First list: Activities. I need business attire, casual clothes for doing research and normal life, dressy items for formal dining. And, of course, work out gear.

Second list: Weather. Summer is easier than Fall, Winter, or Spring. Except when it isn’t. I once was in York, England for June and July. I anticipated some inclement weather – the occasional light rain. Wrong. I wore layers every day. First, the tank top, followed by the shell, the shirt, the pull over sweater, the raincoat, and gloves. And then there was the formal dinner. I am not kidding. Good thing there was time to shop.

Let’s leave the clothes for now. What next?
Third list: Electronics. There was a time when I occasionally packed a hair dryer. Paper sufficed for everything else. Of course, that was when my cabin baggage consisted entirely of printed notes from a yearlong research trip. Now, I have a jump drive . . . somewhere. PLUS . . . on my last trip: MacBook Air, iPad, iPhone, portable hard drive, digital camera, cords and other paraphernalia. [Sidebar: I think paraphernalia is a very cool word. It means ‘stuff’ but it sounds so exotic. Can I use it in a sentence? Hmmm . . . “Let me gather my photographic paraphernalia before we get into the Jeep.”]

OK, that’s sorted. Let’s move on to “personal items/toiletries. If you have the fantasy of traveling with just a carry-on bag, everything better be in 3-ounce containers that can fit into a 1-quart plastic bag.

Back to clothing. Yes, I know. Layers. Coordinated colors – which usually translates into black, grey, white, brown, navy and beige + scarves and/or cheap clunky jewelry. Professional “packers” recommend thin fabrics. They pack smaller than wool, linen, or cotton, and you won’t have to iron them later. [Iron? Moi?] Don’t fold your clothes, roll them, and save space by stuffing your shoes.

At this point, hysteria creeps up. How many days am I gone? Would anyone notice if I wore the Tre Elegant Knit Tank Travel Dress from TravelSmithcom (http://www.travelsmith.com/tres-elegant-knit-tank-travel-dress/women/dresses/21559?defattrib=&defattribvalue=&listIndex=10 ) to the formal dinner with six forks? Would their eyes be dazzled if I paired it with my imitation Hermes scarf, or would they fixate on my all-occasion slightly scuffed gold flats? Never mind, I’ll put in the light blue sparkly cocktail dress and kitten heels.

There are lots of websites with packing tips. Two of them, complete with suggested packing lists, are “How to Pack Light” by Josie at Travelista.com http://travelista.com/packing/how-to-pack-light/ and “How to Pack Light” by Dana Sullivan Kilroy at Away.com http://away.com/travel-advice/travel-ta-how-to-pack-light-sidwcmdev_155212.html

Single most important things to pack: a genuine smile and a sense of humor – the rest does not really matter . . . much.

The post How I Attempt to Pack Light first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.

And, since it is approaching Halloween, I have taken over this here blog from Sandra Wagner-Wright. She don’t know nothin’ about ghosts, but I can tell you a tale or two.

The Golden Fleece where I reside has been on this very spot, near Coppergate, since 1503.

Aye, they say ‘twas the Merchant Adventurers who founded it. They were wool and fleece traders. Very lucrative it was. Bein’ as old as it is, this pub has plenty of ghosts – so many that in 2005 we were visited by the team from Most Haunted.  ‘Course, ghosts can be very shy when your lookin’ for ‘em. They prefer to arrive without an appointment, so to speak.

Our most visible ghost is Geoff Monroe. He was an airman from Canada stayin’ here 1945 or thereabouts – threw himself out the window in room 4 – some say it was an accidental fall, some say he was pushed. Can’t say, but out the window he went. Drunk probably. But, seems he couldn’t get through the ether. He comes back to his room.  Stands in uniform, he does. Now, some folks come here especially to stay in his room – and then, blow me down, if they aren’t upset when his icy finger wakes them up.

Folk be strange – why do the living want to see the unhappy dead? There’s ghost hunts here all the time – in fact there’s one coming up on Halloween itself. The landlord is decorating the rooms special so they look like a Dracula set. (Aye, you do know Dracula came ashore at Whitby, just up the coast.) Never fails. The gents and ladies swear they don’t believe in ghosts and scream up a storm when they see one – if they can find their voice, ‘a course.

My favorite ghost is the Lady Alice Peckett – lovely woman, she is. The landlord calls her our “resident spirit.” In 1700 her husband John, the Lord Mayor of York, owned this here pub. She wanders about the place. Always stops to give me a kind word.

The entire City of York is stuffed with ghosts – Roman soldiers, a beheaded earl, even the Queen Catherine Howard’s ghost can be found. Poor lass – if she had known she would be queen, I doubt she’d have given her prize to a common yokel. Ye have to think ahead. Ye say ye want to know more. Well, me jaw bone is startin’ to lag, but I been hearin’ folks talk about webs full of information. And I have an address here somewhere – there it is, under my left clavicle. The address is http://www.visityork.org/media/factsheets/haunted-york.aspx More stories there – and information on how you can go on a ghost hunt next time you come to town.

Well, I’ve been goin’ on awhile now. Could you spare a few bob to buy and old fella a drink? My throat is right dry. I’d love to meet ya. Come on down to the Golden Fleece any time – rent a room maybe – find a supernatural friend. The landlord would love to heare from ya. If you have one of them webs, go to http://www.goldenfleece.yorkwebsites.co.uk

And, come visit me – I’ll be sitting here at the bar  

– a very nice bar it is too.

The post York: City of Ghosts first appeared on Sandra Wagner-Wright.