Packing for Quito (21 August)

Partially packed

Trying to figure out what to take in two suitcases is tough.  The airlines charge extra for large suitcases and have a weight limit of 50 pounds.  I used two medium-sized suitcases with swivel rollers.  Those rollers came in handy. 

Fully packed after about 3 hours work

Someone told me to pack half of each item in one suitcase and half in the other.  That way if one happened to get lost you would have at least half your clothes.  So I did that.  I figured it ended up being some kind of inoculation against lost bags, because there they both sat at the Quito airport when I arrived.

Fulbright said that they would pay for a second bag, which costs $70.  I thought Fulbright prepaid it, but United claimed that it was not, so out came the credit card.  I’ll see if Fulbright will reimburse me when I get to Quito.

Short and long sleeve shirts, nice pants, chinos, and jeans, ties, dress coat, tees, pajamas, shoes (nice, informal, running, sandals), medicine (getting 120 days worth from the insurance company was a pain).  I ended up scanning a number of needed textbooks, the books are just too heavy and bulky to take.  Laptop, mouse, power cords, handhelds, phone.

You don’t need an adapter for power in Quito, they’re on 110 and the outlets are the same.  Also you don’t need to convert currency, they use the US dollar.