KERRE MCIVOR

I’ve been back two weeks from my visit to see the family in London and I have just, in the last couple of days, unpacked by bags. In fairness, two days after I landed I was off to Taupo, and then two days after that, I was in Tauranga, so I hadn’t had a great deal of time to sort through two huge bags of woollen jerseys and thick winter coats.

I’m getting pretty good at packing now. I used to be hopeless. Turning up all over the country – and indeed the world – without a single practical thing to wear and lacking essentials. Like make-up, when I’m supposed to be MCing a black-tie event. Still, the lovely ladies at the Palmerston North Farmers sorted me out there.

The lack of reef shoes on a Tahitian cruise was another story. Sparkly sandals are all very pretty, but ultimately useless when they come up against sharp coral rocks. I just had to hope my flip-flops would last the distance. And it taught me to do my homework when it comes to packing – now I ask questions and make lists.

When I headed over to London, my sole purpose was to be a live-in nanny for three weeks. If there were to be any swanky dinners or theatre-going, my daughter and son-in-law could attend them – I was perfectly happy staying home and minding baby Bart. That made packing a little easier. Two pairs of jeans, one pair of trousers, many jerseys, thermals, a raincoat, a smart coat that could be teamed with the trousers at a pinch, a going-out outfit, in case we did, and a black dress, again, if we had to go out anywhere.

I also packed one pair of high heels, a pair of walking boots and, of course, three changes of exercise gear and running shoes. They go everywhere with me, my leggings, tops and trainers. Everywhere. All around the country and all around the world.

WHY KERRE’S EXERCISE GEAR TRAVELS WELL BUT NEVER GETS UNPACKED

When I went to Taupo to MC my function, I took my running gear along with my glittery frocks. Beautiful day in Taupo. Plenty of time to run or walk around Wairakei before I had to get ready for my function. And did I? I did not. I sat on my hotel room balcony and read and looked at the view and listened to the birds. It was bliss.

When I went down to Tauranga last Friday to MC a fundraiser a group of very cool women had organised for their friend who needed a cochlear implant, I took my running gear. After all, they were all runners and members of the same running club. Surely we’d all get up and go for a trot the next morning? Well, they may have, but I didn’t. I ordered a spectacular breakfast at my beautiful hotel on the water, then watched the waves and read the paper.

My running gear has not been taken out of any suitcase in which it has travelled for about five years. It gets put in carefully, shoes zipped into the shoe compartment, and there it stays until it comes home and put back into the exercise wear drawer.

I don’t know why I persist in the myth that I will exercise when away from home, but I do. In fact, I’m doing it again. I’m off to Wellington for a week to fill in on the ZB morning show and I’m looking forward to it. I have good friends and family in the capital, and it used to be my old stomping ground, so I take any opportunity to return.

I’ve checked the weather forecast for the week and Wellington will be a balmy 20 degrees while I’m there. So my suitcase is stuffed with going into the office clothes, going out on the town dresses, a raincoat, and yes, my exercise gear. Because there’s nothing like a trot around the bays to get you back into running. You’d be mad not to. Surely, the trainers will come out this time! Surely…?