Dec 07 2007
Flashpacking Looks Heavy and Bulky
Well I’m off home to Niagara in a week and then three weeks later I’ll be booting around the Philippines with no real plans or destination. Neato.
I’m being good and not leaving my packing until the day before, for once in my life. The bags aren’t packed quite yet, but I’ve sold all my stuff, given most of the rest away, have two bin bags of clothes to donate, and have organised all my electronics gear. I think I’ll do the final pack on Sunday if my inevitable hangover doesn’t try to kill me.
My electronics have me a bit worried because I seem to have a lot of wires appearing from everywhere. Sure, the laptop is the obvious thing but what’s with the zillions of power cords? Nobody told me about the maze of wires I’d be carting around the world with me! Oh well, all part of the fun. If I get bored I can tangle myself up in them and see how fast I can escape.
I’ve snapped a photo of what I think is all the flashpackery gear I’ll be taking with me. It sort of seems scary when it’s laid out on a table but the camera and laptop pack nicely away into the big brown bag at the back and the rest of it will be stored away in my big backpack’s nooks and crannies so I think it’ll be manageable.
So all up here’s what I’ll be taking:
- 12.1″ Laptop
- Laptop protector sleeve
- Mouse
- Earphones (I’ll be buying a small mic at some point as well to Skype)
- 4 gig memory stick that I can’t find the cord for and will surely lose very early on
- Digital SLR
- Kick ass (but heavy) camera lens and another crappy small lens plus spare memory card, a filter and lens hood
- Small camera that fits in my pocket for snaps of drunken tomfoolery and hijinks
- Seagate portable hard drive (160 gigs I think)
- Approximately a kilometer of wires
The funny thing is, I don’t know a damn thing about photography and I’ve got all this flashy kit. I’m a pretty terrible photographer, actually. I’ll have lots of time on my hands though and an interest in it so hopefully I’ll improve. That is if I don’t spill beer on it or lose it in the first week which is a big fear.
It seems like a lot of stuff. If my bag weighs too much I might have to cut down on clothes and do my entire trip topless.
Bring it on! I’m getting excited now. 
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I've been travelling since January 2008 living off earnings from the web. Follow me as I bum around Asia and beyond, getting up to mischief and working online as I go. 
Wow seems like you are quite organized !
Yes the temperatures are ok in Philippines… you should be fine topless
Kirsty:
I just read about a new backpacker movie from Germany. It is at least partially in English, maybe you want to check out the website. It’s called Hotel Very Welcome. The trailer looks real funny. Here is the link: http://www.hotelverywelcome.kinowelt.de/
Sounds like me last year. I got rid of most of my junk. I arrived home with one suitcase and another sports bag and my family said, “you’ve been away for (x) years and that’s all you have?
I pack all my electronic stuff in a single backpack which I don’t let out of my sight.
I came across this blog just now, and I thought of you who has “no real plans or destination” yet. Goyo’s account of his Philippine adventure might give you an idea–http://traveswithgoyo.wordpress.com/ and he just started, so his recent account might be of great help.
He started in Cebu (not a bad idea since it has an international airport) and if you want Davao (not too far from it), www.mindanao.com has more pictures. I’ve never been there but it’s a tourist spot, too.
If you want to check out Manila (my family would be there…my only reason for being), you could have it as your point of entry. Then Cebu would be your exit, I presume. Just a spin off point…have fun searching!
Sorry…I missed the “l” in “travels”–http://travelswithgoyo.wordpress.com/ –hope it’s right this time.
I didn’t know anything about photography before I started my trip. Just learn what every dial, switch and setting on your camera does and why you’d ever want or need to use it. Beyond that, its all just your eye.
Kristy:
good luck with your trip. I can’t wait to read your blogs from over the world. Hope you stop by in Slovakia, it is a bautifull and still a cheap place, check out www.besenovanet.sk or www.demanova.sk. And if you ever need an “uplift”, you know wher to find me …
Happy holidays!
How exciting indeed! And how quickly it’s come around.
I did have a giggle when you mentioned your photography paraphernalia and lack of photography skills. I can so relate to this!
When I was last travelling in 2001/2002 I had a hyoooooooog camera that became the bain of my life (not to put you off!). I was relieved when it eventually got stolen in Honduras, although the reels of film that went with it were a bit of a gutter!
Be interesting to see how you get on with it.
We’re back off to Roatan tomorrow (the place I last saw my camera), for a three week jaunt before we eventually end up there early next year.
Known for being very last minute I think I’d better go get my arse into gear and pack some stuff…..
Yes, cables are really cumbersome and space-consuming!
We are going to travel and work around the world starting January 2008 for a year nonstop, so packing will be a big issue!
Enjoy your travels!!! Don’t worry about your photo skills, these new DSLRs do all the work for ya
Great post got me thinking about what I will need or not as the case may be, I was due to take the leap next year but work got in the way & it may be another 18 months though. I recently read “The 4 hour work week” by Timothy Ferriss its a great read & describes “for us employees”
next year just to prove I can do most everything from where ever.
How to go about obtaining near 100% freedom whilst still employed
So I have been using the word “remotely” a lot at work recently & will have to take a couple of urgent trips
Kirsty…just spent the last 30 minutes reading your works…started at goarticles.com “hostel etiquette”…then to your first site I suppose travoholic, which led me here. I haven’t completely covered this site yet, but when do you think your new site will be up? Nice work btw.
I have that same camera issue. I love my dig-slr, but hate carrying it at times when I need to crawl the streets with a bottle in hand. So I carry a small pocket size camera for that as well. Sucks, but worth it I guess.
Phillygirl that movie looks cool. Is it only in German?
Beijing I can relate to that! I’m thinking of ditching my courier bag in favour of a little backpack. I think I’m better distrbuting the weight across both of my shoulders with all that gear and it’s one less bag to cart around.
Thanks for the tips an website Cecilia… I’m sure I’ll have more questions in a couple weeks when I start doing sme serious research.
It will be interesting to see if this camera survives the trip or not. I’m not sure if it’s more at risk from would be theives or from me chucking it from a bus window!