Drastic rucksack measures

My rucksack feels like I have two dead people in it! A poor Thai man nearly fell over at the sheer weight of it when he tried to pick it up (I did warn him it would be heavy. He smirked, then stumbled as he tried to lift it into the pick-up truck!) I literally packed everything. Mainly beauty products which I felt (at the time) where necessary. Now I have to lug the buggers around I naturally feel different. Or so I thought until I had to chose which ones could stay and which ones had to go.

This may sound drastic (and possibly a little shallow) but I liken it to asking a parent to chose between his/her children. So I had to enlist the help of someone who had no emotional attachment to the various day and night creams, serums, face masks, vit c lotion, nail varnishes, body creams I had brought with me. My sister, Charlie, was the obvious choice - Eve would only have chosen the items she wanted to bag for herself! Charlie is ruthless and thinks most of it is crap - I know, I know - it's sacrilegious!!

It was hard. She more than halved by A3 sized beauty bag (specifically brought to ensure all items large and small could be accommodated) and didn't stop at just my gorgeous beauty bits, she actually went through my clothes too. She was like a woman possessed. But she had my best interests at heart so I couldn't moan - I could only wince every time she picked something up, looked at me, rolled her eyes and chucked it in the 'unwanted' corner of the room. No emotion. Ruthless. Harsh.

I managed to retrieve some items. My SK II facial treatment repair, Aussie 3 Min Miracle sachets and my Ole H facial oil which I argued barely weighed a thing. Sadly around 25 items were lost. The sack feels mcu lighter though - god only knows what will happen to my complexion. If I age 15 years on this trip I know who to blame!!

I am grateful though. It now means I can actually walk with my ruck sack on my back and negotiate steps without help (I did try to walk up some stairs and nearly collapsed with the sheer weight of my back pack!).

I've also realised there's a knack to packing a ruck sack. I know, I know, I should've checked this all out before I went. But to be honest I didn't really think about it. Plus I was far to busy working and saying good-bye to various friends and family so spare a thought for my rucksack. It now seems as though EVERYONE knows there is a certain way you have to pack. Thanks for telling me. I've actually witnessed a few raised eyebrows (in my direction) when I've mentioned this to fellow 'travellers'. So now I have to pack everything that's heavy at the bottom of the rucksack which I have to say has made a massive difference. Plus I'm not on the receiving end of various smirks by cocky travellers when I try to pick-up or walk with my rucksack on my back. I tend to sway you see or rather stagger. Nor do I get horrifying looks from men who kindly help me with my rucksack and invariably pull a muscle in their back while doing so!