"Hey, I think it's because of the chair," I told the husband.
"Why? What about it?"
"Well, last night your dad sat here and he won; tonight I'm sitting here and you see what's happening?" 

I was on my first ever winning streak - my third in a row, the fourth win for the night. "First ever" as in all the trips I've ever made to this house. You see, JL's parents are very good at rami, better known as rummy to everyone else (I think!). I'm no good with cards - the last card game I played regularly was chor dai dee back in uni days when a few of us just refused to study. That too, I can hardly recall. 

My three opponents are all experts. Our two senior citizens are naturally good at it since they play regularly with their equally-senior buddies. The husband is very good at it because his mathematical mind processes at lightning-speed. Me? I just teach my students how to use the scientific calculator. Counting fast, let alone in different combinations, up to only 52 can bring about a headache.

We saw our container driven away for Marseille yesterday. It was a long day for JL who had been with the movers since morning. Glad we won't be doing this for the next three years at least. I only joined the party after lunch and they sure worked fast! 

The garage had already been half-emptied before the guys went for their lunch break. As most of the boxes (packed in Singapore two years ago) are still in good condition, the guys only had to redo their inventory list using their own labels. 

Nonetheless our three Bulgarian acquaintances came armed with new boxes in assorted sizes. Not too bad, because they've come all the way from Lyon and they'd better not forget nor run short of anything they need. Otherwise it'd be three hours' drive both ways to get it!

This will be the last of my two-cents' worth on packing for moving. In the past week, we've been taking our own sweet time - no pressure in all honesty - collecting the stuff we've accumulated post-Singapore for packing. It's all over the FIL's house: some in our bedroom cupboard, or under the bed, others in JL's own bedroom (which had recently been taken over by the 7-year-old nephew whenever), and mostly in the UPS boxes from our time in Cambridge at the garage. 

Tomorrow the movers will come to pick up these ones, and the whole lot of the rest at the other garage (read: what used to constitute our "home" in Singapore). Apparently, the container will only be on the waters for 25 days. Add 10 working days or so to both ends of the customs, it should arrive in KL within 6-8 weeks. Fingers crossed that no fire incident onboard the ship this time!

So the 101 was on respect for all things paper. What else to prepare yourself with before a week of serious packing? Here are some of my favourites through our moves:

Make a list. I love lists! If you don't, at least make one in your head and hope that you'll remember it. I write them down because my memory fails me when my limps are aching. The list should contain the items you want to pack. You don't have to explicitly spell it all out, just categorize them eg. house linens, books (JL's school texts, comics, my French books, cookbooks, and so on), paintings, winter clothes, the likes. The more you can group them, the better organized you will be when you get down to the actual packing. And the better you can imagine packing your stuff, the more you can identify what is required: custom-built wooden crate for paintings, packs of desiccants, bubble wraps, which sizes for your carton boxes, etc. 

I am a boxer. Oh yes, a very seasoned boxer and in fact, as professional as the ones who earn their keep at it. I hold no punches when it comes to ensuring zero-hairline-breakage to my gratin dishes and precious beer mugs and pint glasses. I wrapped them all up - piece by piece - with clean larger-than-broadsheet-size paper.  I am reluctant to leave them in the hands of professional movers because insurance cover is merely that. Insurance cover can never replace sentimental value.

Ever needed something critical but you're nowhere in the world near it? No, we're not talking about food here. One can crave for a solid plate of Kungfoo-chow in America and still find a reasonably good rendition of it. Likewise Japanese ramen in Paris. Neither are we talking about medicinal pills for these are either well distributed globally, or at the very least, have alternatives of similar chemical compositions.

We are talking about something critical and yet so unique that just cracks up one's brain finding it. Something as singular as the Malaysian passport photo with blue background. BLUE. Not white like Singapore and Japan. Not white like America and the UK. Certainly not white like France. So what does one do to take a passport photo with ~blue~ background in countryside France, five in the evening, and needed urgently? Or rather, what can one do?

Since we packed up our home and left Singapore back in June 2010, we've been living out of just four suitcases. The contents would vary according to the direction we're heading: from Singapore to France; France to US; US back to France; France to Malaysia; and most recently, Malaysia back to France.

Between these places, together we've consumed countless bottles of travel-size facewash, shampoo, moisturiser, tissues, and medication. In fact, we even have a travel-size pharmacy all this while. It is not at all environmentally friendly (so many plastic containers!) but we promise once we set up the next home, toiletries will come in bulk sizes. 

Clothes and shoes were dropped off and picked up due to climate difference. Sometimes we brought also gifts between these stops. And kitchenware too, like my multi-ingredient measuring glass which JL used as beer glass; or the adorable mini-whisk that came with the pack of shaved chocolates sent by our former neighbour in Cambridge. Surely I wouldn't leave them behind on check-out day? 

Living under such logistical constraints in temporary accommodation, we've also surprised ourselves at how much we have accumulated just within nine months. We constantly reminded each other against unnecessary purchases: books, magazines, stationeries - these our usual items - let alone everything else.

JL had only four shirts, two ties, two pairs of pants. Paired with jeans, bermudas or capris, Lacoste seemed to be our "uniform" since they are versatile in KL weather and never go out of shape after washing. My six-year-old niece once asked why I "always wear the same baju"! Good thing we only met up every few weeks - imagine what she'd think of me had we met more frequently. It was only in the last two months that I caved in and bought new clothes during short trips to Singapore. 

Luckily we had Ano-san who generously allowed us to store two boxes of accumulated stuff (which we don't need at the moment) at his place. We are also thankful to have met really nice people in those months of idling away, especially the staff at Somerset Ampang, and to have received such kindness and generosity from friends and family alike.