This is a re-post of something I wrote in March of 2020 (yes, THAT March of 2020) on a different iteration of this blog. I find that I love reading my old writings and my mind has been fixated on minimalism once again! I wish I could talk to this version of myself and tell her what I know now.
Like “you definitely needed more clothes for being in Peru for 3 MONTHS. You should’ve brought fewer shorts and, for HEAVEN’S SAKE, MORE UNDERWEAR. YOU DID NOT TAKE ENOUGH UNDERWEAR AND YOU HAD TO WASH THEM IN THE SINK REPEATEDLY AND THEY TOOK FOREVER TO DRY.
You also took one unnecessary man who just stressed you out.“
But please, proceed.
There was a time years ago when my goal was to hike the Appalachian Trail. This trail runs over 2000 miles through the Appalachian mountains along the East coast of the United States. It begins in northern Georgia and ends at Mount Katahdin in Maine.
I spent over a year researching and collecting backpacking gear, choosing each item carefully because all backpackers know the consejo “take care of the ounces and the pounds will take care of themselves.”
I cut the handle off of a toothbrush. I made a roll of duct tape with no roll. I chose clothing according to its pack weight and layering ability. I found a hiking skirt at Goodwill, to my great joy. I made a freaking stove out of a cat food can. A CAT FOOD CAN.
Wilderness backpacking places most consideration in the important skill of surviving in the wilderness.
The goal: not die.
Backpacking for travel seems to come with different considerations.
The goal: survive, but do so while appearing and smelling socially acceptable. Not being cochino, dirty.
Last summer when I went to Peru for 2 weeks I packed based on these questions: “how many times can I wear these clothes before I will have to wash them?”, “how often am I willing to take my clothes to be washed?”, “What will I wear while my clothes are being washed?”, “Which bras and panties should I pack just in case the need to appear attractive under my clothes arises?”
What I packed: 3 jeans, 5-6 shirts, fleece jacket, 2 pretty bras, 8 panties, 1 pajama pants, 2 pajama shirts, 1 pajama shorts (did not use because it was winter), 1 dress (wore to Mass), 1 jean short (wore once since it was winter), 4-5 pairs of socks, 1 pair flip flops, 1 pair of green Tieks, 1 pair tennis shoes.
When I leave for Peru in September I will be there for a month.
I think my packing list was good, but I would pack more jeans or try leggings, and another pajama bottom. I would like to find some pieces of clothing that dry quickly so that if I need to wash them in the sink they could dry overnight, even in the humidity of Lima.
Hope you enjoyed this throwback to March of 2020. I’ve got even more where that came from! Check out this post which is also from the same time period. Also, the featured image from this post? That’s a place I’ve been. I can’t believe I’ve been to a place like that!
