Bags are not big enough - typical

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Back in Amsterdam safe and sound at 5am this morning. No time to sleep as it was time to get packing again. First thing was to put the sleeping bag into the racing rucksack - that's when I realised this was going to need to be the mother of all packing jobs - there wasn't any room left after the sleeping bag! Nothing at all!

Several hours later though and we had a better approach. The rucksacks then contained nothing but food, a single cooking pot, sunscreen and some other items, and the sleeping bag is tied on to the bottom (on the outside). Both of us have a backpack weighing in at 10.5kgs - for Jonathan, this is how it works out:

Category Weight (g)
Rucksack + bottles 894
Sleeping items 1,795
Compulsory items 710
Clothing - carried 919
First aid 208
Food 5,078 (18,362 calories)
Equipment - necessary 421
Equipment - optional 557
Total 10,582
Water carried 1.5l 1,500
Max Total 12,082
Clothing worn 1,472

Tomorrow we get the train to Paris, and stay overnight at one of those delightful Ibis hotels you find at French airports. There was some mention of tv broadcasts from Morocco on the organisers website though they look like being 30 second to 2 minute clips each day. The details (in French only) are at: www.darbaroud.com .

By the way, if you are really interested, here is the detailed breakdown of the pack contents (numbers are weight in grams - I'll put food details up tomorrow):

Rucksack frontpack bottle holders Raidlight Sac Aventure 720
Waterbottles and shoulderstraps 2 x 750ml 174
Total 894
Sleeping items
Termarest Thermarest - shortest size 395
Silk liner (including 3g bag) 112
Compression sack/pillow waterproof version - 10 litre
Sleeping bag (including carry bag) Custom made Down+Nylon 1,288
Total 1,795
Compulsory items
Torch Petzl Tikka plus 76
Torch batteries 3 x AAA 34
10 safety pins 2
Compass Recta DT100 28
Lighter Cheap Lighter 16
Knife Leatherman 54
Anti-venom pump 38
Whistle 8
Flare Compulsory from MDS 350
Salt tablets Compulsory from MDS 10
Plastic Signalling mirror unbreakable 19
Aluminium survival sheet 75
Total 710
Clothing - worn
Shoes Nike stability runners 820
Gaiters size L (including velcro) Raidlight - velcro sewn on 72
Shorts Nike dri-fit short shorts 104
Shades Elevation Climacool with prescription inserts 55
Top Raidlight Maillot MC Trailer 179
Underwear Falke keep cool 1 pair 39
Socks Injinji toe socks crew cut 54
Buff 2 x MDS buff with climacool 70
Hat Raidlight mesh Sahara hat 79
Total 1,472
Clothing - carried
Socks 2 x pairs 108
Underwear Falke keep cool 1 pair 39
Nightwear Tyvek paper suit 190
Warm top Micropolar RDL XL 210
Flip-flops (Crocs) Crocs (a luxury item) 372
Total 919
First aid
Ibuphrophen 400mg 46
Nurophen and Imodium 20
Disinfectant/antisceptic Betidine 24
Needle - injecting Iodion into blisters 4
Needle - sewing and thimble 3
Sports tape 1 roll 94
Scissors 13
Threads and pencil 4
Total 208
Equipment - necessary
Sun block P20 1x 100ml 110
Bodyglide 57
Spork 14
Earplugs plus protective case 10
Cooking Stove cooking tablets Wingstove 17g, 20 tablets 103
Kettle MSR Titanium kettle 800ml 127
Total 421
Equipment - optional
Nokia N95 phone Camera 8gb with Solio charger connector tip 140
Short messages from friends to read 20
Notepad 10
Key clip torch 12
wet wipes 22 separately packaged 120
Duct tape 3 metre length 40
toilet paper Kleenex Balsam x 2 50
Tooth brush and toothpaste minature 11
Lip balsam 15
Contact lense and case 16
Extra compression strap for outside rucksack items 27
Glue Superglue 3ml 7
Total 557

Food Weekly total 5,078

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Comments

[Kate]

Something to look forward to
Jese, if there's 2 people who will deserve a black, creamy pint in a week or so, it's you 2! Lots of love. xxx