For someone who loves traveling and organisation as much as I do, I hate packing. I can't commit to my outfits. I always think I'm over-packing photo props. It helps none that this time, I'm doing the whole solo traveling so I get so anxious, I stop packing haha.
My mum wound up helping me pack. She prepared an arsenal of medicine and ridiculous amounts of Milo and herbal tea. I think she snuck in some other stuff too. I was too lazy to check haha.
Here's what I packed.
Suitcase:
A huge Samsonite grey beauty
1) 14 sets of clothes: each more impractical than the last. I'm kidding. 80% kidding. I brought maxi dresses, summer frocks, a ton of crop tops, leggings and tiny shorts. Y
2) 2 jackets: an army parka and a faux leather jacket Y
3) 2 sets of home clothes: Gabriel's grey raglan and Avengers shirt, a pair of sports shorts and a pair of pajamas pants Y
4) photo props: ballet flats (LOL 10/10 DO NOT RECOMMEND) (but in my defense, I had a fucking fab photo-op that I got too lazy to see through) and an a6 pack of accessories (I did not use this shit at all) N
5) a waterproof case N
6) 3 sets of bikini (to justify, I thought I could just live in Miami in my bikinis, HOW WAS I TO KNOW) Y (I needed more)
7) random medicine and milo/ herbal tea sachets N
8) sports shoes, sneaker wedges, dinner heels and slip-ons (I only used my sneaker wedges and slip-ons in the end. I think I could walk the world with these two.) 2Y 2N
9) a spare, smaller Balenciaga knockoff for day outs Y
10) a bigass Ralph Lauren weekender Y Fuck me best decision I made
Carry-on:
My ever-trusty Balenciaga knockoff
1) a water bottle (saved my fucking life) Y
2) my bedtime cloth ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ YYYYYYY
3) two portable chargers (this too) Y
4) makeup: an eyeliner, two sets of lippies, a chapstick foundation, sunblock Y
5) my ASUS tablet/ netbook convertible N!
6) the pesky iPhone SIM card slot keypin Y
7) my SJCam (the definition of unnecessary, unless I had extreme sports planned) N
8) boarding and accommodations and activities documents Y
9) a multi-country electric plug and two cables Y
10) Gabriel's keychain from Gold Coast Y♥
11) a notebook N
12) a tripod and monopod Y
13) a soft box of tissues Y
14) Subway sub Y
15) contact lenses case + solution Y
16) moisturizer Y
17) a beach shawl Y
18) my shades and specs Y
Jesus Christ reading this now, I'm ashamed I packed so much. The Y for yes and N for no shows if I actually used it in the duration of my trip. At least now I've learnt what's good for me and what isn't!
My carry-on seemed like it was chock-ful of stuff but it actually wasn't. Most of what I packed was relatively small. The biggest thing weighing me down was the bloody ASUS netbook and SJCam. AND THEY HAD TO BE WHAT I NEVER USED. Lounging the stupid bag across Paris was frightful.
Anyway, my family sent me to the airport! We had a pit stop at my grandma's -- I had to borrow my aunt's suitcase because my shit was too much for my first luggage.
My grandma looked at me with the most troubled look in her eyes while my aunt was talking to me. She waited till my aunt was done then handed me a little red packet. She told me, again and again, to have the safest journey. I nodded a little and went off.
I called her from the van after. My voice was breaking as I told her how she's giving me too much money. I told her I'll be safe, that I won't go out at night and won't swim out to sea. She finally stopped going on about that and wished me, again, to have the safest trip.
My dad couldn't park his truck at the airport so he left LOL, stranding my mum sister and brother at the airport. May Gabriel not turn out like my dad lol. But I'm glad he sent me here at least!
My mum had been super supportive the entire day, helping me pack and tailoring my clothes under my nagging. I wanted to say something to acknowledge I'm grateful for everything she did today but my family doesn't do that so photos sufficed!
We had a quick dinner, wolfing down our food. I don't know how Time bolted past me so easily. I was super nervous for my first ever 12 hour flight, and alone no less, so I couldn't eat much and packed a sub in case.
Right before I walked in:
I have the best family :')
My family doesn't do hugs. We're Asian like that. My mum just touched my arm a bit and told me to have the safest journey. My sister made my brother lean his head in for me to sniff hehe. It was a nice little goodbye.
I walked in the gates alone.
Being alone isn't as bad as I thought it'd be.
Months of going for Kfit and Guava alone have trained me to be utterly comfortable with myself. Lonely, yes. Missing my lover, family and friends, yes. But comfortable. And confident.
I formerly wrote that, 'I will update this space daily because (despite said confidence) I am too big of a pussy to stay out till past 8pm so I SHALL BLOG IT ALL!' but it's a lie -- on my first night I was out till 11pm and after that, it was just nights and nights of breathing in New York lol so much for the stupid ASUS.
It's my first time on AirFrance. I don't remember the last time I was on an above-average flight. I've been taking Scoot and Tigerair so much. I know I took a fancy airline to Hongkong with my family but I forgot how it was like.
So anyway, AirFrance was beautiful.
Sob my own blanket.
Sob my red hair.
Sob Modern Family.
Onward to day 1.
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