Off again

Laur and I are heading out again, this time for what seems like it will be a frenzied three weeks in SE Asia. I have been reading quite a few travel blogs as we plan for the trip, most of which purport to give vital information about cities or what to pack or how to get from point a to point b. I still prefer reading travel guide books, particularly Lonely Planet and Rough Guides. I used to always read nothing but LP, but lately I have been including Rough Guides in my planning and feel they are the way LP used to be. They are practical, have a mild sense of humor, have good advice and one can get a sense of the writer's personality. That used to be true at Lonely Planet, but the Wheelers are no longer involved with the business and things change.

Packing for a trip. There are a lot of guides online telling how to pack for international travel. I think that, for the most part, if you need to read a guide on what to take then you should just stay home. I once gave a presentation on how to travel independently for several weeks and showed the audience my backpack/suitcase. I use a twenty year old Eagle Creek Continental Journey pack, minus the day pack that came with it. The people in the audience laughed when I held it up - they couldn't imagine traveling so lightly. I start packing long before my trip and repack my bag several times before I go to make sure I can easily get everything in the pack and still have a little room for the trinkets I know I will buy along the way. I try to have enough clean clothes to last a week or more and figure I can wash things in the hotel room sink or have laundry done if I am staying in a place more than a couple of days. I don't need much other than that. Of course, I also carry a camera bag that is big enough to carry my DSLR, a couple of lenses, filters, charger and spare batteries, and a few other odds and ends.

Eagle Creek Continental Journey

The goal is to be able to walk down the street with everything I am traveling with on my shoulders.