Circus Ninja wakes up the elephants

I got a job in Hong Kong.

Without blowing her own cover, Circus Ninja has access to summer jobs now and just scored an amazing one. Her parents are plotzing with pride, so you know she won't be cleaning up elephant poop or rigging ropes from the ceiling (nor cycling without a helmet, or putting away less than 6% in savings, or other things that make them nervous.) No, it's one of those "respectable" jobs, but the adventure involved in getting there is so massive that she's up at 3am thinking about it.
Here is the wrinkle: how to PACK.

nine days: Ireland in June, will need workout clothes
nine days: Norway in June, will freeze a$$ off no matter what packed (see "Iceland in June", 2013)
ten days: Vietnam in June/July (parents are panicking) (it is not 1975) (aren't you glad I didn't say Bangkok?)
23 days: Hong Kong in July, will need to dress like neither circus nor ninja

Three of these countries are new, so: 49, 50, 51

The wheelie suitcase Mom gave me in...gosh...2003?...has seen a lot of miles and is ideal for all parts of the trip except Vietnam. (Mom: "Well that's a sign if ever there was one." Me: "Mom, I went surfing at dusk in shark-infested waters. I live on frozen burritos and haven't eaten a vegetable since the first Obama administration. My apartment doesn't have any cups and I drink water out of a Heineken bottle. I recently daisy-chained a power strip so I could plug in my space heater. What exactly do you think is happening in Vietnam, specifically, that poses a health risk?")

The blue backpack just feels...right...for reasons perhaps having to do with traveler vanity. I just feel more mobile and less conspicuous - with so little stuff, I must be from around here, right? I won't be fooling anyone in Vietnam but at least I'll be light on my feet with both hands free.

Thanks for letting me think out loud, folks; it's decided. Blue backpack. And a boatload of plastic bags to keep things organized in there.

I can barely bring myself to start the next post, which I recommend you skip anyway. Lists and lists and revised lists of clothes, in indecipherable shorthand ["bird dress" (regular old dress with birds on it) ..."skort" (look it up; you need one of these...)]. Maybe I should ease in by starting with the toiletries. Here is what I think I can get away with for two months:

tinted lip gloss (one red, one pink)
toothbrush and toothpaste
mascara
concealer
mini hair brush
sunscreen (look, Mom! Sunscreen!!)

blotting papers

handi-wipes

quart and gallon sized plastic bags

There's that old familiar feeling. For two straight months, I will be elsewhere. What do I need? What do I absolutely need in order to feel like the barest presentable version of myself? What will I find out this time, in the space created?

The elephants are waking up.