Preparations and Puppets

In one week, I'm going to be in Venezuela! This week I got to meet up with the 2 lovely ladies I will be travelling with and got to see some pictures of some of the people we are going to meet. And the beach we are going to visit. Today I got my Hep A shot, and I am slowly getting stocked up on supplies. Apparently this is the wrong season to buy bugspray, nobody in Sylvan is carrying what I need. I went to the hardware store tonight and when I asked if they have bug spray, one lady told me to just open my windows. Seriously. I kindly explained that I'm taking a trip and then she told me to buy some "Skin So Soft" from an Avon lady. I know that it does work on Canadian mosquitos but something tells me that "skin so soft" has not been tested in repelling insects and mosquitos of the tropical variety. I hate using bug spray with deet, because yes...I'm a health freak. But since I opted not to get my yellow fever vaccination I figured I will need to take better precautions than citronella and....skin so soft. Next on my list is to get stocked up on travel supplements and vitamins because yes...I'm a health freak. It just seems like there's lots of little things I need to remember to pack, plus lots of big things to pack. In addition to the craft supplies I'm taking down, we are taking some books in spanish, and 4 puppets have been entrusted to my care. I'm trying to figure out how to pack these puppets in a way that doesn't make me look like a travelling ventriloquist. Until I figure out what do do with them, they're lying limply in the backseat of my car, staring blankly into space, their mouths open in frozen laughter. Scary.