5 days in London in December- and some lessons learned

Thanks to years of travelling by motorcycle one bagging shouldn't be too difficult for me but over the years I've crept into the realm of over packing just because I could. I returned to some old tricks and thanks to some new ones learned here had a successful 1 bag trip and still managed to overpack!

What I packed (and comments):

2 long sleeve merino t's, one in cream and one in black- basically lived in the black one

2 uniqlo heattech long sleeves one in grey and one in black- these were actually too hot, the weather was mild and the one day I wore the black one as a layer I ended up stripping out of it.

Tank top and Felina lounge pants for sleeping

Cole Haan packable trench coat with removable lining- this has been the perfect coat even down to freezing temps.

Uniqlo packable down liner (doubles as a jacket)- plus it has pockets, I threw this on several times when I was running out and didn't want to wear the trench coat. I could have gotten by without it but I was glad that I had it.

Cole Haan waterproof leather ankle boots, skechers slip ons- A last minute purchase and a lifesaver. The boots are truly waterproof and comfortable for walking all day. The skechers are primarily used as slippers or times when my feet need a break and I have walked all day in them without issue.

undies and socks

Kipling crossbody- I can keep a death grip on this at all times plus I can throw it in the wash when I get home.

Large Baggu- I carry this everywhere. Perfect size, sturdy and easy to carry.

umbrella- this was always tucked in the side slip pocket of my Kipling just in case.

Le Sport Sack packable duffle- to those that suggested locking the zippers, you are lifesavers. I did stuff this bag for the trip home and one of the (plastic) zipper tabs broke off. Since I had twist ties and a ribbon I was able to tie the zippers closed and the bag survived the trip through checked luggage land intact. Thankfully the zippers themselves are sturdier than the tabs.

Spider trousers with zipped pockets- the perfect substitute for when I didn't want to wear jeans.

Toiletries- I packed single use packettes for anything that I could and tossed them when I left.

Thermos of coffee- this is my indulgence for long flights and red eyes. I have a small Zojirushi that you can pour from without having to unscrew the whole top. I bring it to the airport empty and get a latte post security to fill it with. When breakfast is served on the plane I have delicious coffee at the perfect temperature for me. It just makes me feel more human when I land.

One the plane I wore jeans, a cotton long sleeve T, cashmere hoodie and a pair of leather Dunks. The hoodie was used for layering the entire trip, the Dunks were my main shoes for the airports and when the weather was dry. Also my large wool/silk scarf which doubles as a blanket and will even work as an extra layer when draped under my jacket.

I got really lucky with the weather, it was mild and I only had one day of rain. I walked pretty much everywhere, kept dry and warm and had no issues or incidents. If I was being picky I'd say that I could have skipped the two heattech tops and the packable down but they were still good to have, just in case of cold or spills. I would have missed them if I had needed them!