We're back! Well, we've been back for a a little over a week, and I'm finally getting into my usual routine again. My house is clean again and all my laundry is done. It didn't seem like we brought a lot of clothes, but we had to wash EVERYTHING, plus the laundry we left when we went out of town, and the stuff we've been wearing since (Nathaniel said to me that it was weird having so many options to choose from!).
This is me with everything I brought. I've never lived so minimally!
So, how did it go? Pretty freaking well, actually. Before we left, I ended up switching out my solid colored tee for a graphic tee (with Mickey on it, obviously), but everything else that I listed stayed the same. I did end up with one more shirt and two more scarves by the end of the trip, but I never felt like I was super sick of my clothes. I think that's because I brought very neutral, versatile things, and anything eye-catching was something I loved.
Also, we walked over 200 miles while on this trip, so not worrying about going for runs feels like a fine decision ;)
If I were to pack up right now to do the exact same trip, I might change a couple things, but honestly I never felt like I was really lacking. I might switch out one skirt for another pair of jeans, added one more tank top, and I might have thrown in a pair of shorts (Madrid and Lisbon were both very warm). We did end up getting absolutely soaked in Paris a few times, so most of our outfits were hanging to dry during parts of that stay. Luckily we missed the flooding that happened right after we left! Any changes I would make in the clothes I packed had to do with the exact weather we experienced, and that can't really be predicted.
I'm really pleased with the toiletries we brought. We did forget dental floss, but that was easy to find abroad. The only things we didn't end up using were first-aid items and the Tide-to-go pen, and I wouldn't ever just leave those at home. And as far as the miscellaneous items go, I used everything I brought, and I don't think I ever really felt like I forgot anything. I did miss my hair straightener (I'm vain, sorry), but considering how much we got rained on and how much time it might have taken away from sleeping and/or exploring, I’m still ok with the decision I made. If we were staying in places longer and had a more leisurely pace, I probably would have justified it and brought it along.
And with all of this, we had just enough room for a few souvenirs. We collected ornaments from each place we visited, I got a purse, Nathaniel got a few soccer jerseys, and I added to my collection of foreign Harry Potter books.
We had such a fun time - I’ll be posting entries about each place we went, the food we ate, and the things we saw :)
Our trip was a great adventure, but it also feels good to be home ♥
