Everyday Stuff Part 1 - Bags
Saturday, July 18, 2009
We have stopped for the evening to escape the rain that has been following us like a bad smell, and while I wait for the washing to finish erasing all of my bad smells from the past few days, I thought it would be nice to share a few of the everyday things about this trip that you may not know about.
What's in Pongo's Bag?
One of the main challenges that we faced when planning this trip involved our bags and just how much we could carry to live comfortaby enough over an 8 month period without breaking our stilts on the first day or without breaking ourselves. After many long hours, a few tantrums, and toward the end, a few aspirins we managed to get the weight of our bags down to 13kgs for Miki and 18 kgs for me. Still, this did not take in to account the extra weight that would come with water and food.
So what did these 'essential' items include? (clockwise from bottom)
1. Diary/ Journal2. Cooking Pot/ Frypan (it is the one thing I always seem to miss when
camping!)
3. Waterproof Jacket (green and black mesh bag- kindly donated by
Patagonia)
4. Inflatable pillow (black bag)
5. 4 season sleeping bag (orange bag)
6. Pongo (how could we forget Pongo!)
7. Sleeping Mat (blue mat under Pongo)
8. Tent (pink bag - has been with me everywhere. Next to Miki. the love
of my life!)
9. Pack cover for rainy days (blue bag next to tent)
10. Food (potatoes, carrots, bananas -for pongo of course!, and rice)
11. Tent Pegs/ Poles (next to Pongo's left arm)
12. Stuff Bag full of 'stuff' - (black bag next to tent)
13. Water (2litres)
14. Computer (grey waterproof bag)
15. Stove (black bag peaking out under the computer bag)
16. Stilt Repair Kit (clear bags full of runner bands, plyers, wire, tyres
and all other essential stilt fixing items)
17. Good Book and cards for rainy days!
All of that, taken on the first day, weighed just over 20kgs. That is why I have no hesitation in devouring everything the first chance I get! Anything to take a few of those kgs off my back.
Any suggestions on making it lighter - I am all ears!! :-)
Miki's Bag
1. Cables for camera, portable HDD and I Pod (cream case with greenpalm leaf- Miki has much nice bags than I do as you can see)
2. Food (Miki usually carries what we will be eating that day - mine is
usually the heavier stuff that we can use again)
3. Medicine and vitamin bag (clear bag next to bread)
4. Important item bag - because Miki is better than me with important
items (clear waterproof bag behind bread)
5. Waterproof pants (black and grey bag)
6. Pack cover (orange bag)
7. Sleeping bag 4 seasons (black bag next to pack)
8. Sleeping mat (brown mat next to pack)
9. Route map (clear file in front of bag)
10. Thermo bag for cold food storage (brown bag in front of route map)
11. Dirty washing bag - actually very handy and explains why she
smells better than me most days! (white bag with bikini).
12. Mobile phone and Pongo child
13. Sunglasses case
14. Stove (which I said was in mine but was lying! I have the fuel
bottle:-0)
15. Miki's toiletry bag (Pink Stripey)
16. Miki's stuff bag for all her 'stuff' (black and blue bag)
My couldn't do without items (Mick) - sleeping bag and rain jacket. Both have been
brilliant. Sunscreen. My thongs (beach sandals for
all of you not up with the lingo!:-))- after a long day
walking, I don't want to see my shoes!
My couldn't do without items (Miki) - beach sandals, fleece, sleeping bag.
My like thing, that I probably didn't need after all (Mick) -
inflatable pillow (never use it) and my board shorts - no swimming up here unless you are a seal!
My like thing that I probably didn't need after all (Miki) - shorts, passport! (Thought Hokkaido was overseas :-))
posted by Mick and Miki Tan @ 5:58 AM,
2 Comments:
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At July 19, 2009 at 11:33 AM,
Unknown said...
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Who is carrying the toilet paper and what are "runner" bands????? Big brother needs to know!
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At July 22, 2009 at 5:14 AM,
Mick and Miki Tan said...
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Toilet paper - Yes I add that to this list of most important things after a scary episode after 2 day old sausages! Runner bands - They make us run faster of course!
How are you big brother! Long time no chat! Thought you had forgotten about us! :-)
