My best friend, Stacey, and I are traveling to Ireland and Scotland in just over a week! We have been planning this trip for quite a few months, and I cannot believe it is so close. It is our big 30th birthday celebration - Stacey turns 30 in March and then I turn 30 in April. We are both also Irish and Scottish, so it will be fun to learn more about our heritage. Stacey has done a lot of research about her family. Me, not so much. Busy season got in the way. Now that it is over, I need to get on that. Stacey learned that her 12th great-grandfather was the King of Scotland, and we will get to visit a couple of castles her family lived in. Now, how cool is that?! I do not think I will find a King in my family, but you never know...
There is a lot to do in the next week and a half before we depart. I have a stack of travel books next to me that need reading. I visited Edinburgh, Scotland when I was studying abroad in college, but that was 10 years ago. Neither of us have been to Ireland before. Oh, and on the way home, we elected for a 24 hour layover in Zurich, Switzerland - why not? So, we need a good plan of attack for our day there too. And yes, in case you were wondering, we WILL be in Dublin for St. Patrick's Day!
But, all that aside...WHAT AM I GOING TO PACK?
It was important to both of us to not spend a lot of money on new purchases to pack for this trip. We want to save our money for the actual trip! We determined a few staple items for a trip to Ireland and Scotland in March:
It was important to both of us to not spend a lot of money on new purchases to pack for this trip. We want to save our money for the actual trip! We determined a few staple items for a trip to Ireland and Scotland in March:
1. A Good Raincoat
This was something I did not previously own. I purchased the following coat from Nordstrom this weekend. I love this coat and know it is something I will wear often, which was important in the purchase. I did not want to purchase anything solely for this trip. This coat fits so well and is super cute on. Best of all, I felt the price was right. It is water repellant/resistant and wind resistant, which is important for March in Ireland, as well as spring in the Midwest.
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Laundry by Shelli Segal Packable Water Repellant Anorak |
2. Rain Boots
Rain boots are a must for a spring trip to Ireland and Scotland. I purchased the following pair of Hunters two years ago. They are one of my best purchases to this day. In terms of my "price per wear" rule, I have definitely met it with these boots, and then some. Hunter has recently come out with a packable boot, which I considered purchasing for this trip. At the end of the day, I could not justify the cost of another pair of Hunters, even if they would pack better in my suitcase. I will be bringing these Hunters that I already own on my trip and finding a way to fit them in my suitcase. If you live in the Midwest or anywhere with rainy/snowy weather, these boots will always be worth the purchase and meet the "price per wear" rule.
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Hunter Original Tall Gloss Rain Boot |
3. Comfortable Layers
Layers and comfort will be key for this trip. It will about 50 degrees Fahrenheit in Ireland and Scotland, but it will get colder at night. I think the weather is about as unpredictable as it is in Michigan. I plan to layer chambray and sweaters similar to this post with J.Crew Pixies, Loft Marisa Skinny Ponte Pants or a good pair of denim. It is also important to be able to mix and match during this trip, so I will try to pack blouses that can go from day to night with a pair of heels or flat boots. I will keep the colors pretty neutral so that I can maximize what I am packing. Luckily, I think the pubs will be pretty casual!
4. The Crossbody Bag
This is where I am open. I need to find a good crossbody bag to carry with me day by day. I have a nice Cole Haan crossbody bag, but it tends to get heavy fast. I need something lighter to carry. I will be searching high and low for something light and affordable this week.
5. A Carry-on Tote
Stacey and I are both trying to decide what we will carry on the plane. I have a couple totes, but none zip shut. I would ideally like something that zips shut to carry on the plane. I plan to carry on a change of clothes (just in case), my travel books (for last minute research), my iPad and iPod and some small toiletries. I will be hitting up Target this week for hopes of a #targetdoesitagain.
Obviously, I have a lot of planning to do still. It is so important (and hard) to pack light for this trip. We need to leave room to bring things back, after all! I have only been to Europe during the summer, so packing for March is definitely challenging. I will keep you posted on how the packing is going!
Have you been to Europe in March? Do you have any packing tips?