Happy Friday! We are in a flurry of excitement over here because we are preparing for our first European trip as a family. Tonight we’ll head across the Atlantic and wake up in Scotland! I have a million curiosities about how this experience will go, as we fly out this evening, have a couple hour layover in Newark, then depart for Edinburgh close to midnight. Will we be able to sleep on the flight? Will we feel jetlagged tomorrow or will we surprise ourselves? Only time will tell!
Our plans while we are in Scotland are fairly loose. We will be doing a road trip throughout the country, starting in Edinburgh and also seeing part of Isle of Skye, Glencoe, and the national park. We have our accommodations set, but that’s about it. While this is the most unplanned itinerary I’ve had for a trip in a long time, it’s actually the most prepared I’ve felt packing-wise for a trip in a long time, too.
Something about being in a different country helped me focus in on exactly what we needed, and because we pack in carry-on bags, nothing more than that. I anticipate a lot of mix and matching of our staple wardrobe pieces. We will have a washer and dryer in our rental unit mid-trip, so I plan to do some loads of laundry there to reset everyone’s options.
I plan to come back to this post after our trip and tweak the list- what are we so glad we had? What did I not need to bring? What would have been helpful to have? I’ll take notes and report back to hopefully be helpful, as I know I’ve been googling for specific pack lists to help me prepare our family for our early June trip to Scotland!
First, let’s chat about the weather. It looks… consistent. Everyday we will be there is predicted to 41 and 60 degrees, depending on the region we’re in, and rainy. Well, at least there is a solid chance of rain everyday, but I’m not sure if it is a last all day or come and go rain situation. Regardless, we are prepared (we think) and definitely up for the adventure! Though Finley is a little bummed we can’t sneak her in our bags; she loves to hike. Wish we could, pup!
Because we will be hopping locations, we are packing light, in carry-on bags. I’m bringing the nice camera, my travel medicine kit, and my toiletry bag, which are all fairly bulky, but between our four bags, we can make it work. Now here’s a look at my detailed pack list!
Under Things
- Underwear
- Socks (both tall wool socks for hiking boots and athletic socks for walking shoes)
- Bras (both regular and a sports bra)
- Pajamas
Clothing
- Leggings for hiking
- Jeans
- Hiking pants
- Short sleeve athletic top
- Long sleeve athletic top
- Short sleeve t-shirt/top
- Long sleeve t-shirt
- Packable puffer vest
- Sweater
- Raincoat
Shoes and Accessories
- Sneakers
- Hiking boots
- Beanie hat
- Hiking backpack for me (I love this thing) and fanny pack for the kids – I use this backpack as my carry-on, too. It fits my computer and everything!
Toiletries and Personal Items
To Wear on the Plane
- Comfy pants (mine are loose jeans)
- Short sleeve shirt
- Sweater/hoodie
- Socks
- Sneakers
To Bring on the Plane
Ok! At this point I’d say: did I miss anything? But honestly, it’s too late if I did because we are airport bound! I will come back after and adjust as needed so it’s hopefully a helpful resource. I can’t wait to see the beauty of Scotland, experience with David and the girls, and capture it the best I can to share with you. Chat soon!
