Juli’s Equipment Notes

(This won’t be very technical but it will be colourful)

This is a selection of the things I am really pleased to be taking with me. You will probably know the saying: ‘Something old, Something new. Something borrowed, Something blue,’ usually used for weddings – it works for the stuff I have chosen to list here. And will you notice the ‘almost fanatical devotion to a colour scheme’ as you read.

Starting with the bags – these are both fantastic finds. The Deuter Bag holds 80 litres with excellent end pockets of a very good size. I can’t carry a rucksack on my shoulders very well because of the problem with my arm, so a bag that goes over one shoulder should be perfect. There was the same problem when looking at day bags, and we tried lots of different configurations using small rucksacks and tucking one strap out of the way, but then we found a fantastic solution in this Courier Bag from Coleman. It’s waterproof and goes over the shoulder with a waist strap for extra security.

 
[Deuter Relay 80 - no longer available in orange!]

 
[Coleman City Box L]

Since I have started on this colour theme let me add a couple more orange objects:

Nearly killed someone in the shop when we bought this (left) in the Rohan's South Kensington store. It opens automatically. I think that it will do a marvellous job in both rain and shine. I think it might be something that hangs off my belt most days. I am sure there will be pictures to come, perhaps even like the one on the About Us page.

This semi wrapped object (right) is my new 'Well-hung' hammock. It’s a double and I have great plans to hang it between palm trees on Bora Bora, or Moorea, or St Lucia, or The Whitsundays, or… Sorry, getting carried away there.

I have got accessories for my hammock too, from Hammock Bliss. There are straps which will help it hold on to any palm tree, lamp-post or pillar anywhere and a special hammock mosquito net so we could spend nights out under the stars without fear of being bitten to death.

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You have had some of the ‘Something new’ so now the ‘Something old.’ The clothes in the picture at the top of this post are coming with me. The picture is a year or so old and the clothes are older. My colour scheme is quite wide and most of the bits here have come from the wardrobe already. Some of the clothes came travelling with me ten years ago and still nothing has replaced them. The green linen shirt in this photo (right) was evening wear all through Africa and India.

And this, (‘Something Blue’) sarong (left) served as my towel on that trip. It is light and dries almost immediately so it’s going to do the same job this time.

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So, on to the thorny issue of footwear: one new and one old. On our last trip I took a huge pair of Magnum boots to protect me from snakes and creepy crawlies. I wore them once before deciding they were far too heavy, and spent a year just carrying them around. The shoes I wore most often were my classic black Merrells. (True Love with these.) In fact when Marion had her luggage lost when meeting me in Kathmandu for two weeks trekking, she ended up in the Magnums and I trekked through the Himalayas, including through snow covered passes, in the Merrells. So it was with huge regret that after a further ten years of almost continuous wear I have had to relegate the black Merrells to gardening shoes. What to do for a replacement? I am hoping that my love for the brand will not be dimmed with the choice of these. They are light, fit the foot brilliantly and of course, the perfect colour.

I realise that the following could be contentious; it seems people either love or hate Crocs. I am in the ‘love’ camp. I have several pairs and it’s the green ones that will be coming. Great for paddling, walking, mud, sand etc and then just run them under a tap.

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The next thing in the clothing section is this jacket. Another Rohan purchase, so ‘technical’. It does all kind of amazing things in cold weather; keeps out wind and most rain; has a dark and bright side for emergencies (and a whistle in the pocket) and it folds into itself and can be used as a pillow. Versatile equipment, serving all kinds of purposes.

Finally, the hats. Taking two. Not normally a pink person but this is such a smiley object I can’t resist it.

 

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 I am a sucker for containers and bags and have had a lovely time putting together a selection. At this point in time I don’t really know what will be used for what but these are some of the ‘very useful’ bags I will be taking.

 These two are from Eagle Creek.

 This handy little thing came from Maplin

 New glasses and new Berghaus cases for them. Hard enough to protect them and with loops so that they can be strapped to my camera bag of a belt. Handy.

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Recording the trip will be done in a number of ways, some of which didn’t even exist ten years ago. This blog, for example, is a way for us to keep a record of what we have seen and done that will last forever. However, like I did on the last journey, I will be keeping a diary.

Then there is my most important piece of kit: my camera. It’s a Canon 450D (known as a Rebel in the US). I will also take my little Canon Powershot as a back up and have it set to take black and white shots. I won’t be using film this time, so don’t have to carry that with me. Digital lets you take so many pictures now that what I do need to have with me are memory cards and memory sticks, as well as being able to upload pictures when I can to our Flickr site.

 

Very pleased with the Tamrac bag (a Zoom 5) which has three pockets to carry those handy bits and pieces you always need to have with you. This brings me to my last piece of equipment, which I hope to have with me all the time for those moments which strike without warning!