Ahhh it’s not long now until I’m off on my ‘Surprise Trip’, a new venture launched by Expedia whereby you book a holiday with the company but they don’t tell you where you’re going until 2 hours before your flight! I know right, super exciting! It definitely adds the element of adventure to your trip.
So come August bank holiday this weekend, me and my mum are off on a long weekend to an unknown destination in Europe. All I know is the time I have to be at the airport… It’s all very mysterious, I like it! It also means that it is impossible to over-research your destination, which something I am totally prone to and it can really ruin a trip. I mean if you know everything then what’s left to discover whilst you’re there?
Another thing I love is that Surprise Trips let you veto 3 destinations right off the bat. So naturally I veto-ed 3 that I had been to this year – Amsterdam, Reykjavik and Prague. Although that still leaves 74 destinations that it could be so it doesn’t really narrow it down at all.
So I love the element of surprise and all… BUT…
What the hell do I pack for a Surprise Trip?
Surprise Trips have thought about this and send out an email a few days before the trip to let you know the forecast weather in your destination. So there’s that.But to be honest it doesn’t give much away! Here’s my weather forecast for the weekend…
Lows of 14° and highs of 30°? That could be anywhere in Europe right now! I’m very tempted to google every country’s weekend weather forecast but I don’t want to spoil it. It’s just meant to help me pack…
But it’s still a bit of a minefield in terms of what to pack because you still don’t know what kind of activities you’re going to be doing… And lets face it, I’m going to want to plan my travel outfits out in advance, because I’m me. Oh and wait a second, did I mention it’s hand luggage only? SHIT.
Ok so here’s what I’m thinking.
I need to pack layers. That seems like the sensible thing to do. The Capricorn in me is all about that. But because of the hang luggage only limitation, I’m going to wear the bulkier items on the way there – my Primark black ripped jeans that will go with everything and will (hopefully) be warm enough if it’s cold, along with a bardot top that will work if it’s hot and a jacket of some sort if it’s not (I’m thinking one of the bomber jackets I bought for Festival No. 6).
Then in my luggage, I’m thinking I’ll take a my vintage Levi denim shorts in case it’s a beachy destination (not likely with lows of 14° but you never know) and another cami or bardot top that I can choose to wear with either the jeans or the shorts depending on the weather situation.
I’ll then throw in a couple of lightweight dresses that will roll up real small. They’ll be light and airy for the day if it’s hot or evening dresses with the jacket if not so much. These cami dresses I took to Bali could work…
I’m also going to be optimistic and take a bikini with me. Most of the Surprise Trip destinations are actually cities but if my hotel has a real nice pool or something I’m going to be gutted if I can’t take a dip. It’s not like it’s going to take up a lot of space is it?
Shoes-wise, I’m going to wear my gold Primark pumps on the plane that will be comfy if it’s the walking-all-day kind of city break destination. That seems like the right thing to do no matter the outcome. Then some kind of sandals that will be good for beaches but also for evening dinners. I feel like one of the pairs from F&F that I took to Bali could be a winner.
I’ll also pack my new ASOS sunglasses and an umbrella for every weather eventuality.
In terms of beauty supplies I’m going to make the most of the fact that I’m travelling with my mum and use her hairdryer and just pack straighteners. Then those mini bottles of Tresemme Shampoo and Conditioner and some fruity shower gel from Superdrug will go in my liquids bag. Along with my BB Cream, a mini suncream, SPF lip balm, mascara and a lipstick for evenings. The rest of my make-up is non-liquid so we’re all good.
And I’m done! Hopefully that will cover all bases. I think my reasoning is sound and I’m packing ridiculously lightly so a pat on the back to me, my friend.
Ahhhh I’m super excited. I’m really hoping it’s a cool destination and somewhere I haven’t been, but either way it’s just going to be nice to go on a little adventure with my mum.
If you want follow the adventure, make sure you like my Heels In My Backpack Facebook page as I’ll keep you guys updated as soon as I know where I’m going!! Wish me luck!
What do you think of the Surprise Trips concept? Exciting or terrifying? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me @HeelsInBackpack!
Total Blogger Transparency: My Surprise Trip is a complimentary Press Trip but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I wouldn’t play you like that shorty.