Packing day is always a special time before a vacation. The entire apartment turns into a logistics center where every item has its place.

Clothes in vacuum bags are an absolute hit – we can now fit three times as much stuff in the suitcase! The problem is, the suitcase now weighs three times as much, but what won’t you do for extra space in the car, right?

Of course, one of the tougher tasks was explaining to the kids that they can’t bring their Xbox or laptop. We’re going on holiday to take a break from, among other things, computers. Everything would be fine if it weren’t for the fact that I packed my laptop and our trusty old Nintendo! But I have good reasons – in the evenings, when we get bored by playing cards or board games, we’ll fire up some Mario Party!

My wife has prepared two jars of half-sour pickles, which will be ready in a few days. Nothing tastes as good in the summer as fresh half-sour pickles! Remember to always have a jar of them with you! And coffee. Always have coffee with you – it can save a life, especially in the morning. You can’t start the day without coffee, unless you’re some kind of psychopath.

Our guinea pigs are coming with us too. They have a pimped-out travel cage and are always excited about trips. Their luggage is even bigger than ours – a bag of hay, a box of pellets, lots of bedding and cage liners. Luxury conditions for our little companions.

Aside from the standard luggage, we’ve also packed a huge car fridge and presents for Grandma and Grandpa. Good thing we thought of getting an extra roof box, otherwise it would be really tight. Really tight.

My wife, as always, has thought of everything and bought me gummies for the road. I love gummies during a long drive. I don’t know if there will be enough for 8 hours, but they’ll definitely make most of the journey more pleasant!

For the next week, I’ll be posting pictures on Instagram, sharing our adventure with you. I won’t be on the blog until we get back. Keep your fingers crossed for a smooth journey, and see you after the vacation!