I have started having nightmares about the future, mostly about things I worry about in real life, and one of these nightmares involved earrings.
Yes, earrings.
I get excited for trips by packing, and I have already begun the mental packing process for my three or four months away mentally, and am trying to decide which earrings to take, which came out in the nightmare, perhaps as a symbol for all my packing thoughts.
With my travels so far, I have learned to ALWAYS take the following things:
1. sweatshirt/jacket. Planes are too cold always, and you just never know when you will need it, even if you are headed to the tropics.
2. Hand sanitizer and those little kleenex packets. For less than prepared toilet situations. Or bug bites. Or colds. Or extra napkin options. On "mission trips" these things are on my person more often than my passport.
3. Passport, with spare money for emergency exit visas tucked away.
4. Sunscreen and bugspray. At least the travel size.
5. Bandanna, for weird hair situations.
6. Flip flops. You never know what the shower situation will be.
7. Bible and lots of books. No such thing as "too many" books.
8. Lots of empty plastic bags, for dirty and/or wet clothes, dirty shoes, and just dirty needs in general, nothing like a plastic bag.
9. The mini-medicine kit: bandaids, neosporin, ibuprofen, tylenol PM, excedrin, dayquil, and lots of immodium.
10. At least one "dressy" outfit.
And of course the usual clothes and toiletries.
Now I am starting to think about packing for possibly three different seasons, definitely more than three countries, for at least three months, all in one carry on size rolling bag and a backpack. This will be interesting. I will let you know as things progress. Any packing suggestions are welcome!
