Let’s get up outta here!
Creating Capsule Wardrobes for Travel
Our first destination - Hopkins, Belize
travel has become one of the great loves of my life
after a tumultuous 2020, most of us aren’t ready to jump back on planes again
yet again, some of us are, and that’s cool too
but in the meantime, let’s reminisce on a few of my travels over the years
and the capsule wardrobes i’ve created to fit into a backpack or a carryon
if you haven’t tried it, solo travel is amazing
whether it’s for a night or a few days on the shores of Belize, time to focus on you is super important
we talk about self-care a lot nowadays, and solo travel can be a really great vehicle for self care
remember, solo travel doesn’t mean you are alone all the time!
i can’t tell you how many times i had to remind people that you can travel solo and meet some of the most amazing people
one key to a travel capsule is packing for your plans
interchangable peices of a few bottoms and multiple tops
a few dresses you an wear out, lounging around your lodging/ hotel or to bed
pre-plan your activities for both days and nights and looking at the weather report prior to leaving help a lot!
pack just enough for what’s needed and a little bit more ( i mean just one outfit more)
bring an umbrella or packable jacket for an extra layer for inclement weather
start with the outfit you are wearing to get there
this should be comfortable to sit in for a long period of time, and include the outer wear, long pants, and heavy footwear needed for the trip
if you are bringing hiking boots on your trip, wear them on the plane to lighten your luggage
planes are always cold so wearing the outwear and long pants on the plane is smart and you can save space in your luggage
long scarves can be used as neck scarves, head scarves and sarongs needed for your trip so consider traveling with your head wrapped
for long trips, bring a change of sleepwear for the plane
you can handwash it and wear it on the way back
plan an outfit for each activity, but also be realistic about how often you will fresh-in up and change
often i have a full day of plans and don't change for dinner
consider that in your packing
you may also need more sleep clothing than you realize
ensure you are bringing lightweight sleepwear that is appropriate for runs to the lobby or ice machine
for this trip, i was only a baby capsule wardrober
so i didn't do the best job, but at least i didn't overpack
i brought only two bottoms and a bunch of tops
so why Belize?

i’ve been fascinated with south america for some time
to be so close geographically, you don’t hear much about our neighbors to the south
we won’t be getting political in this blog but it’s pretty fishy
i also love history and culture so the draw of visiting a real mayan ruin was on my bucket list
oh, and i heard belizean food is delicious, and i was right
also, a bonus for any american, english is spoken fluently in Belize
i’m so ashamed i don’t speak another language
but i digress
i bought a round trip to belize for my big 30
as many of us sagittarius folk, planning a birthday party around the holidays can be pretty tough
most of your friends are broke from buying presents and buying tons of food for thanksgiving and festivus
all cool
but i wanted an adventure
so i decided to skip my normal dinner or brunch with friends and my guy and opted for a lil holiday for myself
december is a great time to visit our neighbors to the south
why? it’s summer! 70-80 degrees
but it is tropical
not caribbean tropical
no
Amazonian tropical
humid as all get out, perfect for bugs
so plan to be fully covered and barely dressed and perfumed with bug repellant
what did i pack?
lots of very lightweight, thin, tanks and long sleeve shirts and cargo pants
tissue tees and tanks were all the rage in the early 2010s when this xennial turned 30, so they were pretty easy to find
you can probably find these dinosaurs at consignment shops
some of the best came from jcrew
tissue tanks with and bikini tops and bottoms
i swam every morning
well… waded in the water
some city girls, like myself, aren’t great swimmers
hiking boots
a crossbody bag
extras - tons of bug repellant and sunscreen, a sun hat, sunnies, a camera, binoculars, water bottles, and power/granola bars
DO NOT FORGET A MOSQUITO NET for the bed or jungle
oh that’s not a joke
cover your entire body like a bee keeper if you need to, lol
………… just had to take a second for the memories
a few military folding techniques and fit your tees in your carryon
those hiking boots, wear them, don’t waste space in your bag
wear a pair of your cargo pants on the plane and pack 1 more
tuck your socks into the corners of your bag
wear a belt so you don't forget one
dresses are also great, should be comfortable and not too fussy
a cotton t-shirt dress or two or a cotton tank dress
they should be “all-purpose” dresses, al la baby boy
where did i stay?
the Belizean Dreams resort
this is a retreat… retreat… like out in wilderness
don’t plan on doing work or being on the internet all day
there's no tv
you travel thru the jungle to beach and it is GLORIOUS






you'll fly into an international airport – BZE
from there you are getting onto a lil plane, hence the need to pack light
the plane is little!
sturdy lil thing that will fly you about 20 mins to Dangriga
when they pick you up to drive you to Hopkins, they ask if you’ve eaten…
always say NO
they will offer you what is available that day
listen… they catch your seafood in the ocean and make the juice for your cocktails like the royalty you are!
i had the lobster
it was delish and tasted of salt water
my travel agent told the owners and staff that it was my 30th birthday and to treat me like a princess
that’s just what they did!
the drive is bumpy to the hotel, hopefully they’ve improved the road since i went, but you’ll be entertained by the driver
really lovely person
your dinner will be waiting for you after a quick shower
my waiter, this sweet young man, made my cocktail with freshly squeezed juice and rum and played a special birthday playlist
i thought the driver was just making conversation about what music i liked, but he texted the waiter my favorite 90s hip hop, r&b, and soca tunes
a princess, i tell you!
i ate while the waiter, my dj and companion for dinner, told me that there aren’t many guests that week so they are at my disposal
he walks me thru the excursions i signed up for and as he takes my dishes and cutlery
a kind person from the kitchen with the sweetest accent asks me about when i’ll be coming down in the morning for breakfast
like royalty, i tell you!
they wanted to ensure my breakfast was ready and waiting
after i spray the room with bugspray and another long shower
finally i rest
draping the mosquito net around me and listening to bird calls
i couldn’t sleep though, so i went on the balcony with a book… and then i saw it
a sky full of stars
you don’t realize it until you leave the city that the sky is full of stars
not just the big constellations or planets but a full sky, full, of large and small twinkling lights
after a great night of rest, i awaken for breakfast which is plated and warm right when they said it would be
greeted by my smiling waiter from the previous night
are you ready to see the ruins today? he says through a smile
happy birthday to me!