Sunday, October 04, 2009

Essential Items.

The stuff for this trip is accumulating steadily: a spork to carry with me in case manipulating chopsticks becomes too much; an enamel cup and an unbreakable, multipurpose 1 litre flask, for brewing tea on the train and also making up sterile water in emergencies...


with the sodium chlorite and phosphoric acid drops (see below), plus plasters, hand-wash; wipes and other usual first aid essentials; a whistle as recommended in my DK travel guide for lone females; plus the sterile kit with the syringes as mentioned (oh, so often) before, and a tick remover in case I happen to find myself in mulberry groves...


then of course the universal plug (why does every nation on this earth seem to have to have its own unique way of connecting to the grid?); various earplugs and wipes; and a very light weight towel...


and then security devices - a passport case; another waist bag (very well-worn) and a fiendishly complicated cable for securing my bags to the train racks...


then 'memory' for my camera and my laptop (and a couple of devices to ensure I don't lose my lens caps...


and these for the flight over - another pair of circulation socks and ear plugs...

My luggage limit is only 20kg and I'm wondering if I've reached that yet...and all of it seems to be 'made in China' anyway. So often I wonder if I wouldn't be better off just bringing an empty bag and buying all of this stuff when I get there.

14 Comments:

Blogger N.L. Lumiere said...

Didn't the Chinese invent all that stuff anyway, as well as manufacture it?
Take the spork and an empty suitcase.

Sun Oct 04, 11:56:00 pm  
Blogger Paul Halpern said...

" all of it seems to be 'made in China' anyway. "

Would that be like carrying coals to Newcastle, as the saying goes?

My advice is to pack anything you think is essential, because who knows when you would have access to particular shops. When I visited Geneva I was extremely glad that I had brought along an electrical adaptor, even though I thought they'd be available everywhere. Just hope you don't exceed the limit.

Mon Oct 05, 12:22:00 am  
Blogger crimeficreader said...

Wishing you all the very best with all this, Clare! I didn't say "luck" as luck plays a small part, I think; planning is the most important and you're well on the ball in that arena.

Stay safe and protected at all times and with contingency back-up. Your packing suggests that this is so. So, enjoy while you are there and I hope you find all that you seek.

Mon Oct 05, 02:24:00 am  
Anonymous Mary said...

Thanks so much for mentioning tea in your post, Clare. It reminded me that I had put the electric kettle on.

You appear to be very organized. The more prepared you are, the less likely you are to need many of your supplies. It's like insurance.

Mon Oct 05, 03:14:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Might be they did, Nora - though as I read about this sort of thing I realise that inventions, like "missing links", and "revolutionary" ideas actually don't often come from one place or one person but are the result of a communal chipping away and adaptation of ideas.

Absolutely right Paul! No doubt all of this would be available somewhere in China - but I wouldn't know where to start looking - and anyway I shall have more interesting things to do than shop.

Thank you CFR, good idea for back up, I'd say, also I have to admit I am having a bit of fun planning this 'mission'.

Mary: Heh, heh. Hope you have a good cuppa! I do hope you're right! I am a little sperstitious about all this - at the back of my head is the idea that if I've thought of it -it won't happen.

Mon Oct 05, 05:56:00 am  
Blogger Colin Shelbourn said...

Mains adaptor for iPhone, in case anything happens to the laptop ...

Mon Oct 05, 10:45:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Excellent point, Colin! Thank you!

Mon Oct 05, 12:12:00 pm  
Anonymous adrie said...

And for your comfort don't forget that the front to mid of the aircraft is where you feel turbulence the least. The tail tends to wag the most ;)

(As a former air hostess it's my duty to share that)

Happy travels!

Mon Oct 05, 08:37:00 pm  
Blogger crimeficreader said...

And from what I read in the press, after recent plan crashes, over the wings is the safest place.

Oh dear, should I have mentioned that?

But we want you back safely, Clare!

Mon Oct 05, 08:41:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Thanks Adrie! I didn't know that!

And thanks to you too, CFR (I think!)

Mon Oct 05, 09:01:00 pm  
Anonymous marly said...

Children always like foreign coins, even low-denomination ones.

I'm going to Thailand and Cambodia, and one think that I ordered that I don't remember on your list is tiny mesh-topped shoes that fold even smaller--for use in showers, etc.

You are a brave soul, Clare; I hope you have prepared for every contingency.

Wed Oct 07, 12:26:00 am  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Cambodia and Thailand sound wonderful Marly! Thank you for the tip about the shower shoes. I did have flip flops down but realise now they've somehow slipped my mind (together with business cards). Now I have found some on line and ordered them. I hope they come in time.

Wed Oct 07, 01:22:00 am  
Blogger Dani said...

OMG, I am jealous. If I was that organised I would definitely travel more!!!
D

Sun Oct 11, 09:58:00 pm  
Blogger Clare Dudman said...

Heh, heh....I take longer to organise these things than I am away!

Sun Oct 11, 10:05:00 pm  

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