So historically in life I have been a heavy packer. This I know and after numerous friends and significant others pointed this out I made a conscious effort to sort this out, and I do believe I have. When I first went abroad to Brussels I took three 70-pound bags. That’s 210 pounds of stuff! When I came to China the first time it was just two 70-pound bags. Then I traveled around the world with one 50-pound backpack and a rolling carry-on that weighted 40 pounds or so. Now I’ve returned to China with one 50 pound bag and a 25-pound bag. That means I continue to start with less and less. However, I have arrived and unpacked and find myself sitting here going, “why did I bring all this stuff?
The non-clothes goods are all essential – computer, camera, basic office supplies, journals, external hard drives, power converters, etc. It’s just the darn clothes! For example, who needs 20 pairs of socks? Or what’s with the 15 shirts? I’m gone for 75 days. That’s each shirt just five times. Can’t I wash them? Then, of course, I never ever pack enough relaxing gear. I’ve got two pairs of “sitting around” shorts and since I’m here writing a book, I spend most days inside “sitting around.”
Needless to say, if I want to get those 100 DVDs I’ve already bought along with pearls, bags and chopsticks back to America I may need to shuffle the contents of said bags. In the meantime, I’ve got a whole lot of peds and boxer briefs that will just have to enjoy their gorgeous Chinese armoir while I busily wash the same two pairs of lounge shorts over and over and over again.
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Kyle Taylor
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