allyson and bryan

Today I Bought My Balaclava /

For the last 30 days, our life has involved a lot of driving, seeing family, visiting with friends, and dealing with many little tasks that need to be done prior to departing the US. Although all the visiting is enjoyable, the trip tasks are mounting, and it actually gets a bit stressful trying to ensure that we have all the necessary clothing, toiletries, and iPod playlists.

One of the challenges is that not only do we have to gather and pack everything we need for one year of traveling (and it must fit into 3600 cubic inches), but we must purchase equipment for our Mt. Kilimanjaro climb in July. This is especially daunting because we are following the warm weather for the rest of our trip, but while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, the temperatures will range from tropical rainforest balminess to -10 degrees Celcius at night (at the summit it could reach -30 degrees Celcius). So, we're working on the temporary shift in thought process from shorts and flip-flops to windproof/waterproof outer shells, capilene underwear and primaloft gloves.

To give you an idea of what we did yesterday for three hours at REI, below is a recommended Pack List from the tour company that we're using. Some of the items are already in the backpack, as they prove useful for other stops on our journey, but most of the items have been (or will be) purchased, packed up, and shipped to the mountain when the time is right.

1. Waterproof rucksack and day pack
2. Sleeping Bag (at least three seasons)
3. Hiking Boots & Light Trainers
4. Balaclava or Woolen Hat
5. Scarf
6. Snow Goggles/Sun Glasses
7. Gaiters
8. Gloves & Mittens (synthetic preferable)
9. Sweaters/Jumpers
10. Pants & Jackets (waterproof & windproof)
11. Long Sleeved Shirt
12. Anorak/Raincoat
13. Thermal Underwear
14. Several Pairs of Socks
15. Small Towel & Wash Kit
16. Water Bottle (3L)
17. First Aid Kit & Insect Repellant
18. Sun Protection Cream & Lip Salve
19. Flashlight (head mounted preferable) with Spare Batteries
20. Whistle
21. Some Plastic Bags
22. Wooden Walking Stick/Ski Pole
23. Toiletry Requirements
24. Roll Mats & Insulation Pads
    

Today was a big day because our #4 balaclavas have been purchased. We can all sleep easy again tonight!

stars, they're just like bryan @ 6:08 AM  

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