In transit!
My cousin Kris asked me how in the world I decided what NOT to pack as she surveyed the two suitcases (a 25 incher and a carry-on), a big purse and a backpack sitting in the entry way.
To be fair, I DID get everything into one suitcase, got it zipped then tried to lift it. Suffice it to say, it's morphed into 2. But I've justified the situation by saying that I'll have a weekender for those short trips around Chile. Luckily, I came in under the international weight restriction, so its all good, or will be till I have to get all the stuff through customs and immigration in Santiago.
What makes packing tough is that it's hot in the inland lowlands, cool at the coast and a combo of both in the mountains. Then, it's hot in the north, temperate in the middel and not unlike British Columbia or the Norwegian fjords in the south. So, I packed some layers and, of course, they take up room!
There are also the gadgets required by an ex-techie. A smallish laptop, a tablet with keyboard, and the-last-a-month b/w Nook. Oh, plus the phone and all the darned cords and gizmos it takes to charge all of them. Wait, there are also the adapters to get them to plug in. Not to forget the emergency batteries to keep them charged if I'm not near a plug.
They're about to start boarding for Santiago. I'm almost outta here!