Our January-March snowbirding trip was sadly interrupted by a family emergency two weeks ago. My wife’s father passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully.
After the funeral, we decided to come back to Florida for a couple more weeks and flew back yesterday. In doing so, we found ourselves oddly packing for the same exact trip we packed for last month.
I consider myself an expert packer, but discovered a new TRAVEL TRUTH: regardless of how organized you are, you always forget at least THREE things.
When we came down in January, I forgot my laundry bag, my AmEx card, and my gloves (yes, in January, FL can be cold). On this return trip to Florida, I should have been 100%, but I forgot my flip-flops, our bathroom nightlight, and my iPad holder.
Three things left behind. It’s always three things! I remembered the three things I forgot last month, only to forget three other things this time. Three things that I had with me on our first trip down here!
I suppose there are 100+ things on my ‘Master Packing List’, so I’m averaging >95% packing efficiency. And … nothing really critical left behind, either. Still, it’s frustrating when you get to your destination and realize what you’ve forgotten.
What’s the most critical thing you’ve forgotten to bring on a trip?
Image Credit: Pixabay
MrFireStation 
I’m sorry for you wife’s loss. That’s always a tough situation, let alone being so far away and then needing to travel back home.
We’ve learned less is better during our trips to Florida. As long as I’ve got a few pairs of shorts, flip flops, and a few tee shirts, I’m good to go now! Lol. This year we are going much later (March to April). We will be packing our new RV for the first trip to FL. So that should be interesting. The initial inclination is to take everything again, but we are quickly realizing, as we make our list, that we really need very little in FL. Enjoy the remainder of your time in FL. Please give your wife our best wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Thom.
Having an RV would definitely be an excuse for me to take much, much more!
LikeLike
Well, there was that time we went to the Bahamas and I left my son’s ADHD and sleep medication at home…Fortunately, we had a good connection in the Bahamas and we were able to get the prescriptions filled there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I can’t count the # of times we’ve gone to pharmacies in distant towns. In fact, we’re going to Walgreens in the morning!
LikeLike
Can you share your master packing list?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Maybe I’ll create a post about it. It’s a bit personal, but I could “genericize” it a bit!
LikeLike
My problem is the return trips where I have forgotten small electronic devices such as cell chargers in rental cars.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes! I’ve got a buddy who does a side-hustle at a rental car place and he has boxes & boxes of those at his house. Everyone forgets them!
LikeLike
Last week I forgot to take my remote clicker for a presentation (venue provided one), and I had to exit quickly to make way for the next presentation and walked off without laptop charging cord. Stopped at Best Buy on drive home!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cords, chargers, and other electronic stuff just left everywhere, doesn’t it!?
LikeLike