The irrational traveller

If there's one thing that's certain in this world, it's that I turn into a completely different person when I'm about to go on holidays. For some reason, in the lead up to a holiday, I start imagining what I will need to pack and how I will dress once at my destination.

The problem is that my wonderings rarely match up with who I am, what looks good on me, what is practical for the trip, and what is in my closet. Then when I finally get to my holiday destination having not morphed into a complete stranger, the contents of my suitcase are often not what I actually want to wear on holidays.

Here's a real time example: in a couple of months I take off for a quick trip to Mexico and the United States and, of course, I'm already thinking about what to pack. The following is a list of the things that first came to my mind when I pondered a holiday in Mexico:

A caftan, crochet top, large floppy hat, floral maxi dress, palazzo pants, and a playsuit.

Seriously, not one of these things exists in my closet today so why would I want to wear them on a trip? I'm going to Mexico, a place with questionable public toilets, where a playsuit could possibly be the least appropriate and functional choice. And that hat! How on earth would I get that thing on the plane?

What is wrong with me?