I think the Weary Traveller is a bit of a misnomer. It makes
it seem like I am tired of traveling and want to come home, which is not really
the case. I think I’m going to have to rename this blog the Unweary Traveller. But there is one
thing that I am weary of: packing…and
unpacking…and repacking, then unpacking again, then repacking once more, and so
on and so forth, ad infinitum. I’m at the point of losing my mind over it.
I have to pat myself on the back and say that I have the art
of packing down to a science. I’m able to pack everything I need (and a few
things I don’t) into my rather small luggage (see the pic below), all under the
airline weight limits. I can handle all of my bags at the same time and rarely
use an airport cart. Who needs a cart? Carts are for sissies. I am an expert
maneuverer of rolling luggage and can deftly switch pulling hands mid-stride
with a quick and fancy body twirl. But right now I feel like picking up my
rolling duffle and emptying the contents over the side of my first floor
balcony.
I am longing for the opportunity to actually put my stuff away. Oh the
joy of a cupboard where I can hang up my perpetually wrinkled clothes or a
shelf where I can set out my toiletries. Oh the torture of constantly leaking
bottles and having to pull out everything I own just to get to that one thing
that rests at the bottom of my suitcase. It is my life’s mission to find a tube
that does not leak. I have tried them all and I think I am just going to have
to invent my own.
I haven’t unpacked at the apartment I’m in because I’m
leaving soon. The problem I’m facing now is that I have probably 40kgs worth of
stuff that I have to sort through and reduce to 15kg. See, early Tuesday morning
I am flying to my first field site, a town in the far north of the country near
the Guinea border called Voinjama. The UN flight limit for luggage is 15kgs. We
have a vehicle convoy that will be driving out to Voinjama on Friday, so the
rest of my luggage will come then. So, what’s the problem you ask? Just pack
what you will need from Tuesday night through Friday afternoon and you’re all
set, right? Oh, I wish it were that easy. I’m going to a pretty remote
location. I’ve been told to stock up on food because there is nothing really to
be found in the town for the weekend when I’ll have to fend for myself (at
least nothing that my sad Westerner self will be able to identify and cook). If
there is no food to be found, there is probably little else that I might need.
And what if my bag goes missing while en route by road? What if there is a
vehicle accident or hijacking or theft? What if they forget to put the bag in
the vehicle and I have to wait another week to get it? I seriously shudder to
think what I would do if my bag is lost. It is essentially everything I have in
the world that I actually need. Sure I have a small storage unit in DC with a
few yearbooks and some artwork and the like, but that’s not as necessary to my
survival as my supply of contact lenses or my shoes.
After an hour of fretting and weighing and reweighing my
stuff (travel luggage scale, never leave home without it) I think I have finally
gotten it sorted out. So, below are the contents of my red carry-on bag and
backpack…things I’ll need for a few days and some things I’ll wish I had if my
suitcase never makes it to me.
4 polo shirts
1 t-shirt
4 cargo capris
1 pair of yoga capris
1 pair of sneakers
1 pair of flip flops
5 pairs of knickers
3 bras
Towel
1 toiletry kit with tiny (like 1.5oz) travel size shampoo, facewash, lotion,
body wash, and curly hair gel
Razor
Toothbrush
Full sized toothpaste
Full sized contact lens solution
Contacts case and a handful of extra contact lenses
Various barrettes and hair ties
Face powder and eyeliner
Small travel mirror
Travel size bug spray
Travel size bug bite anti-itch spray
Travel size sunscreen
Sunglasses
Eyeglasses
Emergency first-aid and survival kit
Leatherman tool
Headlamp flashlight
Winding flashlight (no batteries needed)
BPA-free water bottle
Laptop computer, charger and plug adapter
Nook e-reader and charger
Cell phone and charger
iPod and charger
Notebook and pens
External hard drive
No comments:
Post a Comment