Best Laid Plans: Packing for Rwanda

Had weeks to pack. Made lists. Checked those lists. Laid everything out on the bed and went through it piece by piece. And somehow, after all of that, managed to leave three important items sitting back in Michigan: my hat, my fleece jacket, and my waterproof boots.

Not minor things. Rwanda's elevation means it gets cold, especially in the evenings and at altitude. A fleece isn't a luxury item out there. Waterproof boots aren't optional when you're spending days hiking in forests. And a hat near the equator is just basic common sense.

Last-Minute Shopping

Caught the problem before we actually left the country. Was in Pennsylvania at that point, so there was still time to hit a few stores and replace what I'd left behind. Not ideal to rebuy things I already owned, but the alternative was spending 19 days in Rwanda without them. Not a hard call.

New gear is solid. Hat that'll keep the sun off, fleece that packs down, boots that should handle whatever mud and rain we end up in. Could have been worse.

Everything Else

The rest of the packing went fine. Used compression bags for most of my clothes, which made a real difference. You can get a surprising amount into a bag when you squeeze the air out. Between those and some careful arrangement, everything fit. Well, almost everything.

Departure is right around the corner. Next time I write, it'll be from a different continent.