2 a.m. October 11th (night before departure)

We’re fifteen pounds over weight. Tara’s distraught and adamant that she’s got nothing left that isn’t absolutely necessary.

“What about all the paper samples and the silver boxes full of your design stuff?” I grumble before quickly retreating into my own bag after getting a more than energetic rant about needing everything to continue her graphic and web design business. My leg to stand on is gimpy in light of her previous sleepless nights getting our marketing collateral and web page together, not to mention we’re going to need every penny her freelance projects will provide while we’re in Chile.
I take out some clothes, a few pairs of socks and my fishing boots. “Alright, these weigh three pounds,” I say. “Now your turn.”

She opens her bag and takes out a couple of her prized scarves, retreating on her earlier assertion that as light-weight accessories scarves actually cut down on overall weight by making less clothes necessary, and a few other things.

At wit’s end and with time winding down we look at each other realizing fully for the first time that more than anything every ounce of patience is what we’re really going to need if we stand a chance.