What I Take In My Backpack

2 shorts, 2 tank tops, 1 T-shirt, 2 underwear, 1 pr socks (and after 9 days--boy, do they smell!), 1 light skirt, 2 bathsuits and cover up/shawl that I use to cover my head and shoulders from the sun, water sandals (Tevas), sneakers, flip flops, 15 SPF sunscreen, notepad and pen with duct tape around it, machete, 3x12oz bottles of water, sunglasses, hat, trimmed maps, pesos and USD, credit card, driver license, passport, plane tickets, child size toothbrush with dental floss wrapped around, shampoo, mosquito net, hammock, 1 cargo pants (for plane and jungle), 1 bandana, digital camera, deodorant, razor, small brush, trail mix, travel Spanish book, tissues, medications such as pea size antibiotic and hydrocortizone creams in sterile microfuge tubes, 4x Immodium AD, 4x Tylenol, 2xback pills, 2x Benadryl, 4x Excederine, a fanny pack and a light canvas bag, large trash bag, and Maine post cards for locals.

By the way, this picture has a story: One early morning, I washed my clothes in a hotel and tied them off the back of my backpack. After breakfast, we caught a collectivo in town to get to the beach, and the collectivo was full of Mexican construction workers--but we were still able to get on, we just had to stand in the front with our backs to the workers. Everybody seemed to be laughing at me. It wasn't until 2 hours later as we were hiking that I realized I left my underwear hanging off my backpack! My clothes were still wet of course, because nothing ever dries in the tropics.