Luggage update

I've found it useful to carry a small paper or plastic bag for food and other items I need to access quickly (e.g., food, Kleenex, cleansing wipes, jacket when I'm not wearing it, etc.).  Today I stumbled upon a Mont Bell store so bought a more permanent lightweight nylon tote.

I'm still carrying my Tortuga backpack on my back and daypack on my front; total weight, including the tote, drinking water, and food is about 30 pounds; more weight than I'd like to carry but good exercise, especially with the many train and subway station stairs:) Weight includes 1-2 pounds of dry laundry detergent; something I use about every other day to wash clothes in the sink; it's hard to find small containers of laundry detergent so I bought some in Korea and been carrying it since; will discard before my flight to Singapore. Airport security was very suspect of this detergent when I flew from Korea to Japan:)

At the Mont bell store I also purchased a 48" foam, sleeping pad; guess I'm getting old but laying on concrete floors at temples and meditation centers is so painful on my hips and knees that I can't sleep; need to ensure I get some sleep at the upcoming retreat. I also purchased a pair of slip-on Merrill waterproof shoes and an umbrella; it has been raining a lot and the meditation retreat I'm going to next week said to bring rain shoes and umbrella. To partially offset the weight and bulk of all these new items I'm giving away or discarding my extra pair of eyeglasses (Rx is old), sunglasses, hand sanitizer liquid, compact clothesline, and vapur collapsible water bottle. Hard to part with this stuff but I'm determined to keep the weight and bulk of my luggage to a minimum; will probably discard more before leaving Japan.

Its getting cold in Japan and it chills the bones when it rains but I should be able to get by with my lightweight arcteryx jacket for my remaining 16 days in Japan; hopefully accomodations at the 10-day meditation retreat will be warm:) the new gloves should help:)

December 1st I move to Singapore so I'm reluctant to add any more warm clothes to my luggage. In fact, I've been considering what to do with my new waterproof shoes, jacket, and warm clothes while I'm in SE Asia for 3 months- carry, storage, or donate - not sure. Each time I repack to move to a new location I think about which items in my luggage I can leave behind:) It's liberating knowing I'm carrying everything I need to live; also keeps me from acquiring stuff:)