My fancy new suitcase (makes it real)

For those of you who drool in the luggage section at ANY department store, grab a napkin... 'cause this gal was just gifted an AWAY suitcase for the trip. For those of you who do not go weak at the knees when passing AWAY, or MONOS or any of the other either high end luggage stores, this might be the blog entry you skip over.

I have always had a soft spot for nice luggage, bags, purses, journals and I am also a fan of when things match. Don't get me wrong, I am not a glitzy purse kinda gal, I'm more the practical kind, who loves across body purses that leave hands free, or messenger bags that dress down a suit in just the right way. But for this trip I have acquired TWO of the best pieces I have ever found. Oh, and I am proudly bringing a third amazing relic from my travel collection - my black Hedgren Backpack which I bought in Australia in 1996. Holy shit, this baby is nearly 30 years old and is still a fantastic piece of travel gear.

Anyway, I have to admit, I did sow the seed to one of my colleagues at work that I didn’t think I had a case that would survive the trip and that I would like a new one. Ummm, I am pretty sure I also send them a link of the one I was dreaming of. Oh OK, so let’s be honest here - this wasn’t AT ALL spontaneous. But to me, buying luggage is like buying perfume or jewelry for someone. It’s VERY personal. Let’s just say that I was hoping that my amazing team at work would come through… and they did!

Here’s a link from the Away website (this is my new baby)

The other piece purchased recently is also an amazing bag. As a woman traveling alone for the next four months, I wanted to focus on practicality and safety. I have bought some absolutely dreadful items through Instagram in the past, but in this case I found a real winner. I was so impressed that I bought one for my husband too.

This is the Wander+ website link to my new hands free (cross body) bag for gallivanting around the world!

So now I have the gear, I have my plan, tickets are purchased, travel insurance in place, I had better get packing! Oh my God, how does one pack for four months? Or maybe this question should be how does one pack for four months, three continents, and multiple seasons. And get it all in one bag, and a backpack. I seriously smell another blog post coming. Stay tuned as I figure out how to keep things streamlined (and maybe just a little bit stylish) as I pack. I mean a girl can’t just flop around in sweats for four months… can they?