Domesticity Friday #2: Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

Five Things You Should Think About Bringing With You If You're Going On Retreat*
*in honor of the retreat that I'm going to attend this weekend.

• Antihistamines. Chances are, even if the place you're going to has a first-aid box, there's a good chance that they might not be able to stock enough allergy meds - or if they do have it, it may not be the ones you want or need. Take enough antihistamines to carry you through the span of the retreat if you're allergy-prone. Same goes for cold medicines and feminine hygiene products if you're a girl.
• Bug repellent. This is especially important here in Hawaii because you'll never know when you'll go on a hike or stay in a place where you get exposed to mosquitos and other nasty critters. Forego the glam and go for the hard-core stuff - Avon's Bug Guard Plus comes with SPF 30 so you can do double duty.
• Portable aromatherapy. Rub a little something on your temples and no one will be the wiser. Lush has a range of temple balms that come in little tins, which are easier to carry than oil vials. I've been using Whoosh to help me stay focused and open-minded, and a few Lush-ies I've met since the stores opened in Waikiki and Ala Moana swear by Dream Time to help them sleep. In a pinch, it's OK to use Vicks or Tiger Balm, but only in small doses or you'll give everyone else on your retreat major Grandma flashbacks.
• A journal. When you're in a quiet place of reflection, those thoughts and ideas in your head will only get louder and louder, so it's nice to have an outlet. A laptop or Palm Pilot would be useless because 1) you might not have wireless access where you're going, and 2) even if you do get a signal, do you really want to be reminded of all the people you're trying to get away from during your retreat? (Plus, I can hear you non-local folks saying it from here: Hellloooooo! You're on RETREAT, in HAWAII. The implications of this statement just goes without saying.) An unruled journal can also act as a sketchbook - Borders always has nice bound journals with blank pages on sale.
• An open mind. Because, hey, you'll never know.