TRAVELLING....AT THE SPEED OF "LIGHT"

If there is one thing that stresses me out about travelling on business in this company, it is the feeling that I NEED to travel light.

It has to do with a mainly male dominated workforce, and the fact that traditionally, most of the travel involves offshore locations for ship inspections etc. One can't really carry 10 suitcases to go climb a rope ladder in the middle of the ocean. And it is a known fact that a guy can wear his underwear 10 days without needing a change. This has extended for more formal travels for meetings, visits etc, so these guys up and go with a small duffle bag or haversack, be it a trip for 3 days or 2 weeks. It makes no difference to them. No difference to anyone either. A blue shirt is a blue shirt is a blue shirt. No one (except gays) is going to notice when a guy wears the same blue shirt 3 days in a row (if copious amounts of cologne are used).

And then modern day arrives at the company, and lo and behold, we have WOMEN on the travel team too! And therein lies the problem. Women, even unfeminine ones like me, need more than 2 pairs of underwear and a pair of jeans for a 2 weeks trip. Come on, three changes of clothes a day ain't too much when you are a girl. Then, there is the "just-in-case" dressy suit, for the "just-in-case" grande dinner. And you don't expect us to ignore our skincare regime just because we are overseas do you? Skin doesn't care where it is....it ages just the same! So in goes the one hundred and one bottles of skincare, haircare etc etc. An extra pair of dressy heels, to go with the "just-in-case" suit, because sneakers with a satin dress is a no-no, my dear, unless you come from Hollywood (or Tokyo - I swear they have the weirdest dress sense there.)

There you have it. We turn up at the airport, after spending the entire weekend sitting on the suitcase, and feeling triumphant that we managed to condense everything into one suitcase, ok, one rather large suitcase, but...still one. And then we hear gasps of horror from the entire male portion of the team, who all turned up with their "turtle shells" (single harversack). And suddenly we don't feel so triumphant anymore.

2 days ago, I manange to condense my packing for the Norway trip to 3 small piles of clothes, result of efficient culling from the initial 5 piles. I think the whole lot will go into a single large suitcase with some room to spare (for any shopping I may want to do there). After all, it is -10 deg C in Norway, and no one is going grudge me clothes to keep me warm. Hey its a matter of survival!

Then, yesterday, I had a word with one of the young gentleman who would also be along on this trip, and he cheerfully informed me that he would be turning up with the pre-requisite "turtle shell", for after all, "who needs to dress up to witness a simple factory test?" Ok ok, back to more culling.

I have revised plans and am now trying to fit things into a MEDIUM sized suitcase. And added laundry soap to my stuff. I can do without the just-in-case dress and the hundred bottles of stuff, but the thought of wearing the same clothes and underwear for more than 2 days, even in ass cold weather, bugs me.

I hope stuff dries fast in Norway.