Saturday evening was spent on the floor in the bedroom with all my bits and bobs collected over the months laid out in front of me. There were countless amounts of Exped waterproof bags in a rainbow of colours and a myriad of sizes; socks socks and more socks; 4 different types of Compeed blister gel packs; 2 tubs of Tiger Balm (for my sore knees); lip balms; antibac hand gel; all purpose wash (my skin is going to be shot by the time I get back); a first aid kit; ibuprofen, paracetamol and a ickle bottle of Diamox from the travel clinic plus various lotions and potions and... well you get the drift. Pack light?? pah... nae chance!
So I got the pen and paper out and wrote a list of stuff that I might actually need. Do I really need 2 tubs of Tiger Balm? Are 7 pairs of socks really needed? I think yes to that question. I'll get 2 days wear out of them and after that they'll be humming I'm sure. I decided that I can't lock all my toiletry stuff in the one wash bag as I might need to get the blister plasters out during the day for any sore feet that may arise (I'm an optimist as you can tell!). So the list soon covered a whole page of A4 lined paper!!! Will it all even fit into my kit bag??
Luckily my t-shirts/base layers all fit neatly into one of those Pack-It thingy's - handy wee cube bags that you see what's in them easily. I've got my socks in a smaller one. The sleeping bag, although quite heavy, fits neatly into the side of my kit bag and I only need to roll up my thermarest which is also quite small and light (I'm sure once everything's packed it won't feel that light). My down jacket stuffs into it's own stuff sack but that can go in my rucksack. 3 pairs of trousers should suffice eh?? My hairdryer and straighteners can go into the top pocket of my kit bag......... ha had you fooled there eh! Of course I'm not taking them with me but you'll have to excuse the photos when I come back. My hair will be like frizzy lizzy, there may be lots of hat wearing in the pics!
Acht it's such a hard job trying to pack. Now if I was going to a deserted beach somewhere it would be easier - wouldn't it? nope....
Right... enough about this, I'm sitting here at the computer at work and should be doing actual work just now but strangely enough can't seem to focus at the minute! Partly cos my mind is racing with things still to be done and partly cos I'm bored as I'm in the office myself today - Linda on a long weekend holibob and Brigitte off to south of France - lucky her! I mean student comes to the window, I answer them; pile of grades to enter from workshop reports, i will do in 10 minutes after I've finished this most important of blog entries and go and get my 2nd cup of tea of the day. That's how it's rolling just now. I might try some social networking in between times too. Oops did i say that out loud! ha.
take care,
Ange xx
PS If there's a rocket tie me to it!
(obligatory musical reference above)
Bowery Mural
Hair is overrated, shave your head before you go. We all do that over here...
ReplyDeleteNow regarding the Compeeds, if you take along something like Spenco Adhesive Knit, or athletic/climbers finger tape, you can stop a blister forming by cutting down the rubbing with a thin layer of material over the area. Much better than dealing with the blister when it forms. A blister plus a thick Compeed inside a boot just adds pressure to the area and you'll be in misery.
Also, Spenco doesn't ruin socks with gluey bits getting stuck to them.
Just thought I'd throw in a curve ball at this late stage :o)
Nah, I had short hair when i was a wee lassie and vowed never to have it like that again!
ReplyDeleteWell you certainly have thrown a spanner in the works. I do hate those gluey bits inside my socks though. (Touch wood) I've not had a blister for ages but walking day after day is bound to produce one. Cheers for going and making me change my just-about-finished packing list! :-)