Get pumped (and packed)!

Thanks to an awesome Christmas present from my parents, my new Mac enabled me to video chat with Davis tonight -- the Sunday before our departure to South America.  After a few technical glitches - okay, maybe it was the operators' faults - we settled into our rooms to show each other our Keen shoes, favorite t-shirts and scary bikinis as we decided which items were going to make it into our bags.  It was a pretty funny scene pausing with each clothing item in front of the computer, showing the other person, and making a joint decision about what made the cut.  My friend Becca who I met studying abroad in Spain during my junior year in college loaned me her sweet backpack for the trip - it has a mini-backpack on the front for day trips - thanks, Bex!

As we lamented about stuffing our winterized bodies into skimpy bikinis, our excitement mounted with the anticipation of the unbelievable journey.  "Can you believe it's this week?" we kept asking each other, between squeals of joy.  Bags packed with plenty of athletic apparel and travel gear, we hit the hay on Sunday night ready for the week ahead to fly.

I'm usually not a good packer - does anyone have any packing advice?  How do you bring all the right things without bringing too much?