10 DAYS TO GO

I get ideas about what's essential when packing my suitcase. 

-Diane von Furstenberg

She who would travel happily must travel light.

-Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Packing cubes keep everything organized and prevent shifting of the contents to the bottom of the duffel bag.

A place for everything and everything in its place, I hope.

Deciding what's essential and packing light is an oxymoron. At least to me. 

That's because a quick look at the map makes it obvious that October weather in the Netherlands in northern Europe requires totally different clothing than a Serengeti Safari just south of the equator. Add to that the 33# weight limit for my one checked bag, and suddenly packing light and deciding what's essential is at odds.

I have been piling and sorting clothes for both locations for weeks. Add a skirt to the Amsterdam pile and take away a t-shirt from the Africa pile. Can this one lightweight camel-colored sweater be worn in both places? Packing cubes are my organizational lifesaver since I became a convert several trips ago. So I sorted everything from the piles on the guest bed into various sized cubes with one each for Tops, Bottoms, Skirts & Dresses, Underwear, Socks, Bathing Suit and shoes, all for the Africa portion of my trip, and another single large red cube for my Amsterdam clothes. Ta-dah! Packed in my official OAT duffel, it all weighs in at 25#. 

But what about all the other stuff that's as essential (or even more so) than clothes? That's when small packing cubes and plastic zippered envelops come to the rescue! Prescription meds go in one, and all the "what if" meds--those over-the-counter remedies for a possible cold, sore throat, traveler's diarrhea, bug bites, dry dusty eyes, cut fingers, chapped hands, or sunburned ears--go in another. Other than the envelope of the RX meds which will stay with me in my 11# backpack, everything else will go into my checked duffel.

And finally there's all the electronic/electrical/tech related miscellany: charging cords for my iPhone, iPad, and laptop; power banks for recharging my iPhone (camera) while out in the field; electric plug adapters and a powerstrip to connect to local electricity in camp; extra batteries, chargers, and Sandisks for my Canon; and my mini tripod and selfie stick. I sorted all of this stuff into small cubes related to purpose and where I'd be using each item, and they will go into my backpack that stays with me.

The trick will be remembering which cube/envelope/bag holds what, so maybe I'll add small ID tags to each. I still have 10 days until we leave.

Both bags, my carry-on backpack and my checked duffel, are packed and ready to go. The last thing will be to add the colorful luggage straps recommended for two reasons: to hold the duffel together through the perils of baggage handling, and to quickly identify my duffel in a sea of look alike duffels on the Africa portion of our trip.