Lesson's from traveling abroad: Packing toiletries

When it comes to a long trip, whether at home or abroad, a lot of thought goes into which toiletries to bring and how to pack them.  No one wants lotion spilling on their toothbrush.  No one wants to try and fail to find their favorite lip gloss/deodorant/tampons in another country. And no one wants to be lugging around extra weight in a backpack or a roller case.

Around this time Sar and I were splitting ways.  She was returning to the States and I was setting out for backpacking.  By now, some of my packing mistakes had made themselves clear and lucky for me, Sar was willing to help me out and take stuff back home with her.

Even though I took a lot of unnecessary supplies (you can find brand-name bandaids, toothpaste, and razors even in the less touristy countries like Romania), the Lewis N Clark Hanging Toiletry Case was one thing I got right. 

Lessons from traveling abroad: doing laundry

One year ago I was a few days into my trip and -- being a savvy traveler -- I had packed a limited number of clothes because "You can always do laundry!"  True.  Very true.  While traveling you usually have two options.

1. Pay to use a washing machine.  This is generally outrageous.  In Wales it cost £3 to wash my clothes.  That's roughly $5.  And that was only for the washing machine.  And since everywhere else was more like £5 or $8.50, I took it.  And it was marvelous.  Machine washed clothes.  Glory be.  Such a little luxury after ten weeks of option number two:

2. Wash those clothes in the sink!  It is cheap cheap cheap, and with my tricks it is not so bad.

Regardless of the option you choose, you'll probably have to line-dry your clothes.

Why I almost always use a backpack instead of a suitcase

I highly recommend a backpack over a suitcase for all traveling, but especially long term traveling.  

• If you have to run to catch a plane or a train you just do it; you don't have to worry about tipping over your luggage or tripping someone or running over someone's foot.  
• Getting on and off transport is a lot easier as well because you don't have to try and maneuver an oversized suitcase down the aisle and if a bus or taxi or subway is super crowded you can sit with your luggage in your lap instead of having to wait for the next available ride.  
• They're so much easier to store at your hostel, even the high quality ones with rigid backs.  You just squash them flat and shove them in your locker or under-bed storage.  If you're lucky enough to have a large locker, you don't even have to do that. A few times I was able to just chuck the whole thing inside fully packed and lock it away.  Not to mention how much less room they take up in your closet at home.
• Cobblestones.  Dirt paths.  Construction.  Walking a long distance is bad enough in these circumstances, but dragging a suitcase along?  Ugh.  Yes you could always call a taxi, but those charges add up.
• And if you're "backpacking"? Take a backpack!

Countdown: 1 day to Europa!

Ok.

I've removed all my valuables (all three of them) from aforementioned apartment.

I've called the credit card companies to let them know, yes, it is in fact me buying gelato in Italy every day.

I've checked that the threatened flooding of the Danube will not actually cause Sar and I to have to swim our way from Budapest to Oradea.

I've managed this incredible feat:

PHENOMENAL AMOUNT OF (PROBABLY ULTIMATELY UNNECESSARY) STUFF...itty bitty packing space

And yet I am sure I've forgotten something important. Like making sure my passport hasn't expired.

This time tomorrow it will be wheels up, and I'll be on my way to fantastic and amazing...well, Detroit.  But then Europe!  

Quick updates and photos will be posted to my Twitter and longer summaries and stories will be posted here.

Tech Struggles: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 and Eye-Fi

The dilemma: How to get photos from my digital camera to my blog quickly, easily, reliably, and without spending a fortune, while overseas.

As previously discussed, I'm not taking my laptop with me because it is heavy and I know I would spend all my time worrying about it getting stolen or damaged.  However, contrary to previously discussed, I did decide to purchase a new camera (though it may be getting exchanged).

How to sleep in a new place

Jet lag.  All travelers know and despise it.  We've all heard the common advice of keeping yourself awake until it is time to go to sleep in your new time zone, but how many of us actually succeed at this?  Even more, how many people who have the self-discipline to do so actually feel bright-eyed and bushytailed in the morning?

Bushy tale? Check!  Bright eyes?  Errrrrrr.....
Photo credit: Doug

Winter camping

Today I am setting out on a nice one day winter camping/hiking trip.  I'll be testing out some new gear, most excitingly my new Brooks Nightlife LSD III ultralight jacket.  It's super soft, super light, and supposedly windproof and water resistant *crosses fingers*

Here is what I'm carrying for my overnight trek into the wilderness:

Review: Personal protection alarm

Electronics: to bring or not to bring

I misplaced my camera somewhere between moving into my new apartment this past fall and the holiday season.  I have little hope of finding it at the point (as I’ve searched every crevice I can think of, and no luck) so now it has become a question of “do I need it?”  I, like every red-blooded American, have a smart phone equipped with a fairly good camera and I realized during my trip to Australia that often it was easier to whip out my phone than dig for my carefully secured and protected digital camera.

There is also the argument that we all live life looking through a viewfinder anymore and thus do not really enjoy life.  This leads me to whether I should take my computer.  I shelled out quite a pretty penny for my MacBook just over a month ago.

All things considered, it appears that taking my phone alone is the more savvy choice.  

1. It will help me avoid those time sucks like Farmville 2 (something I could do in an American prison, so why do it while spending my life savings to be in Europe?)
2. I can pull pictures right from my phone to the Internet instead of messing with cords and such to get them from my camera to my computer to the world wide web.
3. The money saved from purchasing a new camera can help pay for my roaming fees.
4. The number one priority for all free travelers: SPACE!!!  My phone takes up less than half as much space as my camera, let alone my laptop.

Backpack testing day 1!

WARNING: If you suffer at all from wanderlust, REI could possibly be hazardous to your wallet.  Weigh that against it complete AWESOMENESS and you'll probably still find yourself inside it's beautiful walls.  At least I warned you.

This was my first trip to the sporting goods/outdoor adventure store and I spent almost two hours just walking around looking at stuff.  I've never seen so many options for sleeping bag pads alone!  And then of course there's a different coat for every single activity man has invented, base layers that feel like they're made of air, Permethrin spray to guard against parasites while on the road, and the backpacks....

I thought I would slip into the store unnoticed and try on a few packs, then slip back out again for more research and price shopping at other stores.  Hahahahahaha.  Luckily the staff at REI were extremely helpful.  It was only a few moments before Kimberly was at my side asking me questions, getting me measured, and guiding me away from what I hadn't known were the men's backpacks.

Gregory Sage 35

She strapped this beauty on me and packed it full of weighted beanbags before sending me trekking across the store to try it out.  It was the first one we tried and nothing else came close.  I thought there couldn't be a big difference between the different brands, at least not one that an absolute newbie like me would be able to discern.  Boy was I wrong.  One pack I tried wouldn't even come tight enough around my waist to balance the weight on my hips (despite being advertised as my size), another one continued to pull my shoulders back no matter how we adjusted it.  The Gregory Sage 35 balanced perfectly on my hips once I realized the key is to STAND UP STRAIGHT (as my parents are sick of telling me).

Here is what I really love about the Gregory Sage 35

• It's top loading, but objects in the bottom are still easily accessible through a zippered side pocket (the zipper gets even bigger with the 45 and 55 models).
• The rain cover is included and easy to pull out and pack up.  It even has a little clip on it (like you see in regular backpacks and fanny packs to secure your keys) to help you keep from losing it.
• A sleeping bag and/or pad is easily strapped to the bottom of the pack, so no fishing around for them when you stop for the night.

The unfortunate thing is that I want to get as close to that magical 50L mark as possible (the maximum for most airlines to consider it still a carry on) and this is only 35L.  REI assured me they will be getting a new shipment of backpacks in relatively soon and that it will most likely include the Sage 45 so hopefully that is just as comfortable as the 35.  Another nice thing about REI is that anything you buy from them online can be returned to store, no so return shipping fees! (aka. the bane of my existence)

*For anyone contemplating making a large purchase from REI (the above backpack is a cool $250), consider joining their membership program well in advance: not only does the $20 membership fee then save you 10% on full priced items for life (How? I have no earthly idea) but they often send out coupons for 25% off.  You'll easily make up the difference.

photo credits in this post belong to REI.com