Minnie’s Musings

Passport control with a boot check. How reassuring!

Best Beloved leapt out to do the honours.

So scanty was said boot check that the not particularly handsome young Frenchman in tres smart uniform barely took time to admire my packing.

We are queuing behind a young biker who – on the third security stop – has got the hang of finding his passport and stopped taking his gloves on and off e-v-e-r-y s-i-n-g-l-e t-i-m-e.

Oooo a fourth stop after friendly Brit girl at third who asked for His Nibs window to be wound down so she could match him to his passport photo. This palaver was prolonged on acccount of window lock in place to stop His Nibs chucking random stuff at fellow road users. His Nibs now has a new friend.

Prematurely bald French bloke in equally smart uniform also requested boot check and also failed to take the time to appreciate my packing.

I take packing VERY seriously. As a veteran of expeditions where I packed ourselves, three not so small children, a vast quantity of camping equipment and a lot of wine into reasonably sized car, I can jam an awful lot of stuff into a very small space.

I start by pre-sorting the dirty washing and folding it neatly, before placing it in my suitcase. I then stuff the gaps with knickers and socks. I add an additional layer to that which initially seems impossible to compress already, shut the lid and sit on it. Ta-da! Into the boot it goes.

I then have a myriad of bags and totes that fit in like a jigsaw, carefully positioned for emergency accessibility. Coats and brollies top it off.

I feel I may have bored you all with my packing on previous occasions so please take this as a timely reminder on how to fit in that extra case of Bordeaux Superior that you so richly deserve.