B.Y.O.P .... bring your own _______......

... so ... we are going to the galapagos ...
first we fly to quito ... and stay the night ... then get an early morning flight to the islands ...
so .... if our luggage doesn't make it to quito, will it EVER get to the galapagos AND find us there in our tent? i'm thinking no ... so we are doing all carry ons ....

we are all taking small rolling suitcases that fit in the overhead bin .... and a tradtional carry on ... in my family we call it a go bag ...it's a go bag because you take one anytime you are going somewhere ... so for a road trip, pack your go bag ... for your sister's soccer match, pack a go bag ... for the drive to the grands' house, pack your go bag .... a go bag holds whatever you need to be happy for x amount of time .... usually, a snack, a drink, and some sort of entertainment ....

airplane go bags can't have drinks ... but besides that, so's got it covered ....

top left, moving across.... a nintendo ds .... that's the video game system of choice ... that's in a case with a kirby game, ivy the kiwi, and pokeymon .... then a green glasses case to hold her glasses while she's sleeping .... and a black case with her sunglasses in it ... then her ipod ....and then tiger the bear ......

back to the bottom left, dear dumb diary book .... i think that's since been replace by the first harry potter .... for fear of dear dumb diary being too short for the flight (there are backup books in the luggage) .... next to the book is monopoly deal ... that is my VERY favorite card game .....i told so to bring HER favorite card game, but i think she brought mine so that she'll be able to easily talk me into playing with her .... below those cards (they are in a tootsie roll tin) is extra gum and icebreaker candy ... then her camera on top of a stripedy camera case .... then (my favorite thing in her go bag) her red sleeping mask ... we got it when delta lost ALL our luggage on our trip to england .... and they gave us a sundry bag to make it through, including toothpast, razor, and sleep mask .... and then lastly sophie asked if she could bring a pillow ... i (the mean mommy) said no, space was at a premium and we couldn't bring pillows, we'd just have to trust the airline to give us each one to borrow ... AND yes, in fact, our tents will have pillows on the beds .... promise .... so, sophie found the littlest, organgest, homemadest, tiniest, bebuttoned, eensy weensy pillow ... and demonstrated just exactly how perfect it was for sleeping while sitting up .... and if it space is at a premium, it'll actually fit in her pocket ... so there you go ... byop ... bring your own pillow ....

i wonder if anyone in the whole wide world history of the galapagos islands has ever brought a five inch orange felt buttoned pillow to visit ?

what can't you leave behind when you travel?