I am in LOVE with R.E.I. I have spent the last several hours there with my mother, shopping for my India trip. I found the MOST amazing sleeping bag EVER (it will allow me to survive in up to -5 degrees Fahrenheit) and a bright orage rain jacket (too cool, I know) and a bunch of ill-fitting pants that are ill-fitting on purpose because that means they are loose enough that I can hike up the Himalayas in them. And a bunch of ill-fitting tops that are also ill-fitting on purpose, because that means I can layer them without stretching and ripping them. And a few sprts bras and a sepcial towel that is smaller than a washcloth when folded up and a sick-nasty metal waterbottle. The challenge now is to fit it all in my pack. I have a grand total of… let’s see… 4500 cubic centimeters. Which sounds like a lot but isnt. But I guess that’s why they tell us we’re only allowed to bring:

• A grand total of 2 pairs of pants (for a month)
• A pair of shorts
• 5 whole shirts (this includes tank tops, short sleeved, and long sleeved)
• A raincoat
• A pair of hiking boots
• 4 pairs of underwear, tops
• No more than 3 bras
• Not much else

And it’s a it doubtful as to whether we’ll have any opportunity to come in contact with washing machines, seeing as how there’s not too much electricity on the trail at 17,000 feet. But I don’t even care. Because I’m going to INDIA!!! I finally have the shit I need to go, it’s actually happening, there are less than 8 weeks til we leave. Omgosh. So excited I’m about to pee my pants for real just thinking about it. Oh man. I need to go work off some of that nervous energy hiking or looking up stuff about the Himalayas online. Otherwise I’m just gonna keep on babbling about how excited I am here and going nowhere. So yeah. Bye now.