The Countdown Is On...

Only 28 more days until my journey to the Philippines begins. I can’t believe it is getting so close. To be honest, I haven’t thought much about it with everything else that’s been going on with my life at the moment.

I know it seems insane, but I’ve already started to pack. Packing for a scuba trip is a completely different form of packing and because we take all of our own gear (with the exception of tanks and weights), we need to start early to make sure everything is still in working order.

Believe me, there is no such thing as “packing light”. With all the scuba gear, including regulators, suits, boots, BCD’s, mask, fins, snorkels, underwater flashlights, batteries for the flashlights and underwater camera equipment, my “gear” suitcase is usually just shy of 40 lbs and then when the first aid kit, sunscreen, medications (decongestant, Pepto Bismol, Dramamine, Tylenol, toiletries and anything else we think we might need that won’t be readily available) is added, I’m pushing 45 lbs AND then, I have to worry about clothes. When all is said and done, I’d be well over 60 lbs and well over the allotted luggage allowance for the smaller domestic airlines. So, out comes another suitcase. PLUS, I have a carry on for snacks, books, magazines and my camera.

Usually I end up packing, weighing everything and repacking at least 3 times before it’s over just to make sure I won’t get charged for the extra weight at the airport. The weight issue is particularly a problem on the flight home because the gear is typically damp and with the high humidity of exotic places, our clothes end up absorbing excess moisture and what might not seem like a lot ends up costing big dollars – typically $10 for every lb overweight.

I’m exhausted just thinking about it.