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| Just about the right size suitcase for this trip! Image from outsidethebeltway.com |
It has been a few months since I've posted anything on this blog. I feel a bit bad about that as it makes it look like I don't care much about this trip but nothing could be further from the truthe. I have a good excuse as I recently spent a month traveling in Central Asia followed pretty quickly by a three week trip to California to see my nephew graduate from college. As of today, I'm still working on finishing up the blog posts from my Central Asia trip. It's slow going as I'm not a good writer - I hope I can finish it before I leave for Madagascar!
But this trip is quickly coming upon us - how time as flown by since George and I took the first steps towards making this trip a reality. I am excited!! We did our final confirmation check with the tour agency last week just to make sure that there have not been any changes on his end. So far, so good!
I also have scheduled to get my vaccinations all up to date. Not that I need everything for this trip but some of the vaccines were expiring this year so I thought, what the hell, might as well get new shots. That and I need to get a prescription for malaria medicine which I know I will need for this trip.
Yesterday, I got together with George to make sure we're both on the same page as far as what to bring along with us goes. I think he will just pack as things come to mind but me, the *travel obsessed one* cannot survive without a packing list so I'm putting one together.
This is a very short trip for me so I am planning on traveling very light....lighter than usual. However, I will be bringing along one luxury item - my water kettle. I bought for my Central Asia trip and we used many nights for boiling water for tea. I got spoilt with having a nightly cup of tea before bed so I will once again bring along the kettle so I can enjoy a cuppa before hitting the sack.
As with Central Asia, I will also be bringing along some granola bars and packages of oatmeal. I got addicted to the KIND snack bars that Pat got me hooked on so a few of those will be making their way to Madagascar with me. The oatmeal and mashed potatoes will only get eaten if my tummy isn't feeling up to par.
I also got a new toy! After months of heming and hawing over getting a new camera lens, I finally broke down and bought one - it's a 11mm - 16mm wide angle lens from Tokina. It's the first lens I've bought since I got my 18mm-200mm zoom and I'm looking forward to putting it use in Madagascar.
I don't know what our electricity situation is going to be like so I will bring along the external battery pack that my sister gave to me for Christmas one year - it's pretty much been on my packing list ever since.
Last but not least, I will be bringing along a pair of binoculars. So much of the wildlife we'll be seeing will be high up in trees. While my zoom lens will be handy, so will binoculars so for the first time in I can't remember how many trips, I am actually including them on my packing list!
Otherwise, everything on this list is what I already have in my travel closet.
The List
- Trip itinerary
- Passport, airline tickets and travel documents (all with photocopies)
- Euros, $US cash, credit card
- 5 short sleeve, light cotton shirts
- 1 long sleeve shirt
- 2 pair of hiking pants
- 1 pair capris
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 rain poncho
- 1 pair lightweight cotton pants
- Underwear and four pairs of socks
- Sunhat and sunglasses
- 1 pair walking shoes
- 1 pair sandals
- 1 pair rubber slippers
- Toiletries and first aid kit (including Tylenol, Band Aids, Neosporin, lip balm, Immodium AD, Pepto Bismol, Zithromax, Cipro)
- Sunblock and lotion
- Toilet paper, handiwipes
- Flashlight
- Binoculars
- Travel kettle
- Collapsible cups, plastic cutlery and can opener
- Two pairs of reading glasses
- Nikon dSLR camera, filters, spare batteries, chargers and outlet adapters, external battery, SD cards
- iPad with SD card reader
- Pen and notebook
- iPod
- Key lock
- Drain plug, laundry detergent, and plastic clothes pins for drying clothes
- Food.
- 4 packs instant oatmeal
- 8 granola bars
