This coming Saturday I am leaving for a week of diving in Utila, one of the Bay Islands off the northern coast of Honduras. I've been to my doctor to get all the prophylactic prescriptions (Malarone - it's apparently malaria heaven there; Cipro, Zpack, steroid ear drops), and am heading out a little later for the rest of the over the counter meds - Bonine, chewing gum, Advil, etc. Over the years, I've found that this stuff is more important than almost anything else I pack.
Regardless of where I'm going, or what I'm doing, I always make time to sit down and write out my packing lists. Instead of one giant list, I now make four distinct ones: dive gear, clothing, medications, and carry-on bag. I find that not only helps me organize my thoughts, but really speeds up the packing process.
For this trip, we have a checked bag limit of 50 pounds for the flight from San Pedro Sula to Utila. That's not a lot when you're packing dive gear, so I've decided to ditch my 8-pound eBags rolling duffle, and instead will use my LL Bean duffel bag, saving almost 7 pounds. In that will be my dive gear in a mesh duffel, and a few changes of clothing. When you spend most of the time underwater or in a pool, there's not much need for clothing.
I find that the hardest part of packing, for me anyway, is the carry-on bag. Once I get past the necessities, I'm left agonizing over the rest - reading material? puzzle books? snacks? If there's anything that has remained consistent, it's that I always overpack this bag. Always. I swear I won't do it this time. Really.
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