What to take?

The more experienced the traveler, the less they carry. Reducing my needs to what I could carry in a pack is an exercise in prioritizing and simplifying. 42 lbs later I will be getting a lot more exercise of the sweating sort but at least the damn stuff fit in the pack :-)

A. The Pack (with Honduran flag in name tag and essential toilet paper)
B. The Little Pack (which attaches to the big pack)
C. Little Pack contents (Swiss army knife, umbrella, camera, presents to give away, diary, playing cards, flash light) and security belt for passport, cards, cash, tickets and such
D. All of my clothes in mesh cubes
E. Sandals for beach and dancing shoes
F. Emergency veggie food and mug
G. Bags to organize pack, I like containers
H. Books (Chekhov, Borges, Peter Pan), Lonely Planet Guide, Portuguese course
I. Traveling day outfit with hiking boots over cold weather gear
J. Toiletries and the essential towel
K. First aid, medications (motion sickness, headaches, diarrhea) and repair kit

A lot of thought went into what I was going to take but I also put in a lot of thought into my preliminary itinerary and that already looks very different. I am curious to see what I later decide was not really a necessity.

Well, it finally happened. I am on the road! There was much planning, waiting, changing of plans, waiting again and then from one day to the other, there I go. If I thought it too much, I might not have left.

I am now in Tegucigalpa visiting my sister before going to Nicaragua. The adventure began when I decided to take the trip back in the US but now I am carrying a pack.