When taking a trip to any destination, one of the most difficult questions is always, “What to pack?”  It rates right up there with ”Where am I going?” and “How in the hell am i going to pay for all this?”  On a long-term backpacking trip the question becomes even more difficult.  Each item that makes the list is going to be strapped to your back for months, hauled onto buses, hiked through town, and even checked on a plane once in a while.   The items that you once threw in your roll-aboard for the trip to the Bahamas start to look a lot more heavy when you realize they will be sitting on your lap during 15 hour bus rides.   

Some item are no-brainers:  a toothbrush, bathing suit, sandals, but some people like to travel with a little more than this.  Depending on the climate of the regions you’ll be in and your personal level of hygiene, this list can quickly start to grow.   The common addage when planning is to pack your bag and figure out your budget, then remove half the clothes and double the money.   After a few trips using this advice I think I’ve got a pretty good packing list down, and my 40 litre bag feels light on my shoulders with room to spare. 

A new addition to the list this time around, and one that I’d decided against in the past is a laptop.  Previously I’d always written this off as frivolous item, one that was too difficult to manage for this type of travel.  They’re heavy and cumbersome, and when you’re throwing your bags on the roof of a bus or balancing it in a leaky canoe, it’s nice to know there is nothing valuable inside.  Besides the cost and weight, I had always put “disconnecting myself” as the main reason for not taking more hardware along.  Well, turns out I kinda like being connected.  One of the downsides to this carefree, no strings  attached lifestyle (read: unemployed bum) is that you quickly start to loose touch with people back home.  After spending the past month in the US reconnecting with family and friends, I’m hoping to do a better job of keeping up with people this time around.   Plus its a lot easier to get people to listen to my travel stories in small bit-sized chunks as apposed to the full half-day narrative.       

And trust me friends, you should see this new toy I have.  It’s called an Asus EEE 901, and seems to have been designed just for me.  Cost? less than $600 (i.e.,  I wont have to sell my other kidney if I loose it). Size? smaller than a hardback book and weighing about 1kg/2.3lbs.  Life unplugged?  over 6 hrs.  It will do all of the basic stuff I do at home; internet, email, skype, and rock some tunes, with the only drawback being that the tiny keyboard will probably add even more typos to my already dodgy writing.   

This also means of course your prayers have been answered.  This little angle is going to be what I use to write up new entries (such as this one) to the blog and even more importantly, sort through those pictures you love.  I’ll be able to skype (with video!) and email a little more often and with a little more comfort, and my solitaire game is sure to improve.  In fact, I should probably go ahead and name this thing Wilson, because it’s sure to soon be my closest friend and travel companion.   

Categories: USA, Travel