Our London adventure has begun!  Terrific start, so far.  Great airport and flight experiences.   We moved into the (tiny!) flat with ease and are having a terrific time settling in.

I thought it was fair to consider myself a seasoned traveller and that would imply that I had a handle on packing.  Unpacking my suitcase made me doubt this proposition.  I'll let you be the judge. (I know, Mom, you are thinking of our own trip to London and the honker suitcase. But considering the latest incarnation of the honker was a gift from you, you must assume some responsibility for all this.)  

Apparently, all my years of travel have taught me that it is imperative to pack 3 nearly identical shirts.  

 And that's not enough, dear reader.  It is essential to pack the dress version of the same, bringing the total of stripy sailor-type garments up to four.

You may be surprised to know, despite what common sense would tell you, that you should also take as many brand new, tags on, never worn items with you as you can.  

Some of these may or may not even fit.  You don't know, because you've never tried them on.  

To round it all out: a minimum of 7 handbags, several tubes of mascara, 8 pairs of shoes (most of which are black and fairly interchangeable with one another, only one that might be called "practical" for winter in London), no books, toothpaste, or shampoo for your son, giant box of Q-tips, a leopard print jacket with the button missing, no razors, a back cardi with a huge hole in the armpit (it's designer!), and a vest that you dug out of the goodwill bag in a last minute panic.

So, coming to London?  Feel free to use my helpful packing tips!  I'll let you know how my picks pan out over the next 5 months.