The time has come: I've got my bus ticket, my bags are almost ready, leaving me to tie up a few loose ends before I finally get out of Mexico City again. The title to this post, by the way, has been inspired by a guy staying at the same hostel as I, back when I had just arrived in Mexico. Every morning he would announce his departure with these well rhyming words, much to everyone's delight, because in the end he'd end up hanging out for just one more night...

So, while I certainly enjoy the sound of the phrase, I'm making sure that I don't fall into the same trap. But how could I? There are some wonderful friends waiting for me in Mazunte, with an exciting building project. The big downside of course is leaving my wife here, as well as my little dog. And yes, I'm going to miss them, in fact, it almost feels like I'm missing them already.

Letting My Steem Work While I Can't

The other thing dominating my mood is this nagging feeling of having forgotten something. Which is part of the reason for writing this post. On the Steem end I have just completed a bigger reorganization, something that has been overdue for a while: Just like during my last absence, I delegated out most of my SP, leaving a mere two cents worth at full power. Unlike the last time, my delegation is going out to communities and tribes, where I know that my SP can stay more active than what I'll most likely be. The other difference is that I've set up a great deal of autovotes, to individuals and organizations alike, so that even my two cents can remain busy. As for my tokens on SteemEngine, I staked most of what I've earned over the last months. So I feel pretty good about being a bit less active.

This of course doesn't mean I won't be writing posts at all. Should we actually go ahead with the week-long fast, I want to be posting about it daily. We'll have to see how the logistics work out, of both the fast and the daily posting. Once we get into the build, however, I want to make sure to write some detailed documentation, with lots of pics, if not videos. Though my experience suggests that realistically this means a post once or twice a week.

Gearing Up

As far as packing, I'm quite certain I've got everything ready. Actually, it almost seems like I'm taking my most useful possessions with me. That's certainly true for camping gear: along with my ultralight tent roll I'm bringing my ultra heavy black tent, with enough cordage to... No, one can never have enough cordage! This tent has proven useful on numerous occasions for the kitchen, or some other such community purpose. Of course the four pieces take up half my big sea sack. Contrasting that, my rolled up small tent fits perfectly inside my sleeping mat, and the sleeping bag is more a case of better have one and not need it than vice versa. I'm pretty sure most of the time the two ripped-up silk liners will do just fine to cover me for a good night's sleep.

Safety First

Since I'll be doing some heavy toiling, I'm taking a pair of good boots, a hat to keep my head in the shade, a brace to protect my back when lifting stuff, ear plugs just in case we use noisy machines, shatter-proof wraparound sunglasses, a pair of well-padded fingerless gloves (from the bicycle market), and of course my blades. (Okay, the Opinel is more for preparing food rather than work.) Finally, my oversized wash set is actually a neat first aid kit. The kinda stuff we hope will not come to be needed, but just in case, it's good to be prepared.

Easy on the Garb

When it comes to clothes, the hot and humid climate of Mazunte doesn't require much. If anything, less is more. Three pairs of shorts are enough: a clean one, a raggedy one, and one for swimming. I'm pretty sure they'll be switching categories before soon. Until my skin accommodates to the sun, I'll have to put on a shirt occasionally. White is of course best, and button-down proves to be more loose and airy than T-shirts. Perfect opportunity to use up my shirts that are not as dressy as they once were... A few pairs of boxers, but the most important items of clothing are socks! So I'm taking all of my comfy hiking socks... in fact I may go out and buy an extra pair! Finally a pair of flip-flops and a rain jacket for the unlikely event. Done.

My Favorite Toys

This leaves me only with my electronics. The former camera bag from the thrift store, which had become my handlebar bag on my bike trip, is ideal to keep all my gadgets together: my external hard drive, the solar-charger battery pack, the USB keyboard for my phone, a small speaker, my mouse, a WiFi antenna, as well as a bunch of cables and adapters. At first I thought about leaving my lap-top at home, especially since its battery is completely dead, so I can't even turn it on if not plugged in. On a second thought, however, I decided to take it. I may not use it a lot, but I know the feeling of wishing I had it with me instead of leaving it at home.

I Almost Forgot!

Ah, and let me not forget which almost slipped my mind (it was a good idea to write this post after all): my live cultures! My friends have asked me to bring them some kombucha, tibicos, and kefir cultures, so we can make them on the property. They are still in the fridge, as I don't want to expose them to more stress than necessary.

Ready to Go!

I'm glad how I managed to fit everything into my faux navy sea sack, save for all my important stuff in my small backpack. A glance on the scale reveals my big pack to be 27 kg (60 lbs), way beyond what any self-respecting airline would let me check in. Fortunately, Mexican bus companies are not so picky in this regard.

So that's it, I guess. I'm ready to go. Everything is taken care of, and my next post will be from sunny Mazunte.