The OCD person finally found an amazing packing list on Smart Travel. Instead of trying to make my own list, which I’ve done so many times, I found this one. I just need to print it out. (I totally made like 5 packing lists already. It’s been insane planning.) My SO and I are going to a karate seminar in North Carolina. It’s been forever since I left the State. Christmas? So I’m super excited. At first, I started to think, it’s only been since Christmas so not -that- long. But It’s June. That’s six months.
This will be the first seminar that the American Self-Defense Federation is sponsoring/attending. I will actually do a separate post about the organization so there’s no confusion. I’d like to organize my thoughts a bit better before launching into details about it. Especially since I need to pre-prepare some posts for while I’m gone. I’ll have plenty of time to write up everything.
Planning for the trip has been both fun and stressful. Especially after the exhausting BSides conference. I realized that I was going to need to do a TON of self-care to be able to survive a long weekend away from home. I booked the hotel well in advance because I wanted to get a good one in a safe area. We’ve got a “suite” in an extended stay hotel. I think it’s just a hotel room with a kitchen space.
So hopefully we’ll have a fridge and microwave and everything else that we’ll need. That way I can pack snacks for my SO that will cater to his Keto/Low-Carb diet. It’s a lot harder to eat like that on the road since a ton of restaurants don’t have good options that are filling. So beyond the normal packing list, I’ve got to remember snacks for him, my insulin, a cooler, and ice packs. Lots of bottled water and sugar-free Gatorade while we are working out. Karate Gis. And all of my camera equipment.
After the last seminar, I upgraded and got myself two more batters for the camcorder and a duel charger for two batters. Hopefully, this will help combat running out of battery this time. Knock on wood! By the time this posts, we’ll be on the road. So I can only pray that things are going smoothly right now. We are driving down Friday and just resting that evening so that we have plenty of energy. The seminar starts Saturday Morning and goes on all day. Then will also run on Sunday morning until midafternoon. I’m not entirely sure that we will stay all day Sunday.
My SO had to take off a day from work since he normally works on Sundays. We might need to leave early enough that he won’t be on the road late Sunday evening. 5am mornings suck for work. And there’s no way that we’ll be leaving Saturday night, so we’re looking at a two-night stay in the hotel.
Have I also mentioned that this will be the first extended stay away from the puppies? I’m both relieved and panicked at the very thought. They’re going to be 12 weeks old. They’re still such babies. Even though the hotel is going to be pet-friendly, there’s no way that we’re going to be able to leave them alone there all day so they have to stay home with the Inlaws and my stepdaughter.
Back to the hotel details… I’m planning on bringing my own pillowcases. And a few blankets. Because … in case you did NOT know. Hotels do NOT wash their comforters or blankets unless there’s something spilled on them. Ew, gross gross GROSS. I’ll also be bringing myself some Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. Even if it wasn’t during post COVID times, I’ve never been a fan of how clean hotel rooms typically are. Since I know how rushed housekeepers/cleaning staff are on a daily basis.
What are some travel essentials that you just can’t live without?
Atelier Whootique 