Day 1

The saddest day in my life summed up:

10 kilograms deleted
+ 22 pounds taken
+ 6 kilograms forgiven
- 2 kilograms hidden
+ 3 pairs of shoes discarded
+ 2 pairs of jeans erased
+ 20 assorted items (coffee/creams/potions) obliterated
+ 1 book chucked
+ 1 small bag left
+ 1 coffee mug abandoned
+ forgotten items deserted
= me walking through airport check-in while wearing 4 coats, 1 scarf and 2 pairs of jeans.

This is what happens when you do not double-check information given over the phone. I had 41 kilos walking into the airport and they wanted 25. So today, I discarded ~25% of my belongings… 10% of it went directly to the man watching me throw them away. It is difficult not to feel disappointed though I know that material items are things and we buy/sell/barter/trash things. I know I’m supposed to be above them but when you spend years of your life accumulating things with limited budget… it’s easy to feel a little pain when you see them go.

Was it ignorant/unkind/shallow to think about the need for the airport to implement new weight rules? All of the baggage + passenger’s weight = total allowed. If they really want to keep the plane light and conserve fuel, why should I (@120 pounds) have the same limit as someone twice/thrice/half my weight?