We have packed up and are leaving Cleveland tomorrow morning. We will be transporting 2 large boxes of lab supplies for M so this leaves us with 3 bags for personal gear plus anything we can carry on the plane. We quickly realized that clothes for Kilimanjaro (picture ski gear) and snorkel equipment filled our duffle bag to capacity so we were each left with our hiking backpacks for our yearlong trip.
Things that made the cut:
- Hiking pants
- Linen pants
- 2 bathing suits
- socks + underwear
- 3 long sleeve "sunblock" shirts
- large hats
- 2 running outfits + running shoes
- pair of shorts
- 2 t-shirts (respective college athletic teams of course)
- sarong for E
- scarf for E
- sandals
- one jar of strawberry balsamic jam (the argument for this one was fierce but I needed a taste of home!)
- waterproof jacket
- Guidebooks, Kindle, a few additional books
- 2 cameras + cases
- binoculars
- hiking boots
- hospital clothes for M: 2 pairs khakis, 2 button downs, 1 tie
- sunscreen, bug spray, toiletries
That list might seem long but I've packed more for a 3 day weekend.
Here I am holding all my clothes for the year:
Here's M holding all of his clothes for the year. He'd like me to add that he's doing it all with one hand and I needed 2:
Things that didn't make the cut:
- hair dryer (not a real loss)
- makeup (not crying over this one either)
- anything cotton except the t-shirts
- anything that showed E's knees or shoulders (except bathing suits for the pool in the compound)
- anything that can't be handwashed
- anything irreplaceable
We got everything into our backpacks and have met the weight limit. Of course there's a chance that some or all of this stuff won't actually make it to Kenya. I don't have a great track record with checked bags arriving at my destination in a timely fashion so we've packed a few items in our carry-ons and are hoping for the best. It'll all get there eventually and if it doesn't, that probably ok too.
We are going to miss you both sooooooooooooo much! Have an amazing time, enjoy each others company, and be safe! I know you will absorb everything Africa has to offer and will be changed people when you get back, we cannot wait to hear about your adventures!
ReplyDeleteLove you! -Carrie, Kevin, and Finn
P.S. Finn says rightie tightie! He is so hip.
Dear Max and Elisabeth -
ReplyDeleteI love your blog - and, great name for it, too. And so much fun to see your packing (and your hats.) I hope you are able to keep posting in this much detail once you're over there. Thanks so much for sharing. Nifty map also. I'm glad to see that you're relatively far away from Uganda.
We love you and wish you the best ten months in Kenya ever!
Much love,
Mom
you haven't even left yet and you've already written more than i did when i was in mexico... oops.
ReplyDeletelove what you've written so far, it can only get more interesting once you get there!
love you both so much, i know you're going to have an amazing year. today i'm going to sit down and figure out how much i would have to save every month to be able to go out and visit you. i think i can give up beer and... food? what else do i buy? i wish i drank coffee or smoked cigarettes so i could give it up and save the money.
anyway, i am SO EXCITED FOR YOU! i gave max my living-in-another-country advice on the phone this morning, but in case he doesn't repeat it... patience patience patience! don't plan too much, and don't expect things to turn out the way you planned. and don't get anxious if you are sitting around and waiting a lot, without too much information or knowledge about what you are waiting for. haha. once you get used to that then you can enjoy it :) when i'm in mexico i try to forget about trying to control outcomes of things. it doesn't always work, but i try. anyway maybe none of this will apply in kenya, but maybe it will.
anyway, this is long. love you love you love you have a safe trip and i'll be faithfully reading your blog so write often!
un abrazote,
sus
p.s. can you learn how to say "big hug" in swahili?
p.p.s. my friend nancy and i decided we're coming. we only have to save like $175 a month. si se puede!
ReplyDeleteLOVE YOU!