How much is too much?

7?....14?.... really, how many panties should one bring when planning on traveling Central/South America for 7 months? Socks, footwear, tanks, memory cards... the list goes on!

As I've been basking in the glow of my self-imposed retirement, i've put quite some thought into this.

My first instinct was to make a list of Needs vs. Wants. This way, once packed, if I still had room I would be able to transfer over some "Wants" into the pack. Once completed, most of the list was Needs and only Tent, Air Mattress, Sleeping Bag & Phone made it onto the Wants list. Well, let's be honnest, I really didn't even want the Tent, Air Mattress or Sleeping Bag. That was me trying to be a hardcore adventure traveler. Definitely not there yet.

Over some drinks, Brooks shared advice a friend had once bestowed onto him. "Pack everything that you may think you need, then live out of your backpack for 3 days at home and see how you fare". At the time, this seemed like a pretty solid plan. However there are flaws to this "plan". I'm living at home with my parents. I want to eat, I go to the fridge. I want to cook, I open the cupboards. I want to visit a friend, I hop into my car. Clothes dirty? Into the washing machine you go! Living at the Kitchen Island is NOT synonymous with Buget Island Living. Not even close. Imagine the look on my parents face watching me eat dinner with my Swiss Army Knife! I'm way too spoiled here to be able to only live out of a pack. Plus, our house is tempered. T-shirt and joggers are all I need.

I realised I should seek the advice from experienced travelers. So off into the World Wide Web I go!Obviously 9 bloggers out of 10* say you will ALWAYS pack too much. (*Not a proven fact, but common, dentists do it, why can't I?) I can only assume the reason we overpack is because of the unknown. I can only assume again, that I WILL overpack. Let me tell you a little story about underpacking. Two years ago, my Best Friend Kyla and I packed our bags for Ecuador. I was thinking South America is the furthest south I've been to date... we're actually hitting the equator, so its GOT to be HOT!

WRONG! ....very wrong. See folks, you should always do your research before heading somewhere. Did you know that Ecuador lays on a cloud belt? As per quoted from Wikipedia "Because of its elevation and its proximity to the equator, Quito has a fairly constant cool climate, with spring-like weather year-round. The average temperature at noon is 18.7 degrees Celcius." ...ya, layering my 4 bikinis did not help maintain the heat in my frigid limbs. I wore my only pair of pants and only sweater the entire trip. Looking back at the pictures, it's almost funny.

That Sweater and Those Pants - Isla de la Plata, EC.

So ok, I will overpack! I am ok with this. But as the title of this blog stresses... How Much is TOO MUCH!? I guess only time will tell. Trial and error will be the name of the game and I think I'm ready for it. If I have too much stuff, I unload and leave some items behind. Should more garments be needed, all I would have to do is stroll into a market to find what is suitable. Trust me, I can rock Alpaca from head to toe!

6 days remain until I head off to begin this incredible adventure. A mixture of fear and excitment is corsing through my veins. For now, I must chanel that adrenaline into completing my pack (and yes mom, cleaning my room). Next time I post, it will be that time!

p.s. If you're curious about Kyla and my trip to Ecuador, check out http://dinakylasexcellentadventures.tumblr.com/

À la prochaine,