It’s slowly dawning on me that we fly to Spain on Monday. I’ve not even thought about planning what to pack, let alone consider packing itself. I mean it’s round about now that you need to start to make decisions, isn’t it.

You know the type of decision I mean.

The “ohh I COULD wear that t-shirt but then I wouldn’t be able to take it on holiday with me” type decisions. Yes we are only away for a week, but we have the advantage of easy access to a washing machine to we reckon we can pack clothes for 4 days and be fine. But, of course, once you add in clothes to wear in the evening and the newer “running clothes” for me, then we’ll probably need a case each anyway and there’s no point in a case being half empty…

The “what do I REALLY want to put on my iPod” type decisions. Every time I fill my iPod I do it with the greatest of intentions of listening to something new, however as I normally use it on my commute to and from work, most of the time I end up picking something familiar as, after all, it’s only really background noise whilst I read the paper or a book. But on holiday I should have time to contemplate and consider the music, I should be expanding my horizons, but I know it’ll end up being Massive Attack. Again. Double trouble this time though, as I’ll be taking my Nike+ system for the iPod so I also need to cram on my “Running” playlist.

The “I SHOULD take a classic with me but I think I’ll nip to Asda and buy the latest few paperback thrillers instead” type decisions. I have a few (more than 2, less than 6) classics on my bookshelves, gathering dust and unread. Every year I go away I consider taking one with me. Every year I go through the same reasoning: Rarely do I have an entire day to spend just reading a book, let alone a string of consecutive days, so I should make the most of the opportunity.

And every year I decide that, as I’m on holiday, having to concentrate on something isn’t what I want to be doing, so I pick up all of the Dan Brown* novels in a 3 for 2 (* insert current ‘bestseller/hypester’).

This year I’m going to try and buck the trend. I WILL listen to that Yo-Yo Ma recording of Dvorak’s Concerto in B minor. I WILL, finally, listen to Ali Farka Toure’s album Savane. I WILL read the Count of Monte Cristo, and I WILL only pack two pair of speedos!!

I’m joking about the last bit, obviously. I’d need at least three…