Swine flu.

S

igh. International travel is not easy these days as there seems to be so much turmoil in the world that makes some folks (not me) think twice about leaving the safety of their surroundings.

The day I flew back from Lima, Peru in the summer of 2006 was the day the US announced the ban on carrying liquids in hand luggage. I had no clue what was going on until I got back home. No one in Peru was panicking and so there were no restrictions when I boarded the plane with my usual bottle of water.

The packing list.

P

acking for this trip will be relatively easy - not much climate change and no real cultural restrictions like must keep shoulders covered, no shorts, etc. Even so, I'm going for six weeks and the last 2+ weeks in Mongolia will require me to be prepared for travel to some really remote locations though no sleeping bag or trekking gear will be required. Lei tells me that Shanghai will be sweltering hot while it looks like nights in the Gobi will be cool so I have to bring along a mix of clothing that I can layer on. Most importantly, I will be bringing along a good medical kit - I don't see quick easy access to medical facilities in the Mongolian countryside.