Day 320: packing

to no one’s surprise, least of all my own, i left packing until the very last minute so i’m coming up with a list of things to take with me to taiwan 4 hours before leaving for the airport. glad i can easily fall asleep anywhere because i’ll be snoozing it up in the sky

i’m taking one 46L backpack and a suitcase. half of the suitcase is taken up by the two week’s worth of huel that i purchased for my 15 day quarantine. not sure how i’ll feel about huel coming out of quarantine — either i’ll love it or not want to touch it again for the rest of my life. appreciate that there’s an easy and affordable way to get all my nutrients without hurting animals. we live in the future.

the other half is packed with a mishmash of things. i have a spreadsheet of all the things i’m taking with me (maybe i’ll publish this because i’ve been using a packing list template for years now and it’s super helpful for making sure i don’t forget to pack something), and i’m trying to decide what to take with me that’s not part of the essentials (clothing, toiletries, electronics, etc.)

for example, i’ve packed my climbing shoes and chalk bag because i’m planning to climb again. and i’ve also put in my gi and mouth guard because i haven’t trained bjj since i left japan in 2017 and i’d love to get back into it. i’m also taking my yoga mat (which will be a lifesaver during the quarantine period). but will i really consistently go climbing, train bjj, and do yoga once i’m in taiwan? when i was living in japan, i found it hard to do more than one fitness-related hobby on top of working out regularly and working. and here i am taking enough equipment to do nothing but fitness activities all day long.

i’m quite excited about the prospect of being able to do things in irl spaces and meet new people again because it’s been so darn long since that was a normal thing. oh and working in public spaces!

the day that i leave for taiwan is the day that california’s month-long lockdown + curfew starts. i guess i’ll be in solidarity with my friends here for the first two weeks when i’m guzzling huel and nesting in my hotel room

i feel eerily serene about this transition and i can’t tell whether i’ve just gotten used to making big decisions and living in uncertainty or whether it just hasn’t sunk in that i’m flying one-way to a country halfway around the world where i don’t speak the language

i guess i’ve already done this once before and that turned out great. okay time to get back to packing!