Robert kindly completed his yeoman work on the taxes. This gives me access to the dining room table, my preferred staging area for packing.

There are three luggage components: the main suitcase, the carry-on and my little backpack purse. The carry-on stacks on top of the suitcase, the handle of the suitcase slipping under a strap on the carry-on. This makes it exponentially easier for me to wheel away from baggage claim and into a taxi and down the city streets to my destination.

This year I am trying a new suitcase with the kind of wheels that rotate in all directions (thanks Boatie!)  I’m bringing a couple of things that were either difficult to find or prohibitively expensive in Paris – tea and oatmeal.

I loved the way the space bags – like giant ziplocks you roll up and squeeze the air out of – turned my pillow into a wafer, so I am going to test out packing shirts, my rain jacket, scarves and knickers that way.

Clothes don’t take up the most space  – shoes, toiletries, equipment (flat iron, dryer) and my trip planing folder do that. Electronic have their own place in the carry-on; my Nook, Laptop, iPod, iPhone and camera, plus accompanying cables and chargers, along with a change of clothes. It only took one sloshed vente latte to convince me you alway need a change of clothes on hand. I’ve never had my luggage lost (wait while I knock on wood) but my carry-on could see me through. A comforting thought.

Things I am leaving behind

• A large sketchbook and carrying case – I only used  two small sketchbooks. I can always buy paper there if I am smitten with the urge to sketch a landscape.
• My winter-weight down coat: never left my suitcase in Paris.
• A memory foam neck pillow: again, never left the carry-on. The inflatable neck pillow I’ve used for 15 years is best. Flattens and folds into the size of a paper towel when not in use.
• Clogs: I took two pair of lace up shoes and a pair of clogs to Paris and only wore my black & white Chucks. This trip, two pairs of chucks and a pair of leopard print birkenstock-style sandals will be my de facto slippers and possibly worn on the 80 degree days.