I've always struggled with packing before a big trip. For me, the experience is a little like writing a paper for a history class in college. I'd stare at the screen on my 40 pound Mac computer (remember these?) as the cursor mocked me and blinked: a pulse light in a loud disco.
This trip has me completely stymied. I am preparing for nearly three weeks in Eastern Europe. This is the longest that I've been away from home since Junior year abroad. Italy was easy by comparison. I could wear sandals for most of my time and bought cute leather or silk fill ins as I needed. I mean, it was Italy, right?
Most of this trip I will be in Southern Central Siberia near the Altai mountain range. I am expecting wicked cold and am preparing as best an Angeleno can with scavenged wools and borrowed thermals. Truth be told, I'm relying more on perception more than reality. Barnaul, Siberia's forecast indicates between 30 and the 50 degrees--practically balmy in comparison to my mythic anxiety.
Additionally, I am traveling with at least 20 pounds of Beverly Hills High School SWAG including t-shirts, hats, lanyards and pins. Delta cruelly limits me to 50 pounds and between the SWAG and the rubber boots that I am convinced that I'll need for the muddy Siberian village part of my trip, I don't know how to pull this together. And so I stare at the blinking cursor of my suitcase and procrastinate by reading about Putin, scouring Facebook and writing this blog.
I think many of us share packing challenges. I am so curious what the weather will be like for you went you are in Siberia. It's amazing how fast everything in a suitcase adds up....50 lbs. Thanks for posting!
ReplyDeleteJen, Colombia group