Packing

Hurrah! There is just over a week left until Kirsty and I embark once again on a quest for adventure, sunshine and the perfect jumping shot. We have our visas, insurance and passports ready to roll so now it's time for the tricky part: packing.

Last time was hard enough. We were away for longer; needed clothes from the beach to the snowy Himalayas; and we'd never done anything like that before. This time (seasoned pros that we are) is both easier and more complicated. 

I'll explain. 

In true American road trip style we are hiring a car. This means we can pack not just our backpacks full of necessities, but an extra case with floral dresses, straw hats and other nonsense. Then, when we don't need the floral dresses, into the car they go and magically our load is lessened.

But here comes the hard part. The reason we chose this trip is for some trekking. We had planned to do the John Muir trail but sadly, when it was time to enter the wilderness permit lottery six months ago, we missed out. Instead we are doing lots of shorter bits of the trail, climbing some mountains and letting the balmy Californian breeze take us where it will. 

We have trekked before so we know what we need but last time was probably quite a luxury. The most obvious reason for that luxury was Krishna, our porter-extraordinaire. He carried everything and we skipped happily along a couple of miles behind him/fell over a lot (even with all our baggage he was significantly faster than us). This time we have to carry everything ourselves. I'm so glad I once walked to work with a weight in my bag. It'll make all the difference don't you think? :-/

And this brings us to problems two and three. In Nepal we stayed in tea houses along the route. We were fed, watered and given a bed to sleep in. In the national parks there is acres and acres of nothing but nature, so like a pair of tortoises we shall carry our home on our back. When we pack for trekking there needs to be space for a tent and when we are in the tent there needs to be room for our packs. In fact our tent is so small we will be spooning each other and our packs. At least it'll be warm I suppose.

And then for the worst news. There also needs to be room for food. Five days of food is heavy enough but this is bear country and it all needs to be safely hidden inside bear canisters. We can't get these until we get there so today I had a practice of packing all this :

The rucksack is at the bottom. Everything needed to go in leaving the main central pocket free for bear canister and cooking stuff. And guess what!

Here I am, packed and ready to go. And I look damn cool! Which is obviously the most important thing. I wonder how cool I'll look once the food is in and I'm bowed under the weight, slightly sunburnt and plagued by mosquitos....?

It's OK... I'll buy a baseball cap and jobs a goodun.

So success in stage 1 and see ya!!

This is 2015

My first blog of the year. In February. Clearly one of my Resolutions was not "Write blog better and more frequently."
In fact they are only two:

1. Pass driving test. As an update I tried again and failed again. This time I was robbed. If only that examiner had held his nerve for a millisecond I'd be able to check this one off by now. As it is...third time lucky?
2. Tell people how I feel. Good/bad/whatever. Avoid being "fine." Say no when I don't want to do something. Share. In real life, not just via blog. 

Yes only two, but two difficult ones. I have been attempting the second my entire life. Of course, when I say 'attempting' what I really mean is saying I intend to be like that and remaining a wuss. Is that how you spell wuss? Looks weird.

But 2015 is cracking so far. I actually got an email on New Years Day saying I'd won the lottery. £25. Winning! 

But it's not all about winning the lottery (although fingers crossed- I got driving lessons to pay for). In fact it pales into insignificance besides the other stuff that's coming. Here's a five best of for the year (in no particular order). I was going to do 10 but I don't want to make you jealous or nuffink:

1. A month in USA- New York, San Francisco, Vegas (Baby!) and a three week trek though bear infested mountains, carrying the weight in food and gear of a 10 year old child on my back. Outdoor sleeping, cold lake swimming, space and trail dancing.
2. Wilbur. You know who you are kid!
3. Bridesmaid duty for a beautiful and beautifully silly couple.
4. More time for things I like. Choosing when to work and when to play, and when work can feel like play.
5. Being able to drive. Because, damn it, it's going to happen next time. 

This seems to be a blog of short lists. What other list should I write? Things I learnt last year. GO!

1. Always chain the wheels of Isadora to the frame when I leave her.
2. Don't leave Willie Nelson alone with either socks, toilet paper or important documents.
3. Drink Barocca.
4. Have a fully stocked biscuit tin.
5. I don't like strangers. I especially don't like dating strangers. Strange strange strange.
6. Don't turn left at a roundabout if you aren't in the left lane. People don't like it.
7. If in doubt, quote The Jabberwocky at people, it confuses them.

OK, I made up number 7. I wanted seven things because it's my favourite number. But, I mean, try it anyway. I bet it's good advice.