Packing

As news of our trip came out, I found that most people had a consistent and firm comment and a corresponding stern look. "Why in the world do you want to go there?" The answer was simple. "I don't". The truth of the matter is that we found such cheap flights we simply couldn't refuse.

I knew virtually nothing about our two primary destinations, and even after a little research I still didn't know much more. But I did find out we will be staying in some very modern cities, and so far they appear to be much safer than some places in the USA right now.

The days and weeks leading up to the trip had become so busy for me that I had virtually no time to prepare. Bryan showed up the day before we left with his bags packed, and I hadn't even thought about packing yet. We were both so busy by the time we finally went to bed the evening before, I still had not so much as pulled a single article of clothing out to pack.

I climbed out of bed at 8:AM and had only 90 minutes before we were supposed to leave for the airport. Several cups of coffee later, I was in full gear going through my drawers and closet sorting quickly through my belongings looking only for things I knew I couldn't survive without. The only problem was that I still had virtually no idea what I was packing for or how much I would need. We decided to take only 1 carry-on bag each to avoid checking any luggage. This actually made packing easier, as my one bag was small enough that it filled up quickly. It will only add to the adventure of our three weeks in exotic destinations to see if I actually brought the things I needed. I know for sure I have two things: my Passport and my credit card. After all, what else do I really need?

After franticly scurrying about to find several important charging devices, they were eventually located having already been packed in Bryan's backpack. I sat down to catch my breath and realized I had missed some important calls. Barney, our gracious driver, was having trouble locating Mark, and both were now uncomfortably late. I kept myself busy and tried not to stare at the clock or recalculate the remaining time and distance to the airport. We ended up at the airport in plenty of time, and hopefully those panicked moments before leaving the house do NOT set the precedence for our adventure.