How to pack an elephant

Today's challenge revolved around packing. Any good traveler knows you need your passport, tooth brush and of course the sunscreen. Troop 1292's luggage however, includes over 300 pounds of books, art & education supplies!

As we made final preparations for the trip we asked our advisor in Jamaica, Kaye, if there was anything special the schools might need in the way of supplies. She asked if it might be possible for us to bring 50 copies of a coloring sheet as the kids love to color but don't have many opportunities. The girls decided that they would not bring 50 coloring sheets, instead they wanted to bring 50 coloring books! That idea morphed in to a picture book and art supply drive that thanks to the generosity of the Orchard community was a resounding success!

The next trick was figuring out how to get it all to the schools. Shipping it would be very expensive and   there is no guarantee the boxes would actually make it to their final destination. (Apparently, the Jamaican version of the USPS is not as dependable or honest as ours.) So, taking it with us on the plane became the obvious choice. Knowing we have to go through customs, the trick is not to have to pay duty on anything so I've been practicing different reasons we will have 8 different suitcases full of education and art supplies. What do you think?

1. I have to have plenty of things to keep 7 teenaged girls busy for a week. Bored girls are cranky girls ya know!

2. The resort we are staying at does not have a TV and suggested we bring something to help us pass the time in the evenings since going "clubbing" is not an option.

3. I apologize officer. I asked the girl's parents to check their luggage before they left for unnecessary items. Obviously, that did not happen!

4. Extra? Heck, this is just a little light reading for the beach! What can I say? We all like to read.

Alexa and Gillian did a great job of co-chairing the drive and a great job of packing it.  With any luck our calculations aren't too far off and all of our bags are under the 50lb weight limit. Keep your fingers crossed my bathroom scale isn't as far off as I always think it is each morning. :)

So how exactly do you pack an elephant? Why you break it into 30-45lb chunks, zip it into donated suitcases with a few pairs of donated shoes on top as a disguise, and send it through customs with seven teen aged girl scouts!