The trip is eight days away. Wheeeeeeeeeeee! But to be honest, it hasn’t hit me at all. I just feel like I’m visiting my parents for a bit, going on a short vacation to Peru and then returning to “normal” life in the States. I truly don’t think any of this will hit me until after Macchu Pichu at the beginning of October; that’s when we have no hostel booked, no bus ticket in our pocket and no plan in mind. (Can’t wait for that moment!)
That said, I knew just how much I needed to get done while at home, so interspersed with visits from my best friends Sara and Avni and a going-away lunch with my extended family, I began to attack my to-do list, which includes Amazon shopping, yet another shot and less fun nitty gritty tasks.
{My mom ordered this from our supermarket because, let’s face it, supermarket cakes are da bomb}
Here’s a look at my list, with what I’ve finished and what’s left to take care of during my last week at home:
Clothes/Toiletries
Buy ExOfficio underwear (bought one in a weird green since it was half the price!)
Buy OTC medicine
Buy insect repellant
Buy Lush shampoo and conditioner bars
Buy crossbody bag
Buy eyeliner (my friends know it’s my lifeline)
Gear
Buy sleeping liner
Buy travel towel
Buy storage cubes
Buy money belt
Buy rain cover for backpack
Find cheap Velcro wallet
Meds
Get probiotic pills (I tried drinking the probiotic yogurt drink Kefir, but it gave me such a stomach ache.)
Sign up for health insurance
Get flu shot
Fill prescriptions
Tech
Find a photo storage solution (considering SmugMug)
Apply screen protector for iPad
Buy Kindle books
Miscellaneous
Square away remaining NYC utility bills
Eat at Don Pablo’s, my favorite suburban Mexican restaurant
Change all my billing and mailing addresses to my parents’ address
Pack all my clothes + junk into neat, labeled boxes
Spanish lessons (working on it 5 days a week; go me!)
Jot down important contact numbers
Print out important documents
Haircut (Wednesday!)
Send scanned copies of passport to friends
Take passport pictures (needed for various visas along the way)
Buy Luna and granola bars
Pick out all my Indian clothes for my cousin’s February wedding in Hawaii (my mom will bring them)
Exchange money
Movie with my mom
Family dinner at Bertucci’s, my other favorite suburban restaurant
Call my friends to say goodbye
–Archana
Love this!!! “Buy eyeliner (my friends know it’s my lifeline)”