Preparing for London

My plane flies off tonight to London, connects in Toronto (a first for me, never flew through Toronto airport before) and then I'll be landing in London at 10am Friday morning. This will be my first time flying with an airline that's not Virgin Atlantic or British Airways, so I'm more nervous than usual. Have already packed a small carry-on in case they lose my luggage somehow.

I'm quite jittery about my audition as well. I'm going over for an audition with a second grad school (oh I didn't tell you did I? On my last trip I auditioned with one grad school and got ACCEPTED. Baller. So no matter what, I will be heading over for grad school in the fall. But this second audition is still très important to me.) I've looked at this school for several years now and really respect the school and the course. Additionally, unlike a lot of US schools, this school does a full day audition. Six hours, or around that, of workshopping my two audition pieces. That right there is a beautiful thing. Something I really appreciate, considering my CV (resume) is not as varied as I'd like, for someone heading off to grad school for acting. It really gives me an even playing field with people who have a more extensive theatre history or even have their undergrad degree in it (I did love getting my BA in English but I really wish I could have tried harder at doing a double major with theatre as well.)

I think I'm most nervous about the fact that for this audition I have to do contrasting pieces. My modern piece I am unmoving on. It must be this one comedic piece I love. So that means my Shakespeare/Jacobean piece must be dramatic. I do have one from years ago that I did for Central, read about that absolute gem of a time here. But I just feel much more comfortable with any of my comedic pieces than I do with dramatic ones. I do love my speech from Measure for Measure (Isabella, scene 2, act 4 "To whom should I complain?") but I know there's a lot of work I need to do on it and how I approach it.

This audition will most certainly be a learning experience.

Anyways, in preparing for this trip, I wanted to share with you all that it takes for me to get out of the house and on to the flight over. I tend to obsess over what I pack and how to pack it. If you are heading over to London, it's as important how you pack, as what you pack. As soon as you're off that flight, unless you're rich, you need to haul all your stuff onto public transportation. I just discovered the Heathrow Express, which is the best thing ever and despite being more poor on this trip, I'll still be throwing down the $40 to shorten my trip into London. It's the height of luxury for those who can't really afford luxury.

So I have packed my very large purse with things I need to grab while in transit and on the plane. A large carry-on with a book, my journal, a few necessities for the overnight flight that I don't need immediately at hand, but somewhat accessible (face wipes and that such thing), a change of clothes and my running equipment because this is a carrier I've never flown on before and I'm always very paranoid about my luggage getting lost.  My large luggage bag has rotating wheels which are perfect for running with luggage, which one will always do when getting to and from the airport in London, and is only 2/3 full. I left it this way so that on the way back I can throw all my clothes in it and leave the carry-on to store some gifts for friends (or...ahem...chocolate and tea for myself...).

Here's a few crappy photos from my iPhone:

 This stuff is included in my carry-on and my luggage: luggage--mini shower supplies (can't resist, they're so cute!), seasonal allergy medicine (don't know what London's spring will be like, it's been 8 years since I've been there in the spring), makeup supplies and a massive container of the best body lotion ever. Carry-on: book I borrowed from British friend, Wolf Hall (having difficulty getting through it. Historical fiction hasn't ever been something I've really gotten into, but I'll be working my way through it on the plane I suppose, when not having panic attacks about my monologues), my journal, a folder full of all the important information customs may ask for (flight info, address of where I'm staying, audition letter from school, etc, etc) and my London A to Z guide. Even though everyone uses Google Maps nowadays, I find that using the guide is still more helpful as Google Maps has been known to be wrong and I've never been lead astray by London A to Z.

Mainly for my purse I have a baggie for all my liquids--contact solution, hand sanitizer, perfume in a small container with roller, waterproof liquid eyeliner (necessary for long flights), mascara, gum, deodorant, lotion, Q-Tips, hair comb, Tylenol, chap stick and Vaseline, tums and Prilosec (I am a Crohnie after all. I can handle my heartburn situation at home without drugs at the moment, as long as I'm really good with my food, but I can't really stop myself from OD'ing on tea and biscuits when in England, so drugs are necessary), Iron and other meds, my plays, sunglasses (one is for running, the other is just plain necessary for being anywhere outdoors), small notebooks I record food/money spent/running log, small purse with British pounds in it and my passport.

I absolutely will use every bit of what I've packed. My clothes have been reduced down dramatically from what I would normally take. But I'm trying not to be the usual over-packer that I am, and I never really wear all the clothes I bring. I'll spare you a photo of that.

What would you bring on a trip overseas? See anything missing that you absolutely have to have with you?

Cheers,
Lindsay Xxx

P.S. No headphones for this trip due to the fact that I threw my phone in a hot tub (oh yes I did) at my friend's Bachelorette party, needed to dry it out in a bag of rice and now have a piece of rice stuck in the plug hole for my headphones. I am awesome in every way.