Akumal, just the two of us, August 2015

Here we go again, getting ready to head down to sunny Akumal Mexico for ten days of glorious peace and beauty in the Riviera Maya.

We are scheduled to leave just before midnight Sunday night, August 23rd, to fly through the night to Miami, then onto Cancun, slated to arrive around 10:30 in the morning.  It's time to get the suitcases down and start sorting what we're bringing.  I always over pack, but, I never regret having more than I need.  This is the packing list as it stands right now.

The first aid kit I always bring is comprehensive, and I have used it so many times on different trips to different places.  It includes meds for the following: stomach, pain, sleep, as well as Bandaids, bandages, Neosporin, Betadine, aloe-vera gel, a sewing kit, scissors, N95 masks, bleach wipes, mini Listerine bottle, prescription meds for 13 days, baby wipes, Benadryl

We also bring an emergency kit, especially when traveling to hurricane prone areas.  It includes: paracord, water purification tablets, water filter, collapsible water bottle ,a bic lighter,  a fire starter, sas surival guide, space blankets, ponchos, led flashlight, pre paid long distance card, Swiss army knife, light sticks, safety whistle, and 72 hours of MRE's just in case.

For toiletries we bring sunblock, shampoo, conditioner for Teri (Tim doesn't have enough hair to bother), body wash, deodorant, powder, toothpaste, mouthwash, hair oil for Teri, tanning oil, insect repellent. These are tucked into pockets of a plastic, hanging shoe organizer.  I can then just unroll it and hang it on the closet door in the room. 

For security sake, we always bring documentation such as hard copies of passports and copies on a flashdrive, insurance cards, DL, proof of car insurance, the 24 hour claims number for the ins co, service numbers of the two credit cards we are taking, and a list of emergency contacts with emails. 

In our quart size zip loc bags I bring - hand sanitizer, bath soap, shampoo, conditioner, baby powder, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant.

In my carryon I will bring some snacks and a couple of empty water bottles so we aren't paying a fortune for snacks on the airplane or for bottled water in the terminal.

 Perhaps we are over prepared.  Perhaps we are never going to need most of what we bring. Perhaps not.  We know of one couple who were stranded in Cancun during hurricane Wilma.  They had to leave their hotel room, and were in a storm shelter for a couple of days.  The airport was shut down except for only a few flights per day.  They ended up having to haul their luggage, on their own, on foot to the airport, and waited there until they could get on a flight out.  They were wishing they were as prepared as we always are.  Everything we bring is light weight, compact, and designed for mobility.