We had a 15 kilo luggage allowance on internal flights, yet I took more than enough and could have left half of it behind! Most of my holiday skirts and tops are from EBay and quite old, vintage even, hand block printed, Indian cotton, ideal for hot places and therefore very light.
Most of the time at the beach was spent without much clothing, I'm 64 and still wearing my bikinis, those one piece swimsuits for women over a certain age are so uncomfortable, especially when wet - not for me!
Loose tops and silky trousers were comfy in the evenings...
When in Kolkata we wore the same t shirt and shorts for 4 days and rinsed our undies out at night, we were constantly on the go - walking about 8 miles a day, it was very dusty and dirty in the markets and nobody was interested in what we were wearing so we weren't either. Darjeeling, however, was chilly and I wore my jeans and long sleeve blouses. I bought a fake Nike gilet in the market for a fiver as I was cold all the time.
On the rice boat trainers were eseential. I wore the same 2 long sleeve blouses with shorts, washing facilities were basic and the crew were only wearing a tea towel around their legs - it would have been rude to dress up!
It wasn't until we got to the Marari Beach resort that my dresses and beach kaftans came out, it was very hot and humid there.
I took some scarves that doubled up as sarongs, I also got a lot of use out of my 3 EBay kaftans, flat sandals and flipflops.
. 
I took lip and eyebrow pencil and the one thing I felt couldn't do without: Olaplex (sulphate and paraben free, 100% vegan, cruelty free, recycled plastic bottle) shampoo, all the complimentary toothpaste, shower gel, moisturisers in the hotels were acceptable quality.
I didn't paint my nails - it always melts when in contact with mosquito repellant - we brought 2 bottles of Xpel with us.
I will leave you with some fabulous, colourful, outfits that were far more exciting than mine.
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| Tibetan people at Ghoom hill station |
Waiter at the Kolkata coffee house with uniform that has remained unchanged in 100 years (with permission, but he was very grumpy).
pretty in pink
flower sellers at Kolkata flower market
Stephanye, our beautiful friend at Marari Resort in her supervisors uniform sari
And finally, hubby - who always knows how to dress for the bar!
This is so interesting and really fun. What a great trip and oh, how I long to see a beach! The overpacking made me smile. When we went to Japan eons ago it was February (bulky) and I had a big huge suitcase with no wheels and it was packed. That was my last overpacking time. Ever since I've done it with a carry-on bag and sometimes even that's a tad heavy! But when traveling so far, one never knows. What a grand time!
ReplyDeleteI think I need to perfect the hand luggage/back pack only as its all very well getting everything in a suitcase but its a pain to carry it around and have to pack/repack at every stop!
DeleteWhat a wonderful trip you are making! You look great on every pic!
ReplyDeleteThank you Judy :)
DeleteHi Betty -- thanks for coming over to Marmelade Gypsy! You asked about the artist of the painting I had -- Dick Hill. He is better known of a reader of audio books but was also a delightful artist with an outlook that was so uplifting as he dealt with cancer. I wrote about him on the Gypsy, and here's a link to that first post, though there are others, including of his fun and eclectic home if you search the June 2022 posts on the right sidebar archive. He died this fall but his spirit is alive every day in my home -- and many others. https://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/2022/05/do-it-now.html
ReplyDeleteBetty, I might have given you the unpublished edit link -- here's the real one! https://themarmeladegypsy.blogspot.com/2022/10/a-real-treasure.html
ReplyDeletethank you Jeanie I will take a look :)
DeleteWhat a good trip this sounds ...
ReplyDeleteLovely to see your photographs.
All the best Jan
Thank you Jan, glad you enjoyed I have so many pics I am afraid of saturating my blog so had to be selective!
Deletethank you Jeanie will take a look (blogger has me as anon again - Beetty)
ReplyDeleteWhy didn't you just turn your undies inside out each night? ;) Great idea to travel light. I remember when I visited India, I just had a small backpack. Each night I'd wash my thin cotton Indian tops & they'd be dry in no time at all. Such colourful, gorgeous pictures Betty! :) xXx
ReplyDeleteWell! I never thought of that Lulu but will keep it in mind for my next trip :) I think we could have managed with a backpack as I didn't wear half my suitcase and got fed up lugging it around :)
DeleteI love hubby's bar shirt Betty!!! ☺ Cheers! Your wardrobe is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it lovely, definitely his best look
DeleteRight, third time lucky! I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed this post, your clothing choices are fabulous. Is that skirt East? I'm tempted with the teal one in their sale....like I need any more clothes.
ReplyDeleteYou look amazing in a bikini. Swimsuits are for the swimming pool and definitely not for the beach. Get as much flesh out as you can., that's my motto!
I love to see a man in a shirt, cool and comfy! xxx
Publishing and uploading photos is a problem on Blogger for me, it means I am not posting very often as it's so time consuming. Yes, skirt is East, it was reduced just before we went on holiday so I snapped one up - it is heavier than expected as has a cotton underskirt, the pic doesn't do it justice as it has a gold print - I hope you treat yourself. Copper hair in the Autumn maybe :)
Deletei am sorry i am late for these lovely sharing dear Betty ,i forgot to put your new blog on my side bar i guess which i will today as i end comment .
ReplyDeletewow i enjoyed each bit of your trip and how your clothing sensibility which i have found highly sensible always helped you throughout the journey :)
you look stunning in each comfortable dress ,loved all but one standing beside tree loved most :)
Kerala heat is world famous no doubt . Darjeeling is cool place and we know because of excessive Indian movie watch .I liked both ladies in saris ,i love Sari as well but wore only once which was of my mother's :) .i like brown color more because it seems more attractive to eyes specially the Stefany at last photo .
thanks for magical trip
hugs