Travelling light makes common sense

WHAT KATI DID NEXT: My husband and I have a few things in common (apart from both liking chewing gum and David Bowie I mean — that’s not important).

The main thing is we can both capsule-pack, i.e. travel lightly.

This will keep us happily married while all others crumble at the seams. Let me explain.

Our first trip abroad together was into the desert of Morocco. We didn’t know each other very well so it was a bit of a test, but we passed with flying colours, turning up at the airport with only walk-on luggage.

He was very impressed, I could tell. It was a clincher in our relationship. I don’t have many talents but this is one I do have. In spades.

It all started very early on in my travelling career, we, the family, were lucky enough to be made up of teachers and children, so we would sail off for six weeks down to the south of France to stay on a very cheap campsite.

We lived off chunky chicken and baguettes, but needless to say we had a ball.

We were incredibly lucky. However, my capsule-packing ability was honed when my father would send me back to my room everytime I walked down the stairs with any bag bigger than a small backpack.

“Nope, won’t fit in,” he would say as he squeezed the tennis racquets and blow-up beds into the car.

So off I would trot back upstairs and de-pack the trappings of a teenager. Mainly make-up to be honest.

Down the bag would size, until something the size of a postage stamp would be allowed on board.

I would live in the same pair of shorts and the one swimming costume for the whole holiday and I wouldn’t care a jot.

These days it is much the same. We both throw off the trappings of the city; fashionable clothes all neatly pressed, to embrace the gritty fun of sun, sand and surf.

Nobody cares how you look when you have just emerged from the sea after a wonderful day of sunbathing and picnicking. So how come with two small children we can’t fit everything into the one car?

That’s it. No more toys and definitely no more clothes. We’re going to have to pass on some rules. No more Mr and Mrs Nice Guy.