Gear and clothes checklist
Well, travel is always a good excuse to blow wads of cash on new toys and clothes (although I suspect that for women the order would be reversed). I hold myself as no exception. The planned checklist for disaster follows. I'll update this post with notes if anything here proves exceptionally useful or a total waste of time..
LUGGAGE:
Victorinox (Swiss Army) 24" wheeled backpack with day bag. I have used a wheeled Victorinox pull-along bag for a couple of years now, and I travel a lot for work. I used to get new luggage every year, but this brand is bullet-proof. I picked up this backpack version a couple of trips ago, and it's light, strong, and although larger than strictly-allowed carry-on size, I have not been forced to check it yet, as it is capable of squooshing down as long as there are no breakables in there.
DIGITAL GEAR: I am a techno-junkie (witness: this blog), so I have to keep up my AA-battery consumption even on vacation:
Canon SD400 digital camera: I have an older SD200 I bought for a vacation a few years ago for the same reason. Tiny, tough (metal body), and just enough features to be somewhat versatile. A full function SLR would take better pictures, but I want something that I would never leave behind because it's too bulky. That old SD200 is still working fine, but I wanted the higher zoom more megapixels that the new version has.
1 GB USB/SD memory card: This memory card folds open to turn into a little USB flash drive. How cool is that? I plan to upload my trip pics to an Internet backup site as I go, and this should eliminate having to drag around card readers.
Garmin Etrex Legend C pocket GPS: Total geekout. But it's loaded with street maps for most of the urban areas I aim on visiting, so at least I'll be able to find my way back to my hotel after too much pinot! It also does automobile street navigation, which should ease the worry of deciphering Italian road signs somewhat. And on top of that, I'm hoping to try out a little bit of geocaching in Tuscany!
IPOD 20GB: Two weeks into a Spain/Portugal trip a few years back, the desire to hear English again was strong enough to make listening to a 1970's Nostalgia radio station palatable. No Carpenters and Carol King on this trip...
PodFreq iPod cradle: acts as a protective case for the iPod, transmits FM to any frequency I want, and accepts a mini-USB connection as a charger input.
Blackberry 7100: It works in Europe, so it's coming along as an emergency use cell phone.
Wall and Car chargers with mini USB output; these will allow charging and plugged-in use of the iPod, GPS, phone and camera.
ANALOG GEAR: Nobody has digitized this stuff (yet):
Toiletries:
Toiletry bag with:
razor, blades, toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, clippers, tweezers,
bandages, moleskin, aspirin, pit-stick,
Quick-dry camp towel (don't panic!)
Laundry soap bar and holder
Kevin soap bar and holder
CLOTHES:
3 pair quick-dry hiking pants of various thickness, suitable for layering.
2 quick dry T-shirts.
2 long sleeve quick dry shirts.
Waterproof jacket/shell with hood.
All-weather vest.
4 pair quick dry hiking socks.
4 pair quick dry boxers.
Baseball cap.
MISC:
Silk sleeping bag liner.
Two compression bags (for clean and dirty clothes).
Net bag to keep loose socks and underwear together.
LUGGAGE:
Victorinox (Swiss Army) 24" wheeled backpack with day bag. I have used a wheeled Victorinox pull-along bag for a couple of years now, and I travel a lot for work. I used to get new luggage every year, but this brand is bullet-proof. I picked up this backpack version a couple of trips ago, and it's light, strong, and although larger than strictly-allowed carry-on size, I have not been forced to check it yet, as it is capable of squooshing down as long as there are no breakables in there.
DIGITAL GEAR: I am a techno-junkie (witness: this blog), so I have to keep up my AA-battery consumption even on vacation:
Canon SD400 digital camera: I have an older SD200 I bought for a vacation a few years ago for the same reason. Tiny, tough (metal body), and just enough features to be somewhat versatile. A full function SLR would take better pictures, but I want something that I would never leave behind because it's too bulky. That old SD200 is still working fine, but I wanted the higher zoom more megapixels that the new version has.
1 GB USB/SD memory card: This memory card folds open to turn into a little USB flash drive. How cool is that? I plan to upload my trip pics to an Internet backup site as I go, and this should eliminate having to drag around card readers.
Garmin Etrex Legend C pocket GPS: Total geekout. But it's loaded with street maps for most of the urban areas I aim on visiting, so at least I'll be able to find my way back to my hotel after too much pinot! It also does automobile street navigation, which should ease the worry of deciphering Italian road signs somewhat. And on top of that, I'm hoping to try out a little bit of geocaching in Tuscany!
IPOD 20GB: Two weeks into a Spain/Portugal trip a few years back, the desire to hear English again was strong enough to make listening to a 1970's Nostalgia radio station palatable. No Carpenters and Carol King on this trip...
PodFreq iPod cradle: acts as a protective case for the iPod, transmits FM to any frequency I want, and accepts a mini-USB connection as a charger input.
Blackberry 7100: It works in Europe, so it's coming along as an emergency use cell phone.
Wall and Car chargers with mini USB output; these will allow charging and plugged-in use of the iPod, GPS, phone and camera.
ANALOG GEAR: Nobody has digitized this stuff (yet):
Toiletries:
Toiletry bag with:
razor, blades, toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, clippers, tweezers,
bandages, moleskin, aspirin, pit-stick,
Quick-dry camp towel (don't panic!)
Laundry soap bar and holder
Kevin soap bar and holder
CLOTHES:
3 pair quick-dry hiking pants of various thickness, suitable for layering.
2 quick dry T-shirts.
2 long sleeve quick dry shirts.
Waterproof jacket/shell with hood.
All-weather vest.
4 pair quick dry hiking socks.
4 pair quick dry boxers.
Baseball cap.
MISC:
Silk sleeping bag liner.
Two compression bags (for clean and dirty clothes).
Net bag to keep loose socks and underwear together.
posted by Kevin Batycki at
10:16 PM
2 Comments:
You geek! Quick, if all of the gadgets you are bringing were turned on at the same time, what would the instantaneous demand be? I'm guessing more than the circuits in some hotel rooms you'll be staying in can handle...
And yes, I'm jealous you will be playing with all those toys...
By
Unknown, at 7:10 AM
Did you not pack condoms too?
By
Anonymous, at 10:44 PM
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