Sandi Shilhanek | Vacation Packing...what's in your bag?

I have decided that since the mountain won’t come to Mohammed then Mohammed must
go to the mountain. Roughly translated this means that since my mom won’t come
to Texas to see me I must head to Chicago to see her.

Planning a trip requires a lot of thought and attention to details. First you
have to decide a destination (easy for me because if I’m going out of Texas it’s
usually to see mom), then you must decide the best time of the year to go, and
whether or not your budget can really afford the trip. Let’s not forget about
the wardrobe that might be required for your trip, and then packing said
wardrobe without making your suitcase exceed the airline weight limits. Last
but not least is the hardest decision of all…which books to take and how many of
them.

Before I owned an e-reader (I have a Kindle in case you care) I took a book per
day of the trip. I didn’t really expect to read them all, but needed to have a
variety to choose from because who knew what mood I would be in when I finished
one. There was also that slight chance that I could get them all read while I
was gone.

Since I now own that Kindle I can take hundreds of books to Chicago with me, and
because of the wireless feature and lack of need for a computer should nothing
appeal to me Amazon will gladly provide me with a new book for a small fee! My
carry on is going to feel extremely light, and in fact might not be truly needed
as I don’t plan on taking my computer.

Are you planning on a summer getaway? If so, where are you going? Are you
worried over the books to take or are you one of the lucky people who own some
type of e-reader and can take a library with you? Regardless of where you go or
the books you take I hope you have a safe and fun summer vacation.

Until next week I wish you happy page turning.

Sandi Shilhanek

DFW Tea Readers
Readers 'n 'ritas... celebrating literary obsessions

Don't forget, if you leave a comment below you'll be entered in the weekend's
contest to win a surprise bundle of books. It's always something cool and
unexpected reading!

Comments

26 comments posted.

Re: Sandi Shilhanek | Vacation Packing...what's in your bag?

Wow! That's a long trip! And I have to say I wouldn't know what to do without my Kindle now! Wait....yes I do.... I would have to pack a separate bag just for my books like I did when I would go in the truck when my husband drove a big rig. Kindles RULE! And since I review books, it is a definite heaven sent gadget for me! 50 pages and counting! Texas heat is getting to me this year, not planning a vaca this year. Heat PLUs hubs just changed jobs- so stuck at home I am! Sigh* Have some summer fun for me up in cool Chicago!
(Nicole Hicks 11:24am June 28, 2009)

No plans right now for a vacation! BUT, I always take books with me no matter what. If I finish them before I can get back home, we stop somewhere and I buy more! LOL Can't go without my books. They pass the time while traveling, by the pool, and waiting in line for something! I read all the time! Have a great vacation!
(JoAnn White 11:35am June 28, 2009)

The only trip I have planned is my annual trek to Michigan to visit family. I prefer driving to flying so I'm not concerned about how much I take. So, for a 6-day trip, I'll take 2-3 paperbacks (I don't have an e-reader) and my laptop which I have loaded with a bunch of ebooks. Always better to have too much of a good thing, right? Several years ago, before I bought my laptop, I ran out of reading material on my return trip. Me...without a book...is like having my right arm cut off! I hesitate to buy books without having my BTB list with me (which I didn't) so I steered away from books in my favorite genre (historical) and ended up with a Stephen King novel titled 'Cell' that turned out to be a really good book!
(Karen Haas 11:51am June 28, 2009)

We are going to visit the COW states and their National Parks (California, Oregon, Washington) and I have been keeping books in a pile to take. I don't have a Kindle (yet - sigh!) but I do have a bunch of books in pdf format on my laptop so I am ready! The real problem is that I want to read some of them now :>)
(Karin Tillotson 11:53am June 28, 2009)

Good for you! I can't imagine being so far from my family (especiall my Mom!). Between my mom, my sister and me, we circulate all our books. Imagine how great it would be if we all had Kindles and could just swap one e-reader instead of 10 books at a time!! Have a great trip!
(Angela Hoagland 12:00pm June 28, 2009)

I'm considering a trip to Turkey right now for the fall or next year depending on prices. No matter what, I go around with more than 100 books on my Palm. Thank god for Ereader and Mobipocket and that I can reread books in general.
(Robin Greene 1:15pm June 28, 2009)

We are going to meet our grandchildren in the Poconos so I have to pack plenty of books to read. Since Bob and I are driving from Ohio, I will have plenty of room to carry all our reading material. I can hardly wait!
(Rosemary Krejsa 2:22pm June 28, 2009)

Wow thats some trip. I never thought about taking extra books I tend to take one then buy one at the airport, that a good idea since I do have a LARGE TBR pile.
this year we decided to forgo the away Vacation stay home worked on redoing our front flower bed making it a very low maintenance. Later @ the end of July 1sy of August we are heading out to my InLaws cottage for 5 days should be interesting since this will be the longest stay we have had with them it usually over night so a BAG full of book is a great Idea she too is an avid reader so it should keep us occupied.
Have a wonderful time with mom I will be visiting my mother next year(SCOTLAND) she turns 90 Big party SCOTTISH STYLE.
(Ann w 2:58pm June 28, 2009)

When I travel, it tends to be either very short-distance (drive to Chicago, ~2 - 2 1/2 hours), or very long-distance (from Wisconsin to Europe). In the first instance, I carry enough books to hopefully get me through whatever conference I'm going to, with the knowledge that there are bookstores close by. In the case of a european trip, I take 2-3 in my carry-on, buy 2-3 more once I'm through security at O'Hare, then depend on finding bookstores across the pond. Luckily, I do speak and read german and spanish, so I can buy and read in those languages, without having to be dependent on english-language bookstores, which will inevitably have MUCH higher prices than the local language bookstores. Makes learning all those conjugations worthwhile!!

Later,

Lynn
(Lynn Rettig 3:09pm June 28, 2009)

We plan pretty busy vacations because we love seeing all the sights. I just take a couple of books because I know I won't have time for more. I simply must have something to read, though, for waiting at the airport!
(Cheryl Castings 3:44pm June 28, 2009)

No plans for summer, since Im moving into a smaller apt. Getting the kindle was the best thing I've ever spent money on. Before like you I would take a book for each day and pray there was a bookstore close by so I could get more lol. Book addict me nahhh LOL
(Anne-Kathrine Ubberud 4:38pm June 28, 2009)

We usually visit our families driving 7 hrs in one direction, west, to see my mother in law then in the opposite direction to see my father. We stay 4 days with the first and three with the latter. We only bring some spare clothes: jeans, t-shirts and pj's and I bring about 8 books for those times when it is quiet: they both take many naps.
(Diane Sadler 5:03pm June 28, 2009)

We will be taking a short trip for a few days next weekend. I will, of course, pack a few books to read along the way!
(LuAnn Morgan 6:08pm June 28, 2009)

No vacation for me this summer, so I will just read from home.
(Vikki Parman 6:13pm June 28, 2009)

I'll read through my liabrary of books on three floors at home on a staycation. For travel, it's great to find room for more stuff to pack or bring back by saving space bringing an e-reader like Kindle.
(Alyson Widen 7:08pm June 28, 2009)

So you are totally sucking me into the idea of buying a Kindle. Of course, that doesn't help with my upcoming trip so I've still have to figure out which books I'm taking.
(Summer Sharp 7:46pm June 28, 2009)

I always take a bundle of books with
me on a trip. Like you it is a variety so
I'll have something for whatever mood
I'm in. Add to that, I always buy books
on a trip. Firstly, I look for books I'd
like and then I look for books for the
library where I work. We usually drive
on our trips, but the one time we flew,
I mailed 3 boxes of books home ane
had a suitcase full (this was before the
weight restrictions and luggage limits).
We usually come home with at least 40
to 50 more books than I took.
This year we have two trips planned,
both reunions. Our 45th high school
reunion is in August. I already have
the stores where I'll look for books
lined up. In Sept./Oct., we head to
Texas for an Air Force reunion. It will
be my first trip to (not through) Texas.
I'll come home with books on the
history of the areas we visit. I'll bring
books, romances, written by some of
the state's great writers. For our N.Y.
trip I have one, Black Eagle by Gen
Bailey, picked out which takes place
where we will be. No e-reader yet,
but I like the feel of books.
(Patricia Barraclough 8:04pm June 28, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for coming and commenting. This trip has been a real experience! I'll leave it to your imaginations to decide if I mean that nicely or not.

One really nice thing that has come out of the trip is that my son Brian who I brought with me now has a new totally different feeling about me. Today he saw a picture taken almost 30 years ago and thought I was something! He didn't believe it was me.

On that note I saw some pictures of my mom taken during WWII and let me tell you she was really something! Could have given those pin up girls a run for their money.

I went book browsing, but only bought one and I bought that one because I forgot my kindle and had tons of time to kill, and needed something to do. I did however add a lot of titles to my wishlist!

Sandi
(Sandi Shilhanek 9:13pm June 28, 2009)

It's intersting that so many of the comments talked about buying a book on vacation.

When my in-laws were still alive we would spend some time in Iowa. There I would wander a Waldens. Since our vacations always meant going to family we didn't have food or hotel expenses, so I could use vacation money to buy a book.

In my mind vacation money or gift money is not real money, so I could try a new author. This is how I discovered some I loved, such as Sandra Brown, and some I hated, and therefore don't remember who they were.
(Sandi Shilhanek 9:18pm June 28, 2009)

I'm not going on any vacations so I'll be reading from home but I usually bring a book or two when traveling.
(Rachael Haas 10:47pm June 28, 2009)

I am planning a trip to Southern Il w/ my 6 yr old son for the 9 day trail ride. Camping and horse back riding! I hope this is something my son will love like I did as a kid! being a single Mom I want him to do the little boy rough and tumble getting dirty stuff. :) For this I wish I had a Kindle. In fact I am so green..w/ envy of the people who have one. What an AWESOME creation! So I will be packing a library and bringing it with me!
(Jennifer Binford 9:44am June 29, 2009)

Nope, not going on any vacations. We usually just take day trips. And I always take a book or two. And if need be, to make room for my books, I would gladly pack less clothes or other items. I know my priorities!
(Jody Faltys 1:27pm June 29, 2009)

Wow, Sandi, you sound like me when I travel. I don't have a Kindle so I carry way more books than I can possibly read but then I need a variety to fit whatever mood I'm in when I finish a book. When I visited my mother, I never got to read much because she always wanted to talk. Now I wish I could talk to her again. She passed away suddenly earlier this year and I miss her so much. Enjoy all the time you have with your mother.
(Rita Sheppard 6:35pm June 29, 2009)

I always enjoy your blogs and you bring up some key points!
No trip really this year except to the beach to stay with friends for a few days before school starts.
Packing is always hard, what to bring, what not to bring, what will the kids need...that sort of thing. Oh yeah and all the pool toys, beach toys and sadly I don't really get time to read on vacation with the kids and hubby.
Thank you for the fun topic and I have enjoyed the comments! Hope you have a Wonderful Trip!
(Chris Jones 5:14am July 1, 2009)

lip gloss and books...nothing else needed!
(Paula Staton 9:07pm July 1, 2009)

I don't plan to take a trip any time soon, but if I did, I would have to take an extra bag just for books. The only time I don't have a book with me is when I go to the store, where I buy a book or two!
(Patsy Hagen 12:45pm July 4, 2009)

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