Pack it in

My husband I have different packing styles.  I'm a minimalist.  And he's a maximalist.  I want to pack only the necessities.  But, my husband likes to pack for the possibilities.  I'd say I'm this way because I've become an expert packer.  And while I've gotten pretty good with all the traveling I've done over the years, that's not the reason.  The reason is I'm lazy.

So, I generally don't look up the weather of where I'm going before I go there.  I like to imagine the ideal weather, depending on the season of travel, and pack for that.  Because looking at a weather app is way too much work.  Plus, being cold and shivering burns calories.  The thing is, I get pissed if I don't wear and/or use everything I pack at least once.  So if I pack a rain jacket and it didn't rain it seems like a complete waste of space.  Oh, I know I should be grateful it doesn't rain and I don't need the jacket, but that's not the way my brain works.  And when the trip is over and it's time to repack everything?  I don't neatly fold or separate things, the way my husband does.  I shove and commingle.  Because, if I packed correctly (which come on, I obviously did), everything in my bag is already dirty (ok...extremely funky) and it's all going to get washed anyway.

There is an exception to my minimalist ways though...

Food.  When we're camping, I never skimp on food.  In fact, that's when I become a maximalist.  Not only, do I grossly overpack the amount of food that we will need...I also grossly overeat the food that I pack.  I don't know why, but there's something about sitting on my ass in the middle of nature watching the wind blow through the leaves of aspen trees, that leaves me famished.  And I have a running inventory in my head of exactly what food I packed.  Which I run through constantly to determine what will satiate my appetite.  A ham and cheese wrap with chipotle mustard and a pickle?  A family size bag of Chex mix?  Peanut M&Ms?  Marshmallows?  Yes.  ALL OF IT.  Washed down with an Arizona iced tea.  And I don't even like marshmallows or Arizona iced tea.  But, I do when I'm camping.  Because apparently when I travel I'm an egalitarian omnivore, packing it all in.  

And before you know it, I've gone and  maximized the size of my thighs and I'm no longer travel size.