Packing for the tropics on the coldest day of the year

It seems odd to be bustling about the house, rounding up last minute items for our journey to the tropics on the coldest day of the year. An Arctic blast of frigid air has descended upon the Bay Area, yet I'm considering the merits of one swimming suit over another and debating the patterns on loud Hawaiian print short sleeved shirts trying to pick the one I'll wear for three weeks straight. I'm weighing one pair of sandals against another while wearing thick wool socks and insulted slippers. The wood stove is crackling away, but my mind is on the balmy breezes blowing on-shore from a clear blue sea. My mind is on the swaying palm trees and lush tea plantation forests but I am watching the local news telling of snow bound highways and airport delays, and watching the mid-west weather radar to anticipate how delays in flights heading east may affect my imminent departure from the damp but cozy east bay redwoods to the crazed holiday crush of airport travel and the warm desert air of the middle east. I've posted an away message on the e-mail, disconnected the internet service, pulled the plugs on all my various electronic gizmos, and have been voraciously consuming every last bit of fresh food in the fridge so that when I come home I will not be surprised by any exploding containers oozing slime. Ahh, the joys of preparing for an extended tropical vacation. Now, back to my packing list....