Tag: packing

Two Hours Till Blast Off

Remember that standard issue duffel bag?  The one that all OAT travelers get?  I decided I didn’t want to waste time at baggage areas determining which of the identical bags belonged to me,  so I did a bit of “bag enhancement”.P1060071I know, I know…I probably should have given it some thought BEFORE I went wild with the sharpie markers, but hey, I figured I dramatically decreased the odds that this bag will be stolen.   What self respecting thief would want to be seen dragging this along?  Besides, a smart thief would suspect the bag’s contents would be equally jumbled and lacking in style.

I very thoughtfully had a “go” at Mike’s bag.  A bit less exuberantly, but enough to provide the afore mentioned advantages.

We will be flying almost 8,000 miles.  To put that into perspective, it is the equivalent of 2.5 flights from NJ to California, and it will take about the same length of time–15 hours.

We spend the night in Johannesburg then leave the following morning for Karongwe, a game reserve close to Kruger National Park.  For all the map lovers, here’s a visual.

karongwe

Three nights later, we return to Johannesburg.  If I’m lucky, I’ll have wildlife photos to post.

Over and out!

Packing for A Month in Africa

OAT’s (Overseas Adventure Travel’s) wonderfully helpful website is loaded with lots of hints from those that have gone before.  Thanks to them, I have a good idea of what to pack, and equally important, what NOT to pack.

I need to be prepared for cold mornings and evenings, high mid-day temperatures,  and a school visit.  Then after the tour ends, Mike and I are on our own in Cape Town for several days.

Suggestions for what to bring for the school visit included uninflated soccer balls and flip-flops plus the usual books, crayons, paper, pens and pencils.  I also like to bring along a few frivolous things, like small stuffed animals.

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The camps do our laundry every night, so 3 changes of clothes will do the trick, but I also needed a warm jacket, a hat, gloves, plus shorts and tee shirts and a bathing suit.  Dressing in layers is key.  I also need to plan for our time in Cape Town when we will be without daily laundry service.

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I found jumbo zip lock bags at the supermarket and am using them to organize my wardrobe.  But will all this, plus toiletries, fit into the duffel bag?

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to.  One traveler suggested putting the duffel inside a much bigger bag, then packing everything into that one large suitcase.  I tried that, but I easily exceeded the 50 pound weight limit.  THEN I decided to check out South African Air’s luggage rules and was very excited to learn that in addition to my carry on, I can have TWO checked bags!!!  I’m so used to the United Airlines restrictions, it didn’t occur to me that another airline’s checked baggage policy could be more liberal.

Being able to bring that second bag meant another trip to the Dollar Store for toothbrushes, combs and LOTS more school supplies, plus any odds and ends that I thought might be useful.  I packed it all in an old suitcase that I plan to leave in Africa.

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So, now my duffel will only contain MY stuff–plus another small duffel that I will use to bring back any purchases I make–good news for sisters, hermana preferida, cousins and other loved ones!

Packing for a Six Week Asian Adventure

As I mentioned in an earlier post, our Asian Adventure will be our longest trip, both in weeks away and in flight time.  Packing for six weeks felt more than slightly overwhelming, so I decided to reframe my thinking.  Instead, I packed for TWO weeks, something I have done many times.  I reminded myself that there IS such a thing as hand washing in hotel sinks and/or laundry service.

I also needed to make sure I have enough toys in my carry on to keep me sane during our 20 hours in the air. I think I have it covered with my iPad and a paperback.

Normally I use a backpack as my carry on; it has just enough room for my camera, money, “toys” and snacks.  I usually don’t pack a change of clothes,  but we only have a one hour layover in Korea, so to lower my anxiety level, I’m taking a “real” carry on.  That way, I can  include some essentials,  just in case we get separated from our checked bags.

Checked luggage

  • 3 lightweight long pants (including one in carry on and one to wear on plane),  3 long skirts, 1 dress.  Asians dress more formally, so I am leaving shorts and capris at home.
  • 6 short sleeve shirts ( 2 in carry on), 4 long sleeve shirts to protect against mosquitoes (one will be worn on plane.)  No tanks or sleeveless tops.
  • 2 belts, sun hat, 1 scarf, 1 alpaca wrap, cheap jewelry (the only kind I own)
  • 1 Bathing suit, a bathing cap (Yes, I actually own such a thing to minimize the amount of chlorine in my hair), 1 cover up (doubles as bathrobe), 1 sarong, flip-flops
  •  2 sandals, 1 flats (I’ll wear my Merrill’s on the plane)
  • 2 pajamas (1 in carry on)
  • 7 changes of underwear, 6 socks (2 changes in carry on)
  • Lightweight rain jacket with hood (no umbrella needed), fleece, sweater for cool nights in Vietnam –these will all be worn to the airport, and if weight and space allow, will be stashed in luggage before it is checked.

There you have it–my entire wardrobe for 6 weeks.

Also in my checked luggage:

  • Electrical adaptor
  • hair dryer, brush and comb
  • Toiletries:  toothpaste & brush, floss, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, deodorant, razor, tweezers, scissors, kleenex
  • Sun screen, insect repellant, body lotion, baby powder
  • flash light
  • Materials for Global Volunteers work (photos, books, index cards, chalk, teaching aids-these are the heaviest items)
  • Starbucks Via.   I learned about these single serving packets of instant coffee from another blogger so decided to stock up,  just in case we need an early morning jolt.
  • my backpack
  • elastic bands, extra zip lock bags, a couple of packs of woolite
  • my medical stuff: band-aids, z-pack, Imodium, Neosporin, Advil.  I read somewhere that Asian diets are low in fiber, so fiber capsules were recommended.  We never needed them before, but there was room in the luggage, so what the heck.

Carry On

  • Credit card, bank card, local currency, singles
  • Passport, passport photos for visas, immunization card, global entry card
  • Etickets, travel info, notebook, pencil & pens
  • Camera, batteries, charger, photo cards and camera bag
  • Ipad and bose headset, cell phone
  • Water bottle and holder
  • “Comfort kit” (ear plugs, tiger balm, gum, cough drops, tissues, eye shade, sleep aid, airborne, wipes)
  • Glasses and case;
  • Paperback book
  • Snacks
  • Emergency contact list
  • Clothes listed above and change of clothes for Mike.  (He did his own packing–I don’t meddle.)
  • extra toothbrush and paste
  • Fanny pack and “Neck Wallet”

Believe it or not, it all fit.  Here’s what the packed bags and plane wardrobe looks like:

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I used lots of gallon zip lock bags and a packing cube to keep things organized.

In my never-ending quest to pack “smart” and to share what I have learned, upon return,  I will fess up to any items that I brought but didn’t need, and will also list anything that I didn’t have but wished that I had.

Only 72 hours till lift off.  Fellow travelers–have I forgotten anything???

Time for another adventure

I leave on Saturday, March 10 to serve on a Global Volunteers project in St. Lucia.  I’ve never been to the island, but from what I’ve read, it is very lush and beautiful.  Unfortunately almost 30% of its population live in poverty.  Community leaders in Anse la Raye invited Global Volunteers to send teams to help deliver essential services to the children in their village with the hope that by working together, over time, the cycle of poverty will be broken.

The St. Lucia project is new.  I will be a member of only the second team, so this will be a learning experience for everyone.  I just got my assignment and was thrilled to learn that my team will be working with 75 preschoolers, from infants to age 5.

The first team returned a few weeks ago with lots of helpful information, including a list of things that the preschool needs.  Books, school supplies, soap, hand sanitizer and baby bibs were in short supply, so for this trip, I am packing very differently.  Ah, Dr. Seuss, I’ve missed you.  We spent oh, so many nights together.  This will be a fond trip down memory lane.

Good thing I own a luggage scale.  This stuff alone puts me at 29 pounds!  Fortunately, I have never been a fashionista because this stuff took up half of the one checked bag I’m allowed.

I chose to work with Global Volunteers because I love their philosophy.  Teams only serve where they are invited.  They work under the direction of local leaders, doing whatever those leaders request.  Because self-reliance is a primary goal, the volunteers work hand in hand with the locals.  In fact a key requirement is that there be at least as many locals working on a project as there are volunteers.

There is no proselytizing–no hidden religious or political agendas, other than a desire to promote world peace.

The organization cautions its volunteers to remain flexible, noting that things don’t always turn out as planned.  Well, considering that my INITIAL plan was to serve in Italy last October, and I had to cancel because my retina inconveniently decided to detach 6 days before I was scheduled to leave, I figure I’ve had a bit of experience with plan changes.

I’ll be going on this trip alone.  I don’t know anything about the other volunteers on this second team–how many, where they are from, who they are, but all will be revealed by next Saturday night.  We will be working all this first weekend, but will have a break the second weekend, so I’m hoping to get a chance to see the island.

Adventure awaits!

And the answers are….

Okay, so I guess I got a little carried away with the questions.  Here they are again, with the answers.  I promise, the next ones will be easier.

Which of the following will I NOT be bringing?  (# 5 and #6)

  1. A seasickness patch left over from the Antarctica voyage – Yep, I’m bringing this.  The boat for the Galapagos part of the trip is very small, so we are taking no chances.
  2. Coca tea bags from the Peru trip, to help avoid altitude sickness  Yep, I do whatever I can to avoid any possibility for pain.  The change in altitude from Newark to Quito is about 2 miles.  eek.
  3. My long underwear (also from Antarctica).  Yep, Quito is in the mountains and it gets cold at night.  My silk underwear doesn’t take up much room,  I can wear it under lightweight clothes, which saves space in my luggage.
  4. My windbreaker from my bike trip.  Rain is predicted for every day that we are in Quito.  This windbreaker has a hood, so I won’t need an unbrella…and it is really lightweight.
  5. My flotation belt from my water aerobics class.  Nah–they will provide life jackets when needed.
  6. My teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini (from my adolescence).  There hasn’t been a bikini in my bureau for at least 30 years. But as you know, I do keep my clothes for a long, long time–just not my swimwear.
  7. Wine glasses and bottle armor for “trip wine”.  Oh yeah.  I have two plastic wine glasses, and a special bag for transporting wine so that it doesn’t break or leak all over the inside of the luggage.  Hey, you can’t expect wine stores in the Amazon, can you?  Who knows,  a bottle of vino from a duty-free shop could end up being one of the prizes!

Next question will be about the trip activities. Which ones do you think will be offered?

(All except #6 and 7)

  1. Blow gun contest.  Absolutely.  Hmmm.  I better pretend I’m Bill Clinton and make sure I don’t inhale.
  2. Snorkeling.  Yes Indeed.  Not during the Amazon part of the trip…in the Galapagos.  Swim with the penguins, or something like that. 
  3. Chicha (beer) making lesson.  Definitely a highlight
  4. Raft making.  Surprising, but yes.
  5. Floating on the raft that we made.  I’m a little concerned about this one.  This will definitely be a joint project with Mike!
  6. Piranha fishing.  Not intentionally–unless my leg (or some other part of my body) hangs off the home made raft, a piranha is swimming by, and decides to latch on. 
  7. Piranha cooking and eating.  I don’t think so, although Fanny’s recipe sure made it sound delicious. 
  8. A day trip to a spa.  Oh yes.  We are spending a day at the Papallacta Hot Springs, where they have thermal baths.  Full report will be forthcoming.
  9. Shopping for contest prizes.  Well, of course.  We will be going to Otavalo Market, where Fanny tells me they have beautiful handicrafts. 

So, here’s the score so far.  For this first attempt, I am awarding bonus points:

Fanny and Melissa got the first question half right, so they each get 10 points.  And they each got 7 out of 9 right, so that brings them up to 17.  BUT

Fanny gets 10 bonus points for being the first to answer, plus 5 for adding a  piranha recipe, for a total of 32 points.

Melissa gets 5 bonus points for making me laugh, 8 bonus points for being second to answer for a total of 30.

Sue (also known as anonymous) got the first question partially right for 10 points, and 4 out of 9  for the second one, plus 5 bonus points for trying, for a total of 19.

Lindy got the first question half right.  She was the only one that knew I wouldn’t bring a floatation device–and she was the only one that thought I still would wear a bikini!  So, 10 points for  first question, and she got 5 of the second question, for a total of 15.

Bonus points for trying, plus bonus points for knowing the words to the Peter Paul and Mary song brings Lindy up to a grand total of 25.

Not to worry–there is still time to rock this contest.  (But I think Sandy is trying for another paper thong).

On your mark, get set…

“All my bags are packed, I’m ready to go” –Peter, Paul and Mary

Contest Time!
We’ll start with a packing question. The trip will be thirteen days long, and we are limited to 44 pounds.  I’ll be bringing along some treasures from past trips. Which of the following will I NOT be bringing?

  1. A seasickness patch left over from the Antarctica voyage
  2. Coca tea bags from the Peru trip, to help avoid altitude sickness
  3. My long underwear (also from Antarctica)
  4. My windbreaker from my bike trip
  5. My flotation belt from my water aerobics class
  6. My teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini (from my adolescence)
  7. Wine glasses and bottle armor for “trip wine”

Hint:  I’m bringing 5 of the 7 items.

Next question will be about the trip activities. Which ones do you think will be offered?

  1. Blow gun contest
  2. Snorkeling
  3. Chicha (beer) making lesson
  4. Raft making
  5. Floating on the raft that we made
  6. Piranha fishing
  7. Piranha cooking and eating
  8. A day trip to a spa
  9. Shopping for contest prizes

Another hint.  We are doing 7 of the 9.  You get one point for every one that you correctly pick and lose one point for picking something we aren’t going to be doing.

So, let the contest begin!  Contest closes Monday afternoon, and the answers will be posted then.