Rucksack rules

First, has anyone ever heard of a rucksacker's hostel? I didn't think so. From now on we'll refer to it as a backpack.

Who knew there were so many rules? So many sizes? So many things you're just supposed to know about backpacking? I didn't! Neither did Bindi. I suspect the guy in Black's was having a great laugh at our expense when he sold us 30-litre packs. I took mine back the next day after being laughed out of the house by Sarah and Darren. Bindi spent all week telling us all how she could fit all she needed into her 30-litre pack. She spent all day Sunday complaining she couldn't fit all she needed into it. After upgrading to the 55-litre number I was quite pleased with myself, and then packed my laptop, four books, handbag, wallet, sunglasses, glasses, iPod, notepad, hand cream, lanoline, sun screen and myriad other non-essentails into my hand luggage. Which then became impossible to carry. Big mistake. I'm already plotting what to lose.

That said however, I was quite proud of myself when my backpack weighed in at 12.6 kilos. I am going away for three months and I weighed 12.6 kilos (almost the exact weight of my hand luggage!). Coming home from Australia after one month I had to argue with the check in man that being 14 kilos overweight at 34 kilos was reasonable. That bloody bag is impossible. I am no longer the girl who takes too much stuff on holidays and never gets further than the top layer. I am a backpacker!

Unfortunately I am an overly optimistic backpacker who thought the weather report for Granada this week must be wrong. How could it possibly be 15 degrees in the south of Spain when I cannot fit one more thing into my backpack? Hmmm, for once the weather report was right. I think my one jumper is going to be getting a good work out. The three dresses, two pairs of shorts and two skirts on the other hand, will be well preserved for when it heats up!

I am a backpacker.

The good news is, it's 21 degrees in the sun today. The bad news is it's 16 in the shade. An ancient city of many small lanes and tall buildings, there's lots of shade. Then again, I found a lovely sunny spot in the window of my room at Oasis which I sat in to read my book and came in with a pink chest. Then again, I came in because a whole bunch of builders mixing concrete below kept yelling things in Spanish to me that I didn't understand. See, this is why I have to learn Spanish.

I am a backpacker. For two weeks. Here's to backpakcing!