So kiss me and smile for me

The time to begin my journey is almost here.  I’ve done everything that I can to prepare, from completing my taxes to finding a temporary home for Tom & Jerry.  If I've missed anything, it’s certainly not for a lack of effort.  There have been many long days and nights.  One day recently I worked on my preparations from 7 AM that day to 2 AM the next.  That was a long day to say the least, but the long days are paying off.

Packing was the most complicated part of my preparation.  As you will soon see, my travels include different climates that call for different clothes.  My goal has been to take just one bag – a camping backpack.  A few years ago when I visited India, I managed to pack for 9-days in half of a backpack.  It made the travel much easier, especially in areas that may not be well paved or when there are unusual weather conditions like snow or mud.

The good news is – I did it!  All of my “worldly” possessions are now packed up in one big bag.  I’m also taking a small backpack for day trips.  I hope that between the two, I will have enough space.  And, who knows: maybe I will develop a few extra upper body muscles along the way.  I’m certainly going to miss my regular trips to the gym.    Here’s the final product:

When packing this bag, I was careful to only bring just enough of each item.  In a worst case scenario, I can always buy anything I’ve forgotten.  I was careful not to buy many things for this trip, aside from tiny soaps and various medicines (just in case I get sick).  This was further reinforced by my friend Jane who recently returned from a four month trip to Cambodia.  Her best piece of advice: take clothes that you don’t care about and can leave behind.  That way, you can make space for new things that you find.  At first, Jane’s suggestion seemed out of my world.  I already donate all of the clothes that I don’t wear, so I don’t have many that I would want to part with.  But, after much consideration, I've decided to give it a shot.  I’m taking clothes that I might feel okay donating to the travel black hole.  I’m also keeping the option open to possibly mail items back during the trip.  

Of all the things I packed, there are two items that really stand out.  The first are these Puma shoes.  They are beyond comfortable.  As a bonus, they will (hopefully) allow me to look like a local.  When I visited Norway last year, people assumed I was Norwegian.  Not feeling like an immediate target made traveling more comfortable.

The other important item is an external battery to charge my iPhone and iPad.  I’ve forced myself to only bring these two devices on the trip and my biggest fear is running out of battery above the ocean.  I’ve downloaded books, movies, TV shows, games, music, and my travel documents.  It’s simply amazing how many different things one tiny device can hold.  After filling up my iPad, my next concern was its tiny battery.  The answer?  An external battery made by iSound (check it out here).  It charges up to 5 devices at one time and provides up to 480 hours of power.  You can use it with an iPad, iPhone, Android, or Blackberry.  The best part is that it only weighs 1.4 pounds.  As you can imagine, I’m charging it now!  (Big thanks to Kyle at Nibletz for the recommendation!)

The best news of all – my big adventure starts tomorrow.  I will do my best to blog each day, and my plan is to reveal my route along the way.  In fact, a few pieces are still being decided as I type.  Please check back to follow my progress.

Until next time… Tell me that you'll wait for me… Oh, babe, I hate to go.