Packing and layering

Quite a few people asked if we had enough clothes on our trip, with temperatures that got as low as minus 28. The answer is yes, (remember the bun fight that was the Aldi Ski Sale??) but it wasn't light travelling.

The hardest part was getting it all there and back because it was 32C when we left Melbourne and about the same when we returned. I actually wore my aprés boots and took my down parka on the plane (which I always like to do anyway as it's a wearable doona!) But I had to squeeze everything else into my bag.

I'm sure many of you are already all over it, but I cannot tell you how good packing cubes are, especially as the majority of my wardrobe is black. I typically have to dig every time to locate anything and often several times. Not any more!

See below. I'm a roller (not a folder) but you can sort all your stuff into different cubes - tops, bottoms, underwear, socks, hats, gloves, toiletries, etc. They also help squash things in.

For hand luggage, I just had a tote, but some travelling essentials for me are a reusable water bottle, a flask for coffee (fill up at the breakfast buffet!) and of course, decent headphones.

Footwear is a big space stealer so I kept mine to the bare minimum. In fact, I took my runners and active wear out at the last minute. There were some hotels with gyms, but really, who was I kidding?? I didn't miss them. I just had my aprés boots, thongs (for sauna, lagoon, etc) and hotel slippers.

I also popped in these brilliant possum skin booties I'd bought in New Zealand to line my ski boots. I got the idea in Japan where there was a pair of boots with rabbit fur lining. These went into my aprés boots and were amazing at keeping my sockless toes toasty. 

So, how cold? Well, when we went on the reindeer sleigh, I was wearing:

• High tech thermal leggings
• Fleece lined thermal leggings
• Normal leggings
• Thermal top
• Wolf fur vest (that I bought in Mongolia)
• A polar fleece hoodie
• The North Face down jacket (700 loft)
• Ski parker (also padded against the cold)
• Merino wool glove inners
• Insulated ski gloves
• Merino balaclava
• Thermal neck-warmer
• Big furry hat with pull-down ears borrowed from the resort for the activity

And over all that, we were given thermal suits (onesies). When I managed to get it on over all that, I was so hot I thought I'd expire, but once out in the snow and just a few minutes on the sleigh, I was comfortable.  

I probably could have travelled a little lighter, but as my friend Jane says, it's always easy in hindsight!!