Packing

I’ve packed a suitcase for a trip at least 18 times in the last year and a half. I thought I had that down to a science. Well, not really, but there always was the backup plan: There are numerous stores, such as the mega grocery store, the variety store, and the big box stores, within a few miles to fill in any gaps in my packing, to satisfy any whim, and also to entice me to buy way more than I’d ever need.

Now we’re packing for a trip to Uganda. The airlines have weight and size limits on checked baggage. That wouldn’t normally be a problem, but we received donations of clothing to take to a school for needy children, so we are carefully weighing our three duffel bags. We hope that we can share the remaining suitcase for our personal items.

We don’t have to bring cold weather jackets for Africa, but on the way back, we’ll be stopping over an extra day in London, so that undoubtedly means cold, damp weather and appropriate clothing.

In Uganda, we’ll be doing physical labor, and we’ll be attending church and visiting a national park. I understand that someone will be hired to wash our clothing, except our underwear. We’ll spend all but about 4 nights in areas where there is no electricity and no running water.

We’ll be bringing our own “luxuries:” flashlights, ‘Sun Showers,’ shampoo and soap, toilet paper, bedding, peanut butter, books. We actually need hardly any money.

There will be no backup plan.