Things are beginning to finally sink in about our world trip. Like we’re, err, actually going on a, err, world trip. You know, with real airplanes and everything. Until the last week or two it all seemed a bit vague, but as we run through the “To Do” list of doom – rent apartment, get shots, become American (have British teeth done) – we’re beginning to realize that soon our worldly possessions will be distilled down to a handful of bags containing some fearsomely stinky backpacker stuff.
[ Warning: NERD ALERT ]
I cannot deny that I love this phase. Miniature, shrinky, gadgetty things. Drool! Geek Snort!
Above is a picture of our packagery. I am roguishly sporting an REI “Mars” 80L pack (the big one), which is a great little number, and cheap at $200. It’s big enough to hold my stuff and my guitalele (mini guitar thingie, inside the pack in this photo). My hand luggage is a Pacsafe camera backpack (black on the right). It has a nifty camera section in the bottom half, which is lined with wire mesh so that it cannot be slashed open. I’ll be taking some camera gear – you don’t think I actually want to LOOK at things do you? – so made a bit of an effort with security. I have no illusions though, I’ll most likely have everything pinched on the way to the airport and have to check-in wearing only underpants (again).
My lovely wife will be using her super comfortable Deuter day-pack. Which is admittedly more of a several-days-pack on her (petite lovely that she is).
Then – and here’s the scandalous part – her main pack ….. will be a rolling case!
DOM DOM ….. DOMMMMMMMM!
That’s right, I said it. Not a backpack, A CASE. Backpacker glitterati will snub this in “huff’s” and “pffft’s”, but you know what? It actually makes a lot of sense. We are trekking in the Himalayas, but other than that we don’t really need packs. Even as we fend of rabid yaks (curse their smiling faces), we’ll have enough packery for what we need to do. Other than that her rugged REI roller-case will do the trick nicely. Boom.
Ok. Maybe I’m taking luggage a bit too seriously. I’m a sad case.