I've been doing a lot of shopping lately. Thanks to my friend Maggie, who gave me expert advice on what to buy, I put down a large wad of cash at Mountain Equipment Coop the other day - lots of warm stuff (down sleeping bag, thermals) in preparation for the cold winter I'll be arriving into in Nepal. What else? Shoes, towels, a water filter, a camping headlight (not to be confused with my surgical headlamp), a down jacket, etc. Fortunately, it sounds like I can get a lot of toiletry items in Kathmandu, so I'm not too worried about that. Anti-perspirant is apparently hard to come by, though. Pharma Plus to the rescue...this week I found my favourite anti-perspirant in jumbo size on sale for $2.50 each (normally about $5.99). So I scooped up all the ones they had...at 4 different stores! I should be covered in that department now :)
I've actually packed one of my suitcases for Nepal, and will be sending it with someone going there next week. That makes me pretty happy, both because it makes it feel that much more real, and because it will really help me out since I'm sure I'll still be well over my luggage allowance when I head over. So to send a 20 kg suitcase with someone else is a huge blessing. I did make a list for myself of everything in there - I don't trust my brain enough these days to remember.
Packing tip: in case you find yourself traveling overseas in the future, especially for an extended period of time: pack things inside plastic containers and/or Ziplock bags - the more the better! They're light, and they're like gold when you're overseas. I also decided that a light large duffle bag on wheels is a better option than my giant suitcase...gives a lot more wiggle room for those weight restrictions that you can exceed so easily. (P.S. if anyone else has any packing tips for me, send 'em along!)
I've also started packing up my apartment, and it's amazing to me how much STUFF I have! It's a bit overwhelming, actually, since I was planning to store whatever stuff I'm keeping in my parents' basement. They have space, but the thought of how much I have is making me a bit nauseous. I'm purging a lot, but there's still a lot, especially books! I guess that's a family trait, since my dad has probably about 20 bookshelves full of books, himself. I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all at the moment, but I do have a month to take care of it all, and if I do it little by little I'll get there eventually.
I'm still doing some orthopedics, and that's going well. I'm really glad I'm doing it - I'm kind of starting from scratch, and there's a lot to learn, so I'm thankful for a head start. I'm also getting a smattering of other experiences...some obstetrics and gynecology, plastic surgery, ENT, etc, all of which will serve me well.
Smattering: "A small amount of something" (thanks, Google).
