When summer is over and the sunshine has been replaced by howling winds and torrential rain it is easy to get depressed. When the last holiday is just a distant memory what does the dedicated travel buff do as winter closes in? Plan the next trip of course!
For the enthusiastic traveler life can revolve around planning and preparing for the next adventure and I should know because I am one of them. The trouble is if you travel often and have varied interests, your life can also be taken over by the sheer volume of equipment you need to store. The mountain of gear seems to grow and grow and sits there come rain or shine reminding you of all the exciting things you aren’t doing while you are saving up enough coin for the next adventure.
Holiday Home
I was considering investing in a holiday home but I now think I should get a storage unit instead! Every year I seem to acquire something else that was absolutely vital for my travels and I have to hang on to it in case I need it again. I was already buried under a pile of walking boots, walking poles, water bottles for hiking and hiking apparel when I discovered how useful aqua shoes were. Naturally I now have two pairs of those. A recent holiday in Slovenia persuaded me that a wetsuit would be a great investment to facilitate exploring the beautiful but cold rock pools in the mountains and my partner is a keen angler and so we have an Everest of fishing equipment as well.
Croatia
Next summer’s holiday will be on the Croatian coast, so naturally I need a snorkel and mask. My boyfriend already has these and they are hiding in the loft probably somewhere near the gloves we bought for ziplining last year and quite possibly in the same box as the mosquito head net that was essential when I was in Alaska.
Skiing
Just when I thought I had everything I could ever need I decided to take up skiing. My man has skied for years and so already had all the necessary equipment but it had been hidden away in the loft and so I had not really gained an understanding of how many things I was going to have to buy. Have you seen how much gear you need to ski? I am now the proud owner of skis, boots, poles, gloves, salopettes, ski jacket and helmet. Not to mention snow boots for walking around the resort. I would love to hide all of this in the loft but I need to learn to use it first and so my regular trips to the indoor slope have necessitated it all residing in the spare bedroom.
Spare Room
Spare bedroom! I don’t have one anymore. It is now an extension of the loft and firmly dedicated to sporting attire. You would think Bear Grylls, Ray Mears and Frans Klammer were all living here. I recently decorated the room in the New England Style. What an idiot! I never go to New England. I should have created something alpine in nature and then at least the ski gear would have looked like it belonged there. But then again the wetsuit and snorkels would look a bit daft! I need a serious rethink regarding my décor. If I ever mention taking up surfing would someone please stop me as I really don’t have room for a board!
Sally Stacey is a keen writer and business owner who divides her time between writing and running her bridal shop
About Douglas Smythe
