Gate 3B still messes me up too, and I've done that same complex at least 50 times. It's like our brains just decide little stuff like that isn't worth remembering.

Wow, that's actually really interesting and scary at the same time. I think the pressure to get that first lift done fast is real because everyone's watching and waiting. But rushing is exactly how you miss something simple like a loose pin or a bad sling angle. Why wouldn't you just take the extra two minutes to be sure, you know? Maybe we all need to treat that first pick like it's the most dangerous one of the whole day, because apparently it is.

$2 a ton offsets are basically just buying a sticker, not capturing anything real.

Renting a quiet room with a locked door solved the WiFi and distraction problems for me.

Let the bag shrink and watch how people treat you differently. @the_kim nails it about space you take up in the world. I went from a 40L to a 22L and suddenly locals stopped side-eyeing me in tiendas and started asking where I was headed. You stop being a tourist with a mountain on your back and start being just another person moving through their city. That shift in how you carry yourself changes everything about a trip.