Plotting and Packing

This weekend I did a bit of shopping for gear with Samantha and last night I got some more material in the mail. Pretty much everything that I'm going to take with me is now in my posession. I was reading the Lonely Planet forums the other day to glean some packing advice. What I learned (and already knew) was that the experienced traveler always packs light. I want people to think that I know what I'm doing so that's the advice that I'm going to live by. Rick Steve's website gives a good rundown of how and why to pack light.
So, following that advice I decided to only carry 2-3 changes of clothing and to do frequent washes in my hotel sinks. Obviously if I wash a couple of pieces of clothing every night then I would have to carry far less weight with me over the next month. I had a bad experience on a trip to Belize washing clothes in a hotel sink. I didn't have good soap and the cotton shirt didn't dry overnight. This was a problem because I had to pack it the next morning and it smelled strongly of mildew for the rest of the trip. The smell bled into the rest of my pack too. This time I'm going with a mostly acrylic set of clothing that will dry quickly and weight less. That said, here's a list of the clothes that I'm bringing with me.

2 pairs of pants w/ zip-off legs
2 tee shirts (cotton)
2 button down short sleeve shirts
1 button down long sleeve shirt
1 fleece jacket
1 thermal leggings (the pants are not warm and these weight nothing)
3 pair socks
3 pair underwear
1 brimmed hat
1 pair outdoors-ish sneakers
1 pair Teeva sandals
1 pair swim trunks

For a long trip, that's a pretty small set of clothing. It's mostly brown and khaki but I've got some color in the tee shirts and the long sleeve shirt is dark so I could pass it off as dressy in a pinch. I have put some thought into what other gear I'll need to have with me. I've decided that it would be a rare occasion that I'd need a sleeping bag or tent so I won't bring those. Here's a rough list of the other stuff that I'm taking.

1 set various toiletries
3 sets extra contact lenses
1 pair glasses
5 books (2 LP guidebooks, 2 novels, 1 programming book)
1 flashlight
1 medkit
1 tiny digital camera
1 alarm clock
1 silk sleep sack
1 light towel
1 small daypack
3 net stuff sacks
1 vial iodine tablets
1 notepad + pen
1 sewing kit
1 knife
1 lighter
1 piece of nylon rope (I've seen a lot of survival shows ;)

To pack it all up I've got a new travel bag. I really liked one that I saw on Rick Steve's travel site... it's a mid sized bag with stow-away shoulder straps that's the perfect size for light travel. Next I just need to put a little more thought into my exact itinerary. I'll relay that to you later.

Planning Tedium

Today I made the most critical step in planning any trip... buying the tickets. I know it sounds boring, but it not only signifies an absolute commitment to the otherwise speculative travel plans, but it also defines the frame of time in which to paint the picture of a dream vacation =) It's been my practice for the last couple of trips that I've taken (Belize and Costa Rica) to get the tickets first and then figure out exactly how I'm going to spend that alloted time. That style of planning buys into my idea that real travel (or adventure if you like to think of it that way) should be shot from the hip and not planned too precisely. That element of uncertainty and dynamism not only adds to the excitement but also allows me more flexibility to persue activities that I can't see from afar in the comfort of the office. It's like current Steve giving future Steve a high-five.

I've got a general idea some of the places that I want to visit but I've got a lot of research ahead of me to get a better grasp on that. The only firm facts are my flight times.



Los Angeles (LAX) to Zacatecas (ZCL) 2/16/081:00 am - 5:50 am Mexicana
Zacatecas (ZCL) to Mexico City (MEX) 2/16/087:00 am - 8:15 am Mexicana
Mexico City (MEX) to Guatemala City (GUA) 2/16/081:40 pm - 3:40 pm Mexicana


San Jose (SJO) to Phoenix (PHX) 3/13/087:35 am - 12:20 pm US Airways
Phoenix (PHX) to Los Angeles (LAX) 3/13/081:35 pm - 3:02 pm US Airways


So there we have it. I'm flying into Guatemala and out of Costa Rica four weeks later. I should note that I also purchased a ticket for Samantha (my girlfriend) to join me in Costa Rica for the last week. We're meeting up with some family of her's down there and hopefuly we'll get a local take on what's most important to see. I've been to Costa Rica once before and I visisted the capital and some of the NW part of the country. It was awesome. Here's a pic of that trip. ttyl

One small step...

I started this blog a long time ago in anticipation of a solo trip to Croatia that never happened. While resting in a net cafe after a long day of riding busses, taking pictures, and spreading free-market capitalism I might update this blog with notes about the day and possibly a picture or two to prove that I'm really where I say that I am. Really, this blog is as much for me to remeber my adventure as it is to entertain anyone who might chance to look at it.



I'm not actually on the road yet... this is just a test of the system so that I can see how I like it.



Here's a picture of my bowling team to test out the image feature. I'm the wild-eye'd guy on the right.