Over-planning to Create Spontaneity
Packing is difficult for everyone. We want to bring more outfits than we have days; and more things than we use daily at home. We all want to take many more items than our small bags and tiny weight limits will allow. But for those of us who are larger and heavier, the task of packing become even more arduous.
First, we larger folks don’t get any additional space or weight allowance for our luggage, but our clothes take up more space and more material means each item is heavier. If that isn’t enough, we also have to over-pack if we want any hope of being spontaneous while we travel.
For most people, forgetting something at home is inconvenient, but it can probably be picked up at the local shop or hotel convenience store. But, if you are plus-sized, there is no swimsuit, jacket, dress, etc. easily available for you. If you don’t have it in your luggage, you probably don’t get to have it at your destination. So if you think you might need it — then you have to pack it yourself.
This also means lost luggage takes on a whole new meaning for someone plus-sized. The money to buy some necessities can help — but only if you can actually find necessities that will fit your body! For me, that translates to me always packing at least a couple changes of clothes plus a swimsuit and jacket in my carry-on.
Wait…why would I need to pack both a swimsuit and a jacket?
Pack for the unexpected
You would be surprised how often you need something completely unexpected in your travels. When visiting Maui to meet my (now) husband’s family, I packed light. The weather was expected to be the usual balmy 78 degrees F with glorious ocean breezes, so I packed shorts and tank tops and sandals. But my husband wanted to show me a side of the islands I hadn’t seen before —including the sunrise over the clouds from the top of Haleakala.
What I didn’t know was that I really needed a jacket for that experience — but there were none to be found in my size. Finally, his dad pulled out an old sweatshirt that I could just wear — it wasn’t going to keep me warm, but it would at least keep me from freezing!
Driving up the steep summit of Haleakala before dawn was incredible. As we arrived at the top, the sky was just starting to lighten near the horizon. The summit we were standing on was above the thick layer of clouds. In the silence of the early morning we watched the clear sky above and the fluffy clouds below change colors as the sun crested over the horizon and the silence was broken by a native Hawaiian man leading a chant to welcome in the new day.
Now, I pack a jacket with me even if I’m headed somewhere tropical. I take a swimsuit even if I don’t think I’ll be anywhere near a pool or water — swimsuits are great for swimming, but can also be useful for going to the spa, the ocean, river rafting, kayaking, tubing, or even using public or campground showers. I over-pack and over-prepare so I can be spontaneous when I get to my destination.
Plan ahead
That means I also call ahead to the place I want to visit and excursions I would like to go on. I don’t call ahead to book ahead; I call just so I can verify what options are actually available to me so I know what I am — or am not — restricted from doing.
I plan for every possibility so that I eliminate all possible barriers to experiencing everything the destination has to offer. So what if we will be visiting New Zealand in the middle of winter — that’s a great time to go black water rafting! Or you are visiting Morrocco in summertime — those long sleeves not only keep you modestly covered but they also save you from the burning sun!
When you are plus-sized, under-preparing can have consequences that thwart the adventures you want to have. I packed a brand new swimsuit to take on a trip with some friends to Arizona, USA, but I had not tried the suit on. Instead of enjoying the gorgeous casino pool with my friends, I found myself frustrated and crying in the bathroom stall trying in vain to make the suit work.
So, I’ve learned to pack the minimum of something to cover every situation. Sure, it means I get fewer outfits, but everything I bring has a purpose and will allow me to be as spontaneous as I would like. I take something nice enough to wear somewhere formal so I can pick up last minute tickets to the Sydney Opera House performance of Othello. I bring something sturdy and strong enough for last-minute treks and adventures like climbing up dry waterfalls in South Africa. I bring something to keep me warm even in warm climates, something to let me swim or enjoy any watersport — like tubing down a river in Colorado, and something to keep me comfortable on long flights, long car rides, or to sleep in. Just packing one of each type of item allows me the flexibility to be as spontaneous as I dream of being.
Even at home I carry a “go bag” in the back of my car both in case of emergency and in case of any emergency adventure. Having a go bag means I can take spontaneous trips to the beach ( I keep a swimsuit, towel, and sunscreen in the trunk), make a stop in a new park for a picnic (I always have a blanket), or take a last-minute drive up to the mountains (I keep a jacket or sweater and blankets in the trunk too).
Because I thrive on seeking out new adventures and I want to spontaneously decide to say yes to any opportunity, I have to prepare for every possibility. It isn’t fun, but the view from the top of Table Mountain and the depths of the Great Barrier Reef make the burden of packing more than worth it.
Besides, if the packing list for my upcoming trip to Antarctica includes a swimsuit so I can go snorkeling in the frigid waters, I know a swimsuit is necessary everywhere!
Leana’s an avid world traveler who has been to over 40 countries and will be venturing to her 7th continent in 2022. She believes in ubuntu and that adventures make life worth living. To follow her journey as a plus-sized woman with unquenchable wanderlust as she continues to seek out all that the world has to offer, you can check out The Overweight Adventurer.
