Gary and Mary Lou go to Asia: Not that I am Type A or anything...

... but I have been making a career out of getting ready for this trip! Fashion and style are my hobbies, so naturally I want to look as chic as possible on vacation! On our last couple of trips that hasn't been a problem because we have been cruising in nice big suites and were able to either drive to the port or fly business class (love those frequent flyer miles!) and check lots of bags with no fee!

This time, though, when we get to Japan we will be taking the bullet train from Osaka to Hiroshima and back, and that means wrangling our own luggage! Which means I can only take one big bag and one carry-on! It's a pretty big challenge, especially since we will be in three different climates along the way. Hanoi and environs should be pretty much like a Southern California winter, Cambodia and the Mekong will be hot and humid, and Japan will be colder than we are used to. Oh, and to add another level of challenge, my research revealed that it's best to be reasonably covered up in Vietnam, both for reasons of modesty and to avoid mosquitos! So no tanks and shorts, which is what I would normally wear in a tropical area!

After a lot of angst and trying things on and consulting with the wise ladies over at www.youlookfab.com, I have hit on a travel wardrobe I am happy with. Basically, it's a uniform of pants and tops, with a few scarves and belts to keep me from getting too bored. I also found a couple of nice lightweight knit black skirts, and I'm packing a few lightweight dresses for dinner on the riverboat. And being the gigantic planner that I am, I took pictures of every. single. piece and planned out my outfits for every. single. day. Big fun!!