Wow. In a mere 5 weeks I’ll be hopping a plane for adventure. Crazy? Some say yes. I say “crazy AWESOME!” The journey starts May 22nd I won’t be back until mid-July. Yes, indeed, it’s just about “Go time!”
A-type personality that I am, all airfare is purchased, visa arrived today and I’ll be wrapping up immunizations by early May. I’ve been a busy online shopping fiend and have purchased (on sale, of course) 99.999% of my gear. I opted for quick dry items that can be layered for the cooler climates or worn solo in the hotter temps. I’m trying most of the items now to make sure they really hold up as described before I make the final commitment for the trip. I also splurged on a ScotteVest. What, you haven’t heard of a ScotteVest? Think Indiana Jones meets Steve Wozniak. With over 40 pockets, including capacity for iPad, iPhone and an RFID-proof pocket, it provides capacity as an extra carry on without being an actual carryon. It’s comfy, it washes well and I LOVE IT! I wore the vest during 3 recent business trips to the Bay Area and it really helped free up space in my actual carry ons without weighing me down. Is it slenderizing? Eh, not so much. But when you consider I am typically the family pack mule, I fully accept I’m trading fashion for function. And you know what? I’m good with that.
So, what now? Well, I spent today packing my backpack with clothes and gear to take me from Baltimore, MD (3 nights) to Iceland (5 nights), then on to Amsterdam (3 nights), Spain (3.5 weeks), Germany (6 nights) and Kenya (10 days). That’s a lot of climates to cover with just under 4,000 cubic inches of capacity, but I knew heading into this I would have to pack smart and pack light. My initial packing list looked like this when I was considering the Camino de Santiago in Spain for 8 weeks:
What to pack:
-two 1L bottles for water (the plastic kind that WON’T give you cancer)
– a microfiber swim towel (they are like a sham-wow, but actually work)
– a sewing kit (needles can be used to pop blisters and pick out splinters)
– bandaids/moleskin (for said blisters)
– a rain poncho
– sunglasses, baseball cap
– good hiking/walking shoes
– post hike shoes
– quick dry shirt, shorts/pants, and a post-hike dress. MAYBE underwear.
– sunscreen, mosquito repellant
– hand sanitizer
– sleep mask/ear plugs (I will be sleeping in hostels with fat, snoring pilgrims. And,yes, I SNORE)
– maybe a razor to shave my legs? this is a “maybe”
– inflatable pillow
– toothbrush/toothpaste/deodorant/bar of soap
– camera
– pen/pencil, notebook
– euros, baby!
Leave the rest of your bag open to a great adventure, friendship, and great food.
Well, since then my itinerary has changed but still maintains a deliciously healthy dose of time in Spain. I have had to adjust my packing list to take these different climates & terrains into account. A cashmere sweater and layers will help me thru Iceland and the cooler temps in Amsterdam and Germany. I’ve incorporated permethrin treated clothing to keep mosquitoes, tse tse flies and generally creepy biting bugs at bay. Clothing with high SPF-rating is just a general bonus for anyplace sunny. A lightweight raincoat is a must for all of the destinations. Oh, get this, I am ditching the makeup bag (yes, you read that correctly). If the need strikes I’ll just find some eyeliner and mascara at a local drug store. Hey, why NOT embrace my natural beauty? And, of course, somewhere in my pack will be a bathing suit.
Technology? Well, yes, there’s room for those items – iPhone, iPad & laptop will be used to keep you updated on the adventure, experiences & photos. I’ll have everything I need to stay current and connected….on MY terms.
Between now and May 22nd, I will continue to re-evaluate both the quality of my clothing & gear, as well as the space they take up in my pack. I’d rather under pack than overpack, especially since I can’t really think of anything that wouldn’t be available for purchase in most of my destinations.
The biggest upside to getting the packing list squared away this early is….it’s done! And now I can finish out other pre-trip to do items, including hiking around my neighborhood in my pre-packed pack!
On to the next item on the list. See you soon. Tick tock!
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