Friday, August 21, 2009

How to Pack for a Beach Trip in the Pacific Northwest

Tomorrow I leave for four lazy, relaxing days in Seaside, so tonight I'm packing. Well, at the moment I'm procrastinating writing, but I'll be packing shortly. Because I prefer wasting time writing to packing, I'll explain to my California friends--and anyone else who lives where beaches are warm and sunny as God intended--how a Northwesterner packs for a trip to the coast. Here's what most of the world packs when going to the beach:

  • shorts
  • tank tops
  • sunglasses
  • swimwear
  • flip-flops
  • sunscreen
  • a light jacket for chilly evenings
  • boogie board or other fun thing to use in the water

Now, here's what we Northwesterners take:

  • jeans
  • long-sleeved t-shirts
  • sweatshirts
  • rain gear
  • hiking boots
  • movies, books, or other indoor activities to keep us busy till the rain lets up and the wind drops below 60 mph

The fact that I'm taking sunglasses, a swimsuit, sunscreen, and flip-flops can only be explained by one (or both) of the following:

  • Old habits die hard (I'm a native Californian)
  • The triumph of hope over experience


See y'all next week.