Packing: "Pack light." "Pack light." This was the refrain going through my head for the past month. Now, I'm a typical overpacker. How do I pack light? I'm leaving the country for the first time. I have no idea what to expect, what I'll be able to buy, and a very vague idea of what to bring other than bug spray and sunscreen. Maybe that's all I need. Somehow, though, I wound up with a suitcase 1/2 full of meds, toiletries, and kleenex, and 1/2 full of my specialized pillow and clothes. I still feel like I haven't packed light enough, but my mother worries that I have barely packed anything at all. I suppose I'll find out when I get there!
Suitcases: Today, my mom and I realized that the $4 suitcase I'd bought at Goodwill won't do the trick, and that my frayed, overstuffed backpack with one strap knotted on won't be very secure or convenient luggage. The suitcase has a broken wheel, and it's the kind with a strap leash rather than a roller with a pull-out handle. I thought I'd had everything packed, but I didn't want to be the white tourist struggling to keep up with my group as I lug an obviously over-stuffed backpack and a heavy suitcase through a crowded airport. To the store we went! Thankfully, suitcases were on sale. I upgraded to a new suitcase and pulled out an old messenger bag to use instead of my backpack. Now that I've got my one carry-on and one checked item, I think (I hope) I'm ready to go! Passport? Check! By noon tomorrow, I should be in sunny El Salvador!
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