Lights Out - F1 Life

⭑Chapter 7 - Now what to pack⭑

Massa, Italy - 2nd January 2023- Grace's Apartment 

Grace Jones POV

Trying to pack for a trip away to England hungover is definitely a task. Especially when this trip not only includes getting to see some university friends that I haven't seen since I graduated last year, but also an interview for my dream job with FUCKING MERCEDES. And I am hungover, yesterday was New Year's Day which meant I partied all night before with my friends and colleagues who stayed here over our Christmas and then New Year's break. I have never had to pack whilst hungover but I severely don't recommend it. I am trying to pack a mixture of clothes. Stuff for hanging out with friends, some nicer clubbing outfits just in case, comfy clothes, workout clothes, some nice things just in case I end up going out for dinner, plus clothes suitable for the day at Brackley, I am also debating bringing some more summery clothes. Even though it is the middle of winter in Europe and England is cold anyway, whenever I go away on a trip I bring some clothes just in case things change. I have a week off after I even get back from England and if there is one thing that I learned from Uni it is that when I have time off I can very easily persuaded to go on impromptu trips that might require other clothes. 

I am currently standing in my bedroom with what I reckon is almost my entire wardrobe spread across my bed and the floor. I have been picking and choosing for the last hour to find outfits that will work not just individual pieces of clothing, whilst also being hunover which means I require a wee break every half an hour or so. I have decided that at the same time as packing my bags for the next year in England, I will also do a fashion show with all the outfits I am thinking of and a chance to purge my wardrobe of things that don't work or don't fit anymore. 

I am leaving Italy tonight at about 10 pm which means I will arrive in England tomorrow. But there isn't an airport in Massa where I live. I mean the only reason I would live here is because of work with Formula Medicine being located here, I mean it is also a really scenic and lovely place to live but there is a lack of shops, clubs, and an airport compared to Rome. Massa sort of reminds me of Milton Keynes in the UK which is only known for being the home of the Red Bull Racing factory. In order to even get to England the easiest airport to fly out of is the airport in Rome, which means I will have to drive almost four hours to Rome to catch my flight. I know a lot of people who feel annoyed and inconvenienced by the four-hour drive to Rome, but personally, I really don't mind it. I find driving and road trips really relaxing, you have something to focus on but can also just think, you are also alone so my amazing (sarcastic) singing doesn't have to be heard by anyone but myself. For today however, the drive means I will try to leave the apartment around 3 pm and it is 10 am now so I have five hours until I need to be in my car all ready to go. I start making a checklist on the back of my grocery receipt as to what I need to do in the next five hours before I leave for the week.

1. Clean house

Well, that one should be relatively easy. I completely cleaned the house before I left for Abu Dhabi and also I cleaned before Christmas so It will just be putting away the things I have gotten out in the last few days and maybe doing a quick mop and vacuum and maybe changing my sheets. Coming back home to clean bed sheets is such a nice thing so I must remember to do that.

2. Finish packing

Obviously I very important part of the process. I need to have stuff to take away with me. I also need to remember things like my passport which is vital to international travel, but also some snacks for the road and for the air.

3. Get in the car and leave

Honestly, I thought that the list was going to be a bit longer but I guess packing and cleaning my apartment are pretty big jobs to get done with lots of little bits. I also know that I am going to be hardcore procrastinating especially because I am a bit hungover, not massively, it has been improving by the hour so I should be completely sweet come 3 pm and my time of departure from my home. 

I wander through to my kitchen to start making myself yet another cup of coffee to survive, before going back into my bedroom to do some more packing. Though I am currently on a hunt for enough pairs of socks that do not have holes in them, for some reason I can't find enough pairs for the week. I am not sure if I will be able to do washing whilst away so I might have to go shopping in England for new socks, even though I swear I bought a whole new five-pack of socks like a week ago. Surely there is something like a sock monster who lives in my apartment and keeps stealing my FUCKING socks. 

I have gotten a good amount of my packing done and the place is looking a bit more put together than when I woke up this morning. Though I am going to need lunch soon, it can't really be something with too many ingredients or cleaning required because frankly, I don't think that I have the time and energy for that today. I think I might just hurt my bank account a bit and get some Uber Eats. Well, Mercedes is actually paying for my whole week in England, I was fully prepared to pay for everything baring maybe two days when I would be in Brackley but Mercedes said they would pay for the whole week so I have a bit more money right now than I would have had. 

TIME SKIP

2.55 pm. I have just finished getting my suitcase and my backpack and snackies into my wee red  Suzuki swift sport and go back up the apartment block to lock the doors. Once I am satisfied that everything is locked up I get in the car ready to make the four-hour journey to Rome to get on my flight which will land in England at around midnight, but I am staying at a mate's place in London so that isn't going to be a problem. 

As my drive starts I put on my general playlist which should last for the whole drive and provide enough Taylor Swift, belters, white girl bangers, and depressing songs, as well as some 80s to get me through the drive. The car has a Bluetooth connection so this music is proper loud and my voice is just as loud and probably so annoying, but luckily there is no one else in the car. I am trying to get all of my craziness out of me before this next week in England, especially when I am in Brackley for the day in Mercedes I need to show Toto, Lewis, and the team that I am mature enough to handle and do well in this position. 

I think that if there was any reason I didn't get the job it would be that I am not experienced enough which I can't change, or if they think that I am not mature enough for this position. Now that I have some effect and impact on. When I get to Brackly I am going to be on my best behavior for one but also prove that whilst I might only be 22 I understand and am capable of a lot more than my age would suggest. I can't give them any reason to not employ me because if I don't put my signature on that contract I don't know if I ever will, these sorts of opportunities don't come around every day and I need to get it or I might never. So if that means I am going to scream my lungs and heart out to Spotify for four hours before this flight then you bet your bottom dollar that I will. 

AUTHORS NOTES

Hey, this chapter is quite short, I am still trying to update every day so this one is short so I have something to post later in the week when I am away. I also thought it would be smart to split up the traveling process. But I am not sure if this is even interesting but it will become more interesting in the next few chapter when Lewis and Grace meet and when the races get underway.

-xoxo Me