Packing list for a restless mind

After reading countless other blogs and finding them helpful, here’s my packing list.  Whether it’s too much or too little, I guess I’ll find out on the road.

-         - Clothes:  2 pairs of pants (legs can be rolled up into shorts), 2 skirts, 5 shirts, Smartwool base layer and silk long johns for those cold Nepalese nights, sweater, sweatshirt, rain jacket, pjs, long dress, underwear& socks (5), pair of low hiking boots, sturdy sandals, flip flops for those grimy shower stalls, hat, headband, pashmina (use as accessory, towel or blanket), bathing suit, sunglasses, watch, thin gloves

-         - Cosmetics, etc., aside from the usual essentials: hand sanitizer, sunblock, mosquito repellant, wipes, travel towel, eye mask, ear plugs, collapsed toilet paper, SPF chapstick

-         - Gear (term used loosely):  universal sink plug, available in any dollar store, clothesline, pillow cover, silk sleeping liner (great insulation against cold, heat and the buggies), rain cover for backpack, safety pins and a homemade sewing kit, headlamp, mug, spork, collapsible dish, water bottle,  mosquito net, money belt

-          - My first aid/pharmacy: band aids, tweezers, advil, pepto bismol, moleskin, antibiotic and anti-itch creams, Immodium, liquid bandaid, supply of doxycycline for malaria, Z-pac antibiotic, gauze pads, elastic bandage, motion sickness pills, Swiss army knife, matches

-         - Others: lock, ziplock bags, duck tape, rolled a bunch of times around a pen, 2 carabiners, adapters, pens, internal pocket, small notebook, fake wedding ring (helps with the unwanted advances)

-          - Electronic gear: unlocked phone for use with any SIM card, iPod, Kindle, chargers, USB key with data

-          - Documents: passports, debit cards, credit card (Chase’s Sapphire has no foreign transaction fees), copies of all docs (e-mailed them to myself too), copy of travel insurance, addresses and emergency phone numbers, extra passport photos, vaccination book

-          Pawel will also carry some items that we will be sharing, such as a small netbook, camera, and UV filter for water purification.

All of these, along with some personal items, I’ll pack up into my trusty 50L Deuter bagpack and small day bag.

Now, it’s time for some final goodbyes.  We’re excited, readily anticipating the adventure, but also nervous, already restless.  But then it seems we found the cure for that.    

3 is a good number

With three weeks until departure, I figured it's time for an update.  But where do I start?

Ahh, yes, I have three days left at my law firm- a pretty incredible feeling after so many years of consistent work.  It's also a bit scary, knowing that my orderly life and steady income are about to be turned upside down.  But hey, we planned for it, right?  Right?  Despite some apprehension, my decision to leave and take on this crazy opportunity was met with a positive and sometimes even enthusiastic response at work.  I'm glad; after so many years I'd like to leave things on good terms.  And the hectic schedule just makes the time fly.  

As work finishes, I have some time to set things in order.  First of all, I'll take full advantage of my ending insurance, ie annual check ups, dentist and eye doctor appointments, and, most importantly, meds for the trip.  My Blue Cross Blue Shield is pretty much all encompassing, as I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it covers, in full, my eight months supply of doxycycline for malaria (let's see how I deal with the potential sun sensitivity) and Z-pac antibiotics for serious TD (that wonderful companion).  Donna from Dr MacGregor's travel medicine clinic in Morton Grove was especially knowledgeable.  We also decided to accept the typhoid fever shots in light of the occasional outbreaks.

After weeks of tedious research, we also decided to buy a travel insurance policy with the established Travel Guard.  With an option for every pocket, Travel Guard provides affordable coverage.  We focused on the immediate medical expenses and emergency evacuation details, the latter especially too important not to consider.  Worth every penny for the peace of mind.

We decided not to buy any visas in advance.  With a little planning, we can obtain them in some of the capital cities, sometimes for a third of the price, especially when using our Polish passports.  At this point, every dollar counts.

Other than that, it's the little things on the to-do list that can drive a person crazy.  We have to, in no particular order:

- download and organize movies, e-books and music
- early vote (!)
 - figure out the best way to access money - Charles Schwab offers some good options, with minimal fees abroad, as opposed to some other banks - check the little print!
- make copies of all docs, and preferably e-mail them to ourselves
- call credit / debit card companies to make sure they don't block cards when one is swiped in, say, Indonesia
- prepare a sneaky internal pocket for documentation
- prepare list of instructions for people handling financial matters at home
- teach mom, again, how to use Skype ;)
- move!  although I'm thankful that my brother is moving in, so the move involves only personal items
- figure out best online storage for the millions of Asia photographs
- buy some remaining items
- pack, of course!
- and say some goodbyes

And most likely tons more that I cannot recall right this minute.  Ok, I'm off to climb the stairs.  Trek prep doesn't happen by itself.