AS a woman, it will come to no surprise to anyone — at all — that I don't like ridiculous stereotypes about the female of the species.

No, we're not all bad drivers — as proven, until recently, by our MUCH cheaper car insurance policies.

Similarly we don't pick cars based entirely on colour. Just like chaps, in fact NOT like most fellas I know, we pick them based on things such as price, petrol consumption, engine size and comfort — with the hue coming somewhere fairly low on the list of priorities.

And spending time chatting with friends is not “white noise”, despite what blokes may say, it is in fact a healthy way of communicating.

But there is one “stereotype” made about us girls that I (shamefully) have to confess is true, in my case at least.

When we go on holiday we pack far, far, far too much stuff.

I am heading off to Istanbul for some autumnal sun.

It's a five day city break. And yet I have packed enough to successfully emigrate.

I think I'm fairly well-known for being relatively prepared for most daily emergencies. I always have tissues, a nail file, eye drops and spare change in my handbag.

Throughout the worst weather in the winter months I drive around with a sleeping bag, blanket and spade in the back of my car — you know, just in case I get stuck in a snow drift and need to dig myself out, or become totally stranded and have to sleep in my car.

But the amount of clothing, hair products, sun-cream, tablets and plastered currently rammed into my suitcase — which thankfully I can still manage to pick up — is ridiculous even by my standards.

I will have to change clothes at least four times a day, there had better be some serious weather extremes as I have items for almost every eventuality, along with several books and enough shoes to keep my entire street shod for a month.

So, I'm going to follow one of the best pieces of advice my mother ever gave me — “look at what you want to take, and halve it”.

I'll still have enough stuff to spend several weeks on holiday rather than just five days — but at least I'll have some space to bring presents back.