Packing

I guess it's official.  I'm officially "packing."

I found my neck pouch, which I carry my passport, credit card, and money in and that set off the actual packing.  Yes, that's the jello t-shirt there hiding under the pink shirt.

I'm not sure if it gets easier every time I do this, or if I care less each time I do it.  I don't worry about dressing to impress, so I take whatever fits, not what is going to look "stunning."  I only care, really, about three things: gadgets, cords, and shoes.  I've become a slave to gadgets and will be taking:  my cell phone (not to use as a phone, but for all those other little goodies I like playing with), my iTouch (so that when its dark in the plane I can listen to a book, rather than turn the light on and read), my Kindle (so that when it's light on the plane, I can read!) and, of course, my camera.  

The camera doesn't need cords, but needs batteries and SD disks and the batteries need a charger, which takes a cord. The iTouch has a cord and earphones, the Kindle has a cord, and the cell phone has a cord.  Most of the cords attach to the computer, which I am also taking.  The computer has a mouse (because I hate a touch pad) and a power cord.

So that is what I'm mostly obsessing about.  Getting all the gadgets and their respective cords and other accoutrements all packed.

Then there are shoes.  Oh to be dainty-footed, but I am, alas, not.  My shoes are huge.  I could work in the circus with these feet.  I hate the luggage space I have to give to shoes.  But I also am concerned about feet and knees and need to take what is going to make it easiest on both.  I am going to see if I can pack two pairs of walking shoes (one pair is black, so can double as a dress shoe for when we go to a concert).  But I would love to bring my Birkinstocks for schlepping around the ship.  That's a LOT of luggage space. 

I also bought wonderful new sox in Santa Barbara but the athletic ones are extremely bulky (which is why they are so good--nice cushions for the tootsies).   I put them in my carry on just to keep them out of the way, but handy, and they FILLED the suitcase!  I've now decided to leave my purse at home and bring, instead, my backpack.  I jammed all the sox in the bottom of the backpack as padding and it will cushion all those gadgets.

I also have to find space for my bum bag (fanny pack -- "fanny" means something entirely different in some countries, so we have adopted the use of the term "bum bag," which they use in England.)  That, too, can go in the backpack and hold the camera 

paraphernalia.  I don't know how many pairs of pants I can fit...it will depend on how the shoes pack...but we are going to be on a ship with no laundry facilities for 15 days and it will be nice to have enough to wear and wash, bearing in mind that it took quite a bit of time for clothes to dry on previous trips.  Sadly, most of my pants are sweat pants, which are as bulky as the athletic sox.

Well, it will all get done in some fashion or not by tomorrow night.

I have been packing the way I always do.  Pack 3 things, then come to the computer or the TV.  It looks like I'm goofing off, but my brain has been racing all day about what to pack and how to pack it.

Now, at midnight, I think I'm actually packed.  I was able to pack four pairs of pants (all of the lighter weight ones I have, including my "good" black pants for when we go to a concert) and two pairs of shoes, so I will be able to bring the Birkinstocks too.  I still have to put all the gadgets into the backpack.  We are allowed 50 lbs in check-in luggage and at the moment, mine only weighs 20 lbs, so I'm good on that score too.

So either I'm good to go, or I'm going to be in shock realizing what I've left behind.

And I have all day tomorrow to have lunch with friends, pick up snacks for Ashley, and fret about what I've forgotten to do.