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Okay folks..... i've been preparing for this adventure for some time and would like to give you a quick rundown on what's been done.... When i started planning this out, the 'to do list' started to grow and grow.... and grow. A lot more work than i anticipated i can tell ya......
The PACK
Tatonka 65 Litre 'Red Trail' (with back support - i.e. not a hybrid). This was road tested in Borneo a few years back and was very comfy.
The Essentials -
Clothes
- 4 x Pairs of Shorts ( 2 x quick dry ie. can also be used for swimming)
- 5 x T-Shirts
- 2 x Pairs of Long Pants (both quick dry)
- 7 x Pairs of Undies
- 1 x Set of Thermals (Andes > 5500 M)
- 1 x Rain Coat (light weight, compact) - NOT YELLOW
- 1 x Fleece/Jacket (wind proof)
- 1 x Long Sleeve Pull Over
- 1 x Pair of Hiking Boots (Very Light Gore-Tex - Waterproof)
- 1 x Good Quality Sandals
- 1 x Cheap Rubber Thongs (for showers)
- 4 x Pairs of socks (1 x Thermal)
- 1 x CAP
- 1 x Sunnies
I will be travelling from Tropical to Temperate (Alpine) areas.
Note: No White Clothes.
Toiletries
- Tooth Brush
- Floss
- Mouth Wash (small bottle)
- Deodorant (aerosol)
- Toilet Paper (in case of emergency)
- Sun Screen (25+)
- Razor
- Paper Soap
The MEDI Kit
- Alcohol Swabs
- Water Purification Tablets
- Syringes x 2
- Antiseptic Cream
- Antifungal Cream ( i don’t want to go mouldy)
- Band Aids
- Bandage
- Anti-Diarrhoea Tablets
- Altitude Sickness Tablets
- Mozzie Repellent (DEET based)
- Malaria Tablets (weekly)
- Eye drops
- International Immunisation Card (especially for yellow fever)
other Miscellaneous Items
- String (make shift clothes line)
- Water Bottle (600ml)
- Zip Lock Bags (various sizes - for passport/copies etc)
- Plastic Bags (for wet clothes etc)
- Secure Wallet Pouch
- Rain Cover for Back Pack
- 4 x Good Quality Pad Locks (for back/day pack)
- 2 x Paper Backs (not too thick) - can swap later
- 1 x Pack Cover (water resistant) keeps out rain and dirt/dust etc.
- 3 x Pad Locks for Back Pack
- Swiss Army Knife (not in hand luggage)
Immunisations
Had to get jabbed a few times
:Typhoid
:Yellow Fever
:Hep A
:Tetanus
The Non Essentials -
- Hair Dryer
- Makeup
- Toaster
- Kitchen Sink
- High Heels
NOTE: None of these items should be taken back packing
The Flash Pack (Geek Toys)
I need to take a few toys to keep myself entertained during those looooong plain/traing/bus trips....
- iPOD Video 30GB (music collection 3200 songs + 5 full length movies and 10 Star Trek Episodes)
- iPOD rubber protective cover with neck strap
- Portable Flash Card Copier (100 GB) - See Photography
- Various USB cables
- Various Chargers (make sure all support 100-250 V)
- All in one power interface converter (Euro/Asia/US/Aus)
- Thumb Drive (emergency storage)
Photographic Equipment
I am a bit of an amatur photo enthusiast and justified a new camera for this jaunt.... i wanted to bring along a few extra lenses, like my 75-300mm F4-5.6 or a small 18-55mm but in the end i didn't want to carry too much glass especially with potential loss/theft factor (see insurance) and went with an all-rounder 17-85mm.
- 1x Canon D350 Digital SLR
- 1 x Spare Battery
- 1 x 17-85 USF Telephoto Lens (Wide/Zoom) - All Rounder
- 2 x 1GB Compact Flash (50x Kingston) - approx 500 photos at 8M/pix JPEG
- 1 x Nikon A420 ultra-portable 4 M/Pixel with 3 x Optical Zoom (snappy) - 512MB SD
Documents and Other Stuff
Visas - check visa requirements for all possible target locations
Copy of important documents (passport/ travel insurance/plane tickets)
2 x List of critical contacts/numbers e.g. insurance/consulates (hard copy)
2 x Travel Guide Books - These are bulky and heavy, pickup/drop-off more on the way
Access to funds from at least two different sources, cash, travellers checks, plus/cirrus, credit.
A rough itinerary plan/diary (on a small notepad) keep it rough as a guideline for places and times.
The Mobile Phone
To take or not to take this is the question. I thought long and hard about this, the only use i can see is for SMS or a possible emergency. Calls are just so expensive that calling cards are the way to go. Although i have contact info and other stuff in here i just copied down the essentials and left the phone at home (just something that can be lost/stolen)
Rough Itinerary
At the moment, it is looking a little something like this.
Mexico
Mexico City - 15th of July (up to 2 weeks in and around the city)
Oxaca
Yukatan
Guatemala
El Salvador
Costa Rica
Panama
Jump a plane to Quito, (
Equador, South America).
Andes Trek
Possible Amazon Basin River Run
Le Pas,
Peru
Nazca
Machu Pichu (Inca Trail)
Lake Titikaka the over to
Bolivia
Other things to do.....
1. Book accomodation in Mexico city
2. Keep a copy of important documents at home and or with a friend/family.
3. Keep a copy of some documents (scanned passport images/tickets/insurance etc) on an email account that you don't use too often (in case your email gets hacked in an Internet cafe!)
Travel Route
To see the 'short flight' to Mexico, follow the below link.....
The path of the wanderer
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Yogy
non-member comment
Opening the Innings
Mate, i just thought i'd start the ball rolling. As suggested yesterday, a water-proof pouch for important documents would come in handy. Never know when you might get drenched to the skin!!! If I don't see you before you go, have a good one...