezer in the past but, when I re-did the kitchen, I had to part ways with it.

Today, I took out the suitcases and the things I will be packing but, I had left most of my beach stuff back in Ankara. Some of the clothing items have been sitting in a drawer or a closet for a long time so, they were smelling a bit musty. I am putting them through a very quick cycle of 15 minutes just to freshen them up. 

Wish you all a very good week!