I am just coming back from a wonderful trip to Mexico to see the monarch butterflies. The trip was great! I was in Mexico for five days. On the first day I arrived in Mexico City and spent a little time walking around the Centro Historic where the flag at Zocalo was flying in all its glory, and then afterward in Coyoacan. The next day I headed to Michoacán by bus, to the reserve in Ocampo.
To see the exact steps I took to arrive at El Rosario Butterfly Sanctuary check out my article Visiting El Rosario Monarch Butterfly Reserve – Michoacán, Mexico. This article is from when I went in December but I followed exactly the same steps to arrive at El Rosario this time! Anyway, back to the story or scroll to the bottom for a free carry on bag checklist.
I Can’t Find a Pen
I had all of my luggage planned out to the T. Well, not really. I guessed at what things I needed. I am a travel minimalist and I was only going to be gone for five days. Spring, though. You never can tell if it’s going to be hot or cold or a mix. So I packed enough.
But arriving at the airport I realized I forgot something very powerful and important. A pen. I always bring a pen and notebook because I’m a writer. But during this trip I found myself with NO PEN. This would have been a bigger deal if these were still the days of needing to fill out a migration form mid-flight.
Because, as in hospitals, pens on airplanes are scarce and hard to come by. I remembered that as I breezily passed through security I saw what seemed to be a good pen on the floor, sadly, forgotten by the TSA agents. Yet I didn’t dare to cross the conveyor belt to snatch it.
I thought, “that’s okay, I can probably manifest a pen.” What confidence I had in those early hours. I searched a few gift shops and found $5 pens with pictures of San Antonio on them. “No,” I thought, “this pen will not be worth it since it will not write the way the Inkjoys do.” My eyes scanned the floor of the airport.
No pen.
Realizing I Don’t Need a Pen
I arrived in Mexico and still could not find a pen, and that was the story for the next few days. You can buy just about anything from street vendors in Mexico City but I never saw any that were selling pens. I thought of things but did not write them down. It was good because instead of writing my feelings, writing my spiritual epiphanies I let them just be. I lived them in the present moment with trust that if I needed them again the universe would supply what I needed then. It’s not as though I usually go back and read my insights from the past. They’re mine in the present moment.
I realized I didn’t need a pen.
And with that I arrived at my last Hotel in Mexico City after returning from Michoacán, aptly called Hotel Stanza, to find a pen waiting in my hotel room just for me. And that’s the way manifestation goes. The moment you realize you don’t need something and possibly don’t WANT it, it shows up.
How to Say Pen in Spanish
It’s more complicated than you think! If I would have asked people around for a pen I would have used the world pluma. I know that this word is widely used in Mexico, but since I have mostly spoken Spanish in Peru the world that immediately comes to mind for me is lapicero. I couple of years ago I polled the good people of HelloTalk on how to say the word pen in their country. These were the results. Choose wisely.
Regardless of which word is attached to it though, I really DO want to have a pen on hand in my carry on bag.
Carry On Bag Checklist
I love making little checklists before my flights. I made this little checklist for things to bring on my carry on bag so that I will never be pen-less again.
But first, anatomy of my luggage. ALL of my luggage is carry on, but I have my main backpack with all of my clothes and things, then I have a little backpack with essentials like something to read, then I have a purse which has normal purse stuff. I use a Kanken Hip Pack for that. The little backpack and purse are what I keep with me on the flight. I don’t like to be without things. And those are the things I am referring to in this checklist!
The contents of my carry on bag can vary somewhat. This past trip my whole entire carry on was mostly filled with my camera and zoom lens. The things I pack sometimes vary. For instance, I knew my flight to Mexico City would be quick and without access to on-flight entertainment so I DID NOT pack wired headphones but knew I would LOVE to have something to read. The following list of items are pretty standard for me:
- passport
- phone
- phone charger cable
- something to read (Kindle)
- A small blanket which packs small (I have used a shawl, a Turkish towel, a microfiber towel, an extra jacket)
- Something lightweight with long sleeves (usually I wear it on)
- Ibuprofen or other medicine
- chapstick
- headphones (I use AirPods)
- headphones with a cord (if you’re flying with an airline that has movies)
- earplugs
- water (buy at the airport)
- a snack (probably buy at airport)
- extra set of clothes (only if checking luggage)
In defense of the small blanket: when it’s a long flight your legs get really cold for some reason. You will be glad to have the blanket! I like to use either my extra jacket (I have a down jacket that packs small), or a shawl which I will also use a scarf if I’m heading to a cold location, or my towel if I’m staying at a hostel. I usually use something I will be bringing anyway.
Printable Carry On Bag Checklist
I created this printable checklist as a foldable so that you can print it and fold it and keep it in your carry on bag. Just print it out, fold it down first and then fold it in half again. Now you have yourself a carry on checklist, an extra checklist and a place for notes. Just don’t forget your pen so you can write on it!
Is there anything I should add to the list? Let me know in the comments below. If you use my checklist and enjoyed the experience, don’t forget to share. Also hit me up on Instagram and show me how you used it! Enjoy!
