Central Asia Day: Packing

Surprisingly, my packing list has never quite been solidified. Each trip has something slightly unique about it, and my traveling habits evolve with each trip. I’ve done everything from multi-month circumnavigations with an 18L bag, to bringing 2 (yes...2) suitcases along (OK, that also involved working..so I’ll justify it a little bit). So I figure I’d share my packing list for this current trip!

Where: Central Asia mostly, including Russia and western China.

Concerns: Variable weather: The Pamir mountains are no joke, especially during the month of April. On the other hand, the Kyzylkum Desert of Uzbekistan is as “desert” as it gets. I need to bring light clothing that can keep me warm. The key will be layering. An additional thing to keep in mind is souvenirs (I’m going ham this time), and electronics. I’ve decided to bring my laptop and camera, which adds another bag to the picture, for both security and practicality.

The List

Bags: North Face Terra 60- this is the main bag that’s holding my clothes, toiletries, accessories, and will be the home of the souvenirs I pick up (who needs a nice area rug?). Also, a Swiss Gear Synergy laptop bag. I liked this bag cause it will hold my laptop as well as my camera with easy access to both. I’m also a huge fan of pockets for other electronics/food/randoms...and this has plenty. This will be a major gear test on the trip.

Clothes:

• 3 EMS teckwick T shirts. My go to shirts- can wash one in the sinks each night and it’s dry and ready by morning
• 2 EMS long sleeve teckwick shirts. This can save on sunblock when exposed, and works as a good base layer. I probably only needed one, but I splurged
• Exofficio Travel Jacket: anything labeled “travel” usually deters me due to it being a little too much. This jacket is new to me (gear test), and so far I like it a lot. It’s not terribly warm, but is pretty comfy, and has a very smart pocket system for storing just about anything/everything (I said I liked pockets didn’t I?). Big bonus was airport security- everything went into theses comets, off came the jacket, one move, done.
• EMS 800-fill down jacket. Super warm. Water resistant. And folds up into it’s own pocket (fits into the Swiss Gear bag) and serves as a pillow to boot
• EMS Rain shield. Featherweight rain jacket to put over top anything above. No thrills, stuffs into an old MSR bag the size of my palm.
• Pants: Wrangler cargo pants. Go ahead, laugh. I find the hiking pants are a little stuffy; these are comfy, look fine, and let me act like an old man.
• Underwear/socks: enough, but not too much ;)
• Gym shorts- this is a creature comfort. I can’t sleep NOT in gym shorts. Unless naked. OK TMI.
• Swim shorts: Old Army issue PT shorts double as my swim wear. Very small. Good for me. Bad for everyone else.
• Well that’s what I have on me. Take a look at my photo album ent paris, just keep buying them). Can take a decent hike, are sturdy, waterproof, and look OK.
• Teva sandals: it’s nice to kick back and relax in something toehr than hiking shoes from tie to time. These are comfy and durable.

Electronics: This is easily the part that everybody forgets to appreciate takes A LOT of space. We’re evolving into a tech-gear traveling generation, and it’s not a bad thing. Just account for it, and organize your chargers!

• 15’ MacBook pro. This is a workhorse machine and is pretty tough. I’ve brought my laptop on many trips, and as long as you keep it by your side or locked up (with your own lock), you should be OK. Just don’t get stupid. Theres insurance (in case of theft) out there for your Mac, too.
• Canon 6D camera with 24-105 lens. Great full frame camera for nice pictures. Find one lens, get good at it. When I get hired by NatGeo, maybe I’ll start bringing more than one.
• GoPro Hero 4. Thanks mom and dad!!
• iPhone 5s. Honestly, this is so useful to have. Great for pictures, video, maps, booking hotels, etc. Even if you don’t get a local SIM card (recommended), wifi still works, and I’ve become a master of the “screen-shot-a-map” technique.
• Philips wireless speaker: Wanna be the hero at the hostel or bus ride? This is how. This is small, tough, waterproof and easy to use. Charge lasts a while too.
• DeLoreme satnav thing. Thanks to my friend Eric Siu. This will let me map out where I’m going so people can follow along!
• Chargers for all of the above. Most are USB on one end, hence, I also bring a multi port USB- this lets me charge multiple things at once (sure, reduces current, but still works). All of said chargers go into one little zip-up baggy I got from a United flight forever ago, then stores into the backpack. Easy peesy- wires controlled.

Miscellaneous: As in important to not forget.

• Passport...
• Passport photos. Go to CVS and get a sheet of 16 of these. Comes in handy for embassies and visas.
• Small note book. Jot down notes, spending, ideas, etc. Also store the passport photos in here.
• Wallet with Credit card (Sapphire preferred has no foreign fees), Debit card (ATMs for cash), AAA card (ya idk why), student ID (can save money sometimes), and a picture of the President. Just kidding.
• Cash money. Bring crisp, larger denomination bills. Split it up so it’s not in one place, and don’t be dumb about guarding it. Many of these countries operate cash-only, and if cash is stolen, it’s simply gone. Ouch.
• Paperclip. SIM cards, weapon.
• Headlamp
• Pens (2)
• SOG tactical knife
• 550 cord (clothesline, shoelace, etc).
• Watch
• First Aid Kit_ shout out to zofran and cipro
• Duct tape (fixes all things)
• Journal
• Books (travel guide, leisure)
• Headphones
• Earplugs. Keep the ones they give you on the airplane if you have to, but these are SO nice to have. Thank snoring hostel roommates to loud diesel engines when you get the wrong seat on the bus (or slow boat Ryan Buck).

Well that’s what I have on me. Take a look at my photo album and follow along. Looking forward to comments and thoughts. Have any items you never leave for a trip without? Until next time. -BK

The Layover

So I’m officially on my way to China- and it’s a long, long way. In writing this, my friend’s guiding words about blogs rings in my ears- and I apologize ahead of time that this will mostly be an update-on-what I’m doing blog for the next little while. I’ve attempted to write about the lesser known destinations along US roads so far- and that will continue as I travel along the world’s asphalt, but there may be less of that in the next month, so bear with me!

Flying isn’t easy to me anymore- and getting up at 3:30 am isn’t a great way to start the day. Luckily, the smooth RnB my cabbie had playing put me in a better mood (like, I’m serious). Syracuse airport is quickly becoming a favorite airport of mine- I like that it’s smaller, but it’s developing some really good connections, making it my now-preferred departure airport (as opposed to getting down to JFK to save some money- the now-relatively low cost of flying out of SYR now makes that trip obsolete).

One hour to Detroit. Myself and the maybe tallest guy in Syracuse are sat next to each other, in an endless “who’s shoulder should be in front?” battle. Interesting guy who lost an eye in a honey accident. As you can imagine, we then chatted the whole flight.

Connecting in Detroit was anticlimactic. The flight to Seattle, however was pretty entertaining. I managed to fall asleep, only to be woken up by a small Chinese toddler unbuckling my seatbelt. Slightly startled by the aggressive little bugger, I scanned for his owner, only to find his grandma filming the interaction on her iPad.  This actually happened. We laughed, and our whole little section played with him for most of the flight in a very it-takes-a-village-to-keep-an-infant-from-ruining-this-flight sort of way.

In Seattle I left the concourse to visit my friend Jenn, who brought breakfast (YES!!!). This is where it gets interesting. Sitting at a table within eyesight of the security line, I gave myself an hour to get back in line. In the most frustrating security line experience of my life, this hour was not enough, and I officially missed my flight to Shanghai. Sometimes even people who travel a lot can make silly mistakes. Or, ya know, the guy in front of me who ignored the constant barrage of instructions, seemed to still decide bringing two liters of water on the plane was a good idea, and when told that wasn’t allowed, denied he would stand there, in front of the scanner, and drink his water. Kill. Me.

A blessing in disguise, Delta (for once) was pretty good about it, and booked me on the same flight the next day. I ended up being able to have a really nice evening with my family at home, sleep in a comfy bed (thanks Danielle), and return to SEATAC refreshed, and very, very, very early.

I guess the message is that sometimes things just go wrong. Plans unfold, and inconvenience happens (either our fault entirely, or not at all). All we can do is be flexible, have a good attitude, and move forward. And, finally, sometimes what we see as a bad outcome can end up being just what you needed.

Until next time!

5 Reasons You Should All-American Road Trip

 

The state of the road trip is in need of a All-American come back. From the mountains to the prairies, and yes, those oceans white with foam (gross), the great USofA has everything you need for your next travel extravaganza. Now, I'll let you know where I'm coming from; I often find myself going down tangential internet quests looking at the most exotic places across the globe, scheming and planning how I can get myself into those unknown corners. But you see, I don't have to go half way across the globe to see true beauty, to experience another culture, and to even scratch that travel itch. Now, I'm the first one to support a classic euro-backpacking tour, or a lets-go-natural SE Asia tour, but before you get your passport out of the nightstand, it's time to review some of the benefits to an extended staycation.

BEAUTY

I encourage you to scroll through a "50 most beautiful spots in America" Google search. Prepare to be amazed and instantly in the mood to get there. The Swiss Alps are amazing, and so is South Africa and Nepal, but before flying off to find raw, natural beauty elsewhere, snookered some of the exquisite beauty here in America. Start exploring the inter-webs and you'll find a never-ending list of places that will drop your jaw, right here in The States. A clever idea if you have the time is a National Park tour- annual passes are just $80!

MONEY

Money money moneeeyyy. Now, before I discuss the state of the Chinese market fluctuations, and how Greece can't seem to hold it together (sorry Greece), there are some obvious, simple benefits to the USA money situation.

• You already have it in your pocket/bank. Seems simple enough, but unless you've dealt with chip-less credit cards in Europe or the god-forsaken western union,  you'll never understand just how nice it is to already have your cash on your dash (ok, maybe in your wallet, dash probably isn't the best idea, though I did that once). Not to mention currency exchange. No hoards of hawking border bankers here.**
• No massive changes in value. Going from country to country, you risk fluctuations in relative prices of goods (apple here is $1 vs 2$, etc). Now, those variations are certain to occur at home in the states, but the cost of most things is relatively stable, and perhaps most importantly, predictable.  It's nice spending American dollars in America.

**Fo non-Americans, I suppose the currency exchange headaches still apply to you, but for most Europeans, America still = cheap(er).

CULTURE

Let's sit a New Yorker, Midwesterner and a West coaster down at a table and just observe. Americans vary widely, and you can still get a small taste of culture shock without going across the oceans. Stay in between them, and you'll get plenty of it! I think it's a great testament to the fact that America's diversity is what makes us, well, America. Such a mixed history, backgrounds, ways of doing things is hard to rival, and a pretty neat thing to experience in an of itself. A US road trip will offer the opportunity to explore these differences and see how you fit in!

LANGUAGE

OK sure, practicing your French in the quintessential cafe du croissant in Paris (yes, that's made up) is fun, practical, and carries of hint of travelesque romance to it, until you're yelled at. Less Fun. Not in the spirit of travel you might argue? Let me counter with the idea that it is still in the spirit of travel. There's a romantic beauty in apprenticing the dialects of your own language and being able to travel 3000 miles, stop at any diner, and be speaking one language the entire time. It's a different kind of fun, and worth experiencing.

ESPIRIT DE 'MERICA

This is my way of saying cause you've got to do it in your lifetime. Don't let your travel days pass by and only ever see the grass on the other side. There is plenty of that right here (seriously, go to Nebraska). The All-American Road Trip is still a big long trip, but you could feasibly cross the country in a week, 10 days would be fun. Imagine if you took [only] 2-3 weeks? Imagine what you could see!

I hope I've inspired you to consider your own back yard for your next big trip! America has so much to offer in ways of traveling, and it really must be explored. And if you don't have time/money for a big trip soon, the principle of "staying home" can really change how you travel. Have a free weekend? Go to a nearby town and spend the night there. Try a new restaurant. Do something new! Remember, it's not about the destination, but all the things on the way- enjoy your journey!!