02 September 2010

One Last Pair



Seeing as I whined on Twitter about the fact that I’d miscalculated how many pairs of underpants I would need for that two week vacation of ours, someone was bound to leave a comment on my “vacation by the numbers” post.


In point of fact, I lost track. We practice a suitcase management technique called “vacation underwear” where you pack and wear all your really ratty undies – the kind that can always be worn once more, but probably shouldn’t be – and throw them out along the way. After those were gone, I moved onto my standard issue cotton bikinis, which were duly filed away into the laundry bag at day’s end. Then I realized the impending shortfall, and suffered through a couple of days of two in a row – because I just couldn’t bring myself to doing laundry at a Laundromat for three pairs of underpants, and handwashing was out of the question because they’d have never been dry. Finally, though, we got to Mecca and hit the Jockey store in Freeport – all hail discount shopping on vacation (and yes, we went to the LLBean Mothership too). And then I found One Last Pair, which actually turned out to be the final pair of vacation underwear, and thus was discarded at home when we finally got there.

All I know is that I have six new pairs, three that I like and three that I don't.

But let me ask you this: if you go away on a two week road trip, do you take two weeks worth of underpants?

22 comments:

kathy a. said...

we took a longish vacation, and i went on an underwear shopping spree. found some quick-drying ones at title 9; and they did dry quickly, but i don't like them so well. but they are stretchy enough that when my petite daughter ran out of clean, she borrowed one of mine. which i'm pretty sure she burned afterwards.

found a couple batches of good enough at hanes, but ended up getting email daily until i unplugged the lazy enough to unsubscribe. but anyway, i took approximately the number for the number of days, and came out ahead because we did laundry.

kathy a. said...

also, i didn't take the dead underwear -- what if the plane crashed? used the occasion of buying new to toss the oldies.

FreshHell said...

It would depend on whether I had access to a w/d. I'm not sure I *have* 2 weeks worth, frankly. I think so. So, if I couldn't do laundry, I guess I would. If not, a week's worth.

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

I use a two week vacation as an excuse to replenish my supply--I would definitely have at least 2 weeks worth with me and a couple pair of Spanx type for going out.

Kyla said...

I don't know that I would survive a two week road trip...but I'd bring one for each day plus 2, I think.

alejna said...

I can't think when I've ever done a 2-week road trip. My recent trips of more than a week have all involved places where I know I can do laundry. I guess if I didn't know I'd be able to do laundry, I'd pack the full supply of undies.

Nothing like underwear to get a discussion going!

Liz Miller said...

I don't have 2 weeks worth either. And I haven't had a trip for more than a week since childhood.

mayberry said...

I definitely don't have 2 weeks' worth unless I dip into the thongs, and who wants to do that on a road trip?

Stimey said...

For two weeks, I would assume at least one stop at a laundromat. So I'd probably take a week and a half's worth.

I'm an over packer.

Bibliomama said...

The 'vacation underwear' idea is brilliant. I'm a crazy obsessive overpacker and having to wear the same pair of underwear two days in a row would probably send me into a dark, whimpery place. But see, the good part is that now I KNOW that's not normal. :)

betty-NZ said...

I'm neurotic about those things....always taking more thank I think I will need! But, sometimes you just have to go with whacha got!

MARY G said...

I always take a lot of underwear. We go on multi-week trips and plan to wash on rainy days. If there is no rain, I do NOT want to run out. I also have one pair of quick wash along, the kind that Tilley guarantees will dry overnight. I save that one for emergencies.
Love the idea of tossing oldies but I never seem to get that organized. Haven't been to Bean for years and am missing it.

leanne said...

I wouldn't necessarily take enough for the whole 2 weeks as I figure I'd be able to do laundry or wash them somehow.

I'm trying to work on my tendency to overpack.

painted maypole said...

i've don't think i've ever been gone that long without a stop at someone's home, where we do laundry.

but as you know, my husband not only practices vacation underwear, he practices vacation Tshirts, shorts, etc.

This would be why he looks so sharp in all our pictures. ;)

abby said...

I most definitely bring 2 weeks worth, unless I'm seeing family. Part of the joy of seeing me is doing my laundry!

Marinka said...

I always do laundry on vacation. Because that's relaxing.

meno said...

If i were to go on a two week vacation, i would take a few pairs of undies, to go with skirts, because i mostly DON'T WEAR UNDERWEAR!

You totally needed to know that didn't you?

The Library Lady said...

For more than a week, I've usually had access to a w/d--either at a friend's house or this time at the house we were renting. Two weeks of travel w/o either would mean 2 weeks of clothes--and with 4 of us in the car, and my girls no longer tiny, that's just too much clothing!

Kelley @ magnetoboldtoo said...

I take 2 weeks worth for a weekend.

I am a little paranoid.

And take a LOT of suitcases.

heidi said...

Underwear doesn't take up that much room. (though it takes up more that it used to... sigh) I would have brought more than 2 weeks worth, knowing that in summer, you might change in & out of clothes & swimwear, etc.

Karen said...

Always much too much underwear! A kickback from road trips in my twenties and getting snowed in places leaving me to wash undies in the sink and hang them to dry on sink edges.Also extra socks because wet feet suck.

Heide Estes said...

I don't usually have worn out underwear to take on a trip. Depending on the length of the trip and the availability of washers, I typically pack three to seven days worth of clothes, including underwear.