20, 20, 28 Hours To Go

Well, there you have it: my entire life packed up into two tiny little bags. I packed super lightly, bringing [mostly] only the essentials. In my checked suitcase, I've packed only about 12 days worth of clothing. In addition, I packed a razor, an extra pair of shoes, flip-flops, a metal drink container, drumsticks and a practice pad, and TOWELS.

A towel, without a doubt, is the most important item you can bring with you on a trip, and it's often forgotten. Seriously, what can't a towel do? Apart its obvious drying capabilities, or its beach accessory status, a towel is so versatile. In the event that you get stuck somewhere, your towel will serve as a blanket, pillow, or head wrap. It can keep your body warm or cool, depending on the climate. Also, in the event of an injury, a towel can be cut or torn to use as dressing for a wound, or be fashioned into a sling...the possibilities are endless. For these reasons, I have packed another towel in my carry-on backpack, along with a spare change of clothes, in case my luggage gets lost. In my carry-on I've also packed photocopies of my identification, my flight booking info, along with my Study Abroad program documents. I've packed my European outlet converter/adapter, my webcam, a toothbrush with toothpaste, and my camera with its charger. I'm bringing a blank notebook, along with some classic novels, such as Cervantes' Don Quixote, and Richard Adams' Watership Down, to name a few. I also threw in a Spanish-English dictionary, and a street map of Madrid. All I have left to pack now is my laptop, which I will do in the morning before leaving for the airport. As evident in the photo above, I taped my suitcase in a [totally awesome] plaid pattern. Not only does this make my stuff tamper-proof, but it makes it extremely easy to spot my bag. I'm pretty positive that I have the world's most generic black bag, but this tape covers all six faces, and now there's no need to check luggage tags, and a much lower risk of someone taking my things.

Well, I fly tomorrow evening, and I'll be in Madrid by Thursday morning. I'll try and update in a few days; I especially want to post about La Semana Santa. Hopefully I'll find WiFi near my cousin's apartment. May we meet again, Internet.
¡Hasta Luego!

Brian