There is a diametrical opposition to the way men and women pack for a trip. Whether they’re preparing for a two-week vacation or a short getaway, the male versus female versions of what will be needed to enjoy the same trip are as similar as the positive versus negative poles on a battery.
A woman plans a different outfit for every day. The possibility also exists that if her itinerary includes sight seeing in the morning and dining on the town at night then she’ll need two outfits in one twenty four hour period. Conversely, her male counterpart will wear the same pair of khakis every day of their week-long vacation. The only quandary he’ll encounter is whether to bring the brown loafers or the black. A man can go from casual to dressy by adding a tie and a sport coat to his khakis and loafers. Tell a woman to dress for dinner and she’ll need a garment bag to keep her “little black dress” from wrinkling and an evening repertoire of undergarments, hosiery and stilettos.
A woman carefully chooses earrings, necklaces, scarves, belts and bags to accessorize her clothing. A man pats himself down to make sure he hasn’t left his wallet, keys and iPhone on the kitchen counter next to his wedding ring.
Even a trip to the pool magnifies the difference between the sexes. A man’s bathing trunks weigh approximately six tenths of a pound and take up no more room than a flattened brown paper lunch sack. A woman packs a one piece and a bikini. The bathing suit she actually wears will depend on how she feels about her body that day. Additionally she’ll require a bathing suit cover up, a cutesy pair of flip flops, sunglasses, Coppertone, a stylish floppy hat, a book to read and a brightly colored linen bag to carry it all in.
I should take this moment to interject that I am married to a professional traveler. Patrick is an international pilot who has honed the art of packing into something freakishly functional and devoid of all enjoyment. On our honeymoon, I stuffed three Samsonite suitcases to their hinges. My new husband showed up with little more than his shaving kit.
My neighbor’s husband has his own theory about this packing battle between the sexes: a man makes a commitment to wear everything he packs and only what he brings whereas woman wants options. Translated, that means if the only shoes a man has packed are white Nikes, he’s not going to obsess somewhere in the middle of the vacation about black wingtips. A woman wants to entertain the possibility of lounging around the hotel room so into the suitcase go her flannel pants, fuzzy slippers and terry cloth bathrobe. A man can also take an impromptu day to lie around the hotel room because he’s perfectly content wearing Jockey shorts, clutching the television remote.
I used to think this packing phenomenon only existed between adult couples until I had children; both a son and a daughter. In packing for a spring break jaunt my pre-teen daughter came lumbering down the stairs with an oversized suitcase, a pillow, her favorite stuffed animal and a bag containing various electronic games. My son descended the stairs right behind her with his backpack slung over one shoulder.
