Packing and Jet Lag

It never fails to confound even the most seasoned traveler - the sense of dread at looking at an empty suitcase and realizing it needs to be full of clothing for your next trip. Here it is, just four days before we leave, and my suitcases are sitting open as I gather my thoughts.

Oh: I'm Lucus, by the way. Middler (2nd Year) M.Div student at Louisville Seminary, with a background in radio. Mutual communication is very important to me - I challenge you not to just read this blog, but interact with us - post comments, thoughts, answer questions, and so on. With sixteen of us going to Israel (and posting about it), you're sure to read a thing or two on this blog that hits your heart. We'd love to hear about it!

We'll be in Israel for 17 days, meaning I need at least two weeks of clothing. Or one week of clothing and laundry supplies... but liquids can't be brought onto a plane, and I'm going to do my best to have only carry-on luggage. The horrors of losing luggage are never overstated, and with the recent bag fees, I've taken to only bringing what I can carry.

Most airlines now allow a "purse" plus a carry-on bag, plus your clothing - so I intentionally load down my clothing and use a backpack as a "purse". In my pockets, I make sure to have an e-reader and a small paperback book, since the e-reader is not permitted during takeoff and landing.

An additional consideration: We'll be flying for nearly 11 hours on the leg from Newark to Israel, and so a neck-pillow will be a big help. Jet lag on this trip will be fairly awful at first: We leave Louisville in the morning, and arrive in Israel in the afternoon of the next day, for a total of 13 hours in flight. The 7 hour time difference is just enough to shift my circadian rhythms, but not enough to be able to start planning for it early. I actually prefer 4-hour or 12-hour shifts to a 7- to 8-hour time shift...

What helpful tricks and tips do you have for dealing with packing woes and jet lag? Do you have an ingenious solution to doing laundry on long trips? Please post your thoughts below!