Thursday, April 18, 2013

This is IT!

Today we depart for our 18-day vacation! First stop, New Delhi for 1 night. Looking forward to having  good Indian food. Then it's off to NEPAL and our trek to Everest Base Camp!!!

I'll try to update along the way!

Want an idea of what we're doing? Check out this video...



Monday, April 8, 2013

Preparedness - 10 Days Until Departure

Packing it all into a backpack and keeping it all under 30 lbs is quite a task. But it looks like we're successful so far. I've got a Gregory Baltoro 75, while my girlfriend has a Deuter ACT Lite 60 + 10 SL

Just to give you an idea of what we have, here is an inventory of my pack (not including what I'm wearing on the plane to/from): 

- 3 pairs of underwear (94% nylon / 6% lyrca)
- 3 pairs of merino wool socks
- 4 dry-fit / moisture wicking short-sleeved shirts
- 4 dry-fit / moisture wicking long-sleeved shirts
- 1 fleece 
- 1 North Face outer shell jacket
- 2 pairs of North Face convertible (to shorts via zip-off legs) pants
- 1 pair of fleece pants
- 1 pair of leggings/tights
- 1 pair of basketball shorts
- 1 winter hat
- 1 running/baseball cap (with visor)
- 1 small towel
- 1 REI Travel Sack (sleeping bag) rated to 55 degrees; 
- 1 pack rain cover
- 1 extra pair of boot laces
- 1 pair of sunglasses (in hard case)

The following items are packed in various ziplock bags: 
- 9 small packs of freeze dried fruit
- 7 snack sized Welchs fruit snacks
- 14 CLIF bars
- 10 sticks of beef jerky
- 5 snack sized almonds/peanuts/cashews

- contact lenses (daily disposables)
- chapstick
- cleaning wipes
- hand sanitizer
- anti-chafe stick
- deodorant
- toothbrush
- travel toothpaste
- laundry soap
- extra ziplock bags and small plastic bags (for random use)
- Potable Aqua - chlorine dioxide tablets
- 1 first aid kit with various OTC medications, bandages, mylar blankets, and moleskin (important for blisters)
- 1 compass/thermometer
- matches & fire starter kit
- 1 headlamp / flashlight
- 1 Swiss Army knife
- electric / current converter
- 1 padlock

Some of the items I have, my girlfriend does not. Likewise, she has some other things such as: 
- sunblock
- insect repellent
- sleeping bag liner that adds 15 degrees of warmth

Finally, the most important thing for us is to have our hydration pouches. We are each carrying a sleeve capable of storing 3 liters of fluids. This sleeve is inside our packs. 3 liters of water can weigh up to 6 lbs, so we've been sure to account for that weight in advance. 

Aside from what is in our packs, we are bringing a light pair of sneakers and/or flip flops and a point-and-shoot camera. My girlfriend is bringing our DSLR camera. 

That's just about it. It seems like a lot, but it's not really. And everything is light and rolled up / compact. 

It is really important to try to pack your pack multiple times to get the hang of it and to get the weight correct. It also is important to make sure the distribution inside your pack is right so that you are balanced while carrying it. We've made it a point to make sure to know how to use all the straps on our packs to our advantage (they all have a different job). The closer you can keep your pack to your body, the easier it will be to carry, manage the weight, and be comfortable.

I think we're ready!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Back In The Days When I Was Young, I'm Not A Kid Anymore


As a child you fear nothing and risk everything. You have nothing to lose. 
But as an adult, you fear many things and risk less because you know better.