Thursday, 09 April 2009

• Italy

  I'm flying to Milan and driving to Lake Como tonight.  It will be my first trip to Italy in my life.  I think I'm too excited about this holiday for my own good.

  My travel mate on this trip is a high school friend, K, who lives and works in London.  My one and only experience of travelling with K was when he visited me in Prague, and I took him around the sights.  I remember it being a pleasant time, and he said he enjoyed himself immensely.  So let's hope our next holiday together won't be our last.

  As I haven't been able to find the weather forecasts in Lake Como or Cinque Terre (our second destination) for this weekend, I've had to rely on the weather forecast in Bergamo when I was packing.  It seems that  there will be scattered showers all weekend in Bergamo (while Prague will be bathed in sunshine, the irony).  This pretty much screwed up my packing plans.

  Originally I had planned to air my favourite summer clothing on this trip. But now it seems I'd be stuck in my North Face jacket most of the weekend to protect myself from being soaked to the bone.  I've never been so desperate for the weather forecast to be wrong in my life.

  I'd like to think I'm a light packer. And to prove that I am, here's a list of things I've managed to stuff into my 5-litre (approx) backpack:

  • 1-litre clear plastic bagfull of facial skincare products - to make sure I get through security without getting into a fight;
  • 1-litre clear plastic bagfull of bodycare products - yes, I use different stuff for the rest of my skin, 'tis not a sin I hope;
  • a opaque make-up bag of cosmetics - just in case we bump into George Clooney in Como;
  • 3 t-shirts of various colours - or was it 4?;
  • a pair of three-quarter pants;
  • a pair of long cargo pants - just in case it gets cold;
  • my Canon 350D digital SLR camera - I'm hoping to capture some gorgeous scenery with this beast of a machine;
  • my Canon point-and-shoot - for evenings when I don't feel like lugging the beast around;
  • my passport - of course;
  • pieces of paper for accommodation, recommendations for places to visit, restaurants to eat at, things to do;
  • a DK guidebook with a tiny section on Cinque Terre - I don't know what possessed me to buy this book, other than the fact that it's got some lovely pictures inside;
  • my electric toothbrush - I don't think Italians appreciate tourists with bad dental hygiene;
  • my face-cleansing brush - it's my new baby, and there's hardly space here for me to sing its praises;
  • a tiny clutch - just in case we end up going to some Mitchelin star restaurants, K is a fan of such establishments;
  • a pair of hiking sandals;
  • my North Face jacket for those forecast rainy days; and last but not least;
  • my very precious Ipod - to get me through check-in, flight, and 2 hours waiting time in Milan Bergamo airport for K.

  I've done well for a 4-day trip, haven't I?

  Despite my best laid plans, I did forget something very very important: a fiction novel to while away spare time.  Best to get it now, rather than suffer the limited selection in the airport.

  Everyone else who's travelling over Easter, be safe, and remember our Saviour's sacrifice and victory.

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