May 29 2009 - Only 79 days to go!

New trip; new blog. Only 79 days until we leave for Geneva. So why, you ask, is Brad already packing? Well, he isn't really -- but it will start any day, I promise you. And, in the meantime, he is packing in his head, I assure you. When you look deeply into his eyes, you can see it happening: socks being folded, underwear being alphabetized, plastic bags being labeled and sorted by size. He is, as with everything else, methodical and uber-organized.

Fortunately, I am here to balance him out. I will pack for our 26-day trip (yes, 26 DAYS!) the night before we leave.

Speaking of packing, I learned a neat trick many years ago in Spain from an old boy friend (as opposed to boyfriend). He brought only disposable underwear, so he could throw it away each day, thus freeing up space in his luggage for the gifts and souvenirs to bring home. By disposable underwear, I do NOT mean "Depends," or some such (plenty of time for that in the years ahead) -- I mean old underwear that he would ordinarily replace; but, instead of replacing it, he simply saves it up for his long trips and then wears it one last time before throwing it in the hotel wastebasket. I now do the same thing. I can only imagine what the maids must think each day. "Stupid rich Americans -- they only wear their underwear once!" The downside of this system, of course, is that if I am ever in an accident while out of the country, they will strip me down to my underwear and think, "Oh...a poor, old American man -- you can tell by these holes in his underwear!"

More later. I need to go pack...only 79 MORE DAYS!