Amazon Shopping Spree

I'm quite excited about my little purchase today. I've recently become enamored with Amazon.com. It's one-stop-shopping for everything under the sun. The best part of it is that there is no sales tax, items are already cheaper than they would be in the stores, and free shipping! So, today I bought 2 travel books by Lonely Planet. The first one is on travel writing, so that I can entertain you all with better, more insightful blog posts (and who knows, maybe I can get something published while I am abroad) and a travel photography book. As many of you know I am in love with photography, so this trip will provide me with an endless array of new scenes and events to capture.

I also bought a new watch, since my old one needs a new battery and if I send it in now I definitely won't have it back in time for my trip. I ordered a Citizen Eco-Drive watch. It may end up being the coolest piece of technology I own (maybe even better than my cameras or my Mac - that's saying alot!). It runs completely off solar energy! I'll never have to buy another watch battery ever again. Once it's charged it's supposed to be able to last for 6 months in the dark before it needs to be recharged. How they test that and why it needs to last for 6 months in total darkness is beyond me - they had me at solar powered! So, as a duty to the Earth, I bought an environmentally friendly watch. (Who knows what the actual carbon footprint is of my watch, but it's nice to think that its close to zero because its solar powered).

So, along with my Mandela autobiography, I now have 3 books to read before or during my first week in South Africa. And along with my Rough Guide to South Africa, I'm taking 4 books with me. My backpack is getting heavier by the day.