This photo should, of course, have been posted in the previous entry. It’s of me discussing the finer points of the combination of shape grammars and genetic algorithms with Leonardo Mori, who is understandably fast asleep. Tamsin, who emailed me the photo today (thank you!), said that she likes it because “it gives you an oddly angelic aspect–very out of character.” I just hope that my grotesque laptop-induced posture does not give Leo nightmares of bespectacled geek-monsters hunching over him for the rest of his life.

I’ll spend the weekend in Tzia for the birthday of Dimitri, an incredibly cool old friend that I hadn’t seen for five years until the London trip. I’ll be staying for two nights (in his converted windmill), and in a surge of all-out über-geek anal retentiveness decided to make this another exercise in “efficient” packing. So stand back, and let me lay all this hotness out for you, on my Japanese lime duvet cover:

1. Aquis microfiber towel, FCUK linen trousers, three H&M T-shirts, a pair of shorts, two changes of underwear, H&M swimming trunks, Muji soft cap.
2. Right Muji flip-flop.
3. Left Muji flip-flop.
4. Sony-Ericsson T610 phone.
5. Humongous UK charger for the T610, made even more massive by the attached plug adapter.
6. 60 GB iPod Photo filled with musical goodness, fully charged.
7. Bag for Dimitri’s present (a lamb T-shirt–shh!)
8. Tissue for dealing with remaining vestiges of last week’s sinusitis.
9. Wet wipes, for all of life’s little accidents.
10. Muji neoprene case, containing Muji sewing kit, MagLite torch, bandages, cotton buds, Lemsip Max Strength sachets, Durex Sensation condoms (tragically close to their expiry date), travel toothbrush and toothpaste, and 6 pairs of daily contact lenses (just in case — I wear them while swimming).
11. Victorinox Swiss army knife, in case.
12. Korres SPF 25 sunscreen, to ensure my pasty skin stays that way.
13. Korres mint tea showergel in Muji travel bottle.
14. Korres laurel and echinacea shampoo in Muji travel bottle.
15. King of Shaves natural deodorant in Muji pump travel bottle.
16. Givenchy Insensé Ultramarine perfume in Muji atomiser.
17. L’Oréal Architect gel (it’s for architects).
18. Travel Scrabble®.
19. Moleskine A6 sketch book with a couple of Muji pens.
20. Glasses in their case.
21. Muji swimming goggles.
22. Pentax Optio S camera, fully charged, in case.
23. Light and, more significantly, thin reading material.

Not in the photo: my brother’s tiny sleeping bag, a bag to hold all this in, cash and cards, house keys, and the outfit I’ll be traveling in.

I have decided to not shave while I’m there, so I didn’t take my shaving utensils, even though they only consist of my new Merkur razor and a shaving cream stick. I have also decided to bet on the iPod’s and the camera’s batteries lasting for the trip in order to avoid packing two more chargers with fat UK plugs (which should be banned). I could also have decided to go commando, topless, and unwashed for the entire trip to make my bag even lighter, but I won’t know most of the people there, so I’m going to start them off with a less offensive version of myself.

Good. Looking forward to seeing all your comments with items I’m forgetting when I get back on Monday afternoon.