tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76660923563459946422024-02-22T00:41:02.842-08:00SouthEast Asia Vagabondbcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-42785168693244682422013-04-13T09:27:00.000-07:002013-04-13T10:23:58.776-07:00Back Home<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hhzXwaMWkzWur9GE_OkpOHW2iSl0C7RSW8ycmAcZOhSKxjd7Oibez7nQohEiU8nZMjF3cHOv4Lt7jkE4ohutjFpIRfTjepO3Y-OIulGcMXsYidqb4qJi0-PXbqDoNikhMwqLAntfLNQ/s1600/DSC02804f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9hhzXwaMWkzWur9GE_OkpOHW2iSl0C7RSW8ycmAcZOhSKxjd7Oibez7nQohEiU8nZMjF3cHOv4Lt7jkE4ohutjFpIRfTjepO3Y-OIulGcMXsYidqb4qJi0-PXbqDoNikhMwqLAntfLNQ/s400/DSC02804f.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hauling Adit's sulphur blocks on Ijen, Java. He made more $$ off me than those blocks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<p>
Back in Canada after 4 months away, I have had time to recover and reflect on how the trip went. A couple of things really stick out:
<p>
- I still really love backpacking, staying in hostels<br />
- I really enjoy having everything I need in a bag on my back<br />
- I also really love seeing more of the world<br />
- You meet a lot of people when you are travelling<br />
- Backpacking beats me up<br />
- The heat of SE Asia really beat me up<br />
<p>
So, as I sit in my house, enjoying the 1/2 speed life I am living, I am still trying to figure out where I am headed. I had a 5 year plan that got me away from Dal and on the road. I am almost done the current 5 year plan (retire, travel as much as possible, downsize the house) and am close to having the gov't give me money just because I am of a certain age.
<p>
This trip had some surprises...for starters, I never made it to Vietnam...good excuse for another trip. I also did not make it to Myanmar, while it is stil in it's awakening state. This means that if and when I get there, it will be crawling with tourist and backpackers.
<p>
The heat was a major variable on this trip. Japan was just barely shorts weather and very enjoyable. Other than the $$$ to travel there, would love to spend a lot more time in Japan.
<p>
I absolutely loved my time in Indonesia. The heat was a factor, but I was still pretty tough back then and the social aspect was a lot of fun. Everybody sort of rolls the same direction thru Java, thru the same towns, so make friends that you keep hanging out with in new places. The topography of Java made me very happy. The people were the friendliest I have met anywhere.
<p>
Bali had originally been a big destination for me. My foot infection and the heat changed that to a stopover visit...no swimming, no surfing, no alcohol.
<p>
The heat hurt me a lot. I can handle cold much better than heat, so suffered more than your average East Coaster. I left Indonesia and headed to northern Thailand basically just to get a tad cooler.
<p>
Thailand was a lot of fun but is actually a party country where people show up for a few weeks of decadence. Fine if it's your vacation, tough if you are on a long-term trip. Very little exercise, mucho beer and late nights...This section of the trip took a lot out of me.
<p>
Laos and Cambodia were fun, but by then I knew my exit date out of Bangkok. I rushed them a bit, which is counter to how I like to travel. Something to keep in mind for the future.
<p>
I am still a bit beat up. When I am away, I call on all my reserves for stamina and my immune system does me proud. When I am back, I have to allow for those reserves to be built up again. $$$ is also a problem. It is always a problem for long-term travellers and is my biggest variable. The 5 requirements for long-term backpacking:
<p>
1. Health - if your health is not good, backpacking not on the list<br />
2. Mobility - opens up so many opportunities for new experiences<br />
3. Time - usually you have this, other factors are not going your way<br />
4. Money - people with lots of money usually don't backpack long-term<br />
5. Desire - not to be under-estimated. Discomfort is involved<br />
<p>
As always the 2 overriding sensations of long-term backpacking are just how lucky you are at any given moment, and the sense of freedom that pervades everything you do. The freedom is as addictive as the actual travelling.
<p>
So what is next? Mixing either $$ work and/or volunteer work with some travelling, hopefully in the Fall of 2013. Next year I turn 60 and will pick off something from the bucket list. I know what I want to be doing for my birthday, the question is still...where?
<p>
B
bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-43240415313822054112013-01-30T10:59:00.000-08:002013-01-31T11:28:51.431-08:00Cambodia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfBhd9pyDBP2d6BCbCtPKdZXuoyBPNEWCMAdM7vg9A4qhmHtAJ0VYFw25IFjhyRwu0pu0w6QO_mbRlwurL-AukoILYRBzlF-fpqQwfiVvd01o39HOZhn40Aum1T4lKitXlnMp7NOcfkE/s1600/210747_10151203806365636_1032575387_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="252" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtfBhd9pyDBP2d6BCbCtPKdZXuoyBPNEWCMAdM7vg9A4qhmHtAJ0VYFw25IFjhyRwu0pu0w6QO_mbRlwurL-AukoILYRBzlF-fpqQwfiVvd01o39HOZhn40Aum1T4lKitXlnMp7NOcfkE/s400/210747_10151203806365636_1032575387_o.jpg" /></a></div>
The pic above is from Banlung, Cambodia. Anna is a close friend of my niece Becky. I met her in Victoria, B.C. back in 2007 and we have kept in touch. She writes a great blog: <a href="http://icanplog.wordpress.com/">Anna's Triplog</a> and takes some amazing photos. She works for CUSO in the local educational system. It was extremely cool to be in the same space again.
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">ANGKOR WAT - SIEM REAP</span><br />
<p>
Up until this point in my trip, I have just been lolly-gagging about...going where and when I please for as long as i want. I enjoyed Indonesia so much that i could have easily spent another month or two there. After almost a month in Thailand...I can now see the end of the trip and a few things become apparent...I will not make it to Myanmar or Vietnam!!! the top two places on my list.
<p>
I find this funny.
<p>
Now I have an end-date and can see that i will hit a few places in Laos, then a few more in Cambodia and then home. With this in mind, I fly from Vientiane to Siem Reap for Angkor Wat...I enjoy this place a lot, the town, the surrounding villages, the liveliness, the temples, the Cambodians I meet.
<p>
From the airport, I take a hire a motorcycle to get me into town. Mao (my newest buddy below) upsells me to 3 days of a mix of moto and tuk-tuk. Mao has just gotten the moto but still has no helmet for his clients...my first job is to buy myself a helmet...which i later give to Mao..along with a 'contribution' that may help him buy the tuk-tuk we borrow for Day Two.
<p>
The deal is...if he gets the tuk-tuk..he has to put a sign on it that says..."SPONSORED IN PART BY BRUCE FROM CANADA". Less than one hour after landing in Siem Reap..I have been to the ATM to get US $$, got my dorm room at the hostel and am at Angkor Wat...a place i visit every day for 3 days. Cool
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">KRATIE - BANLUNG</span><br />
<p>
After Siem Reap. I take a 2 day bus to visit Anna. I have done many hours of bussing in SE Asia. It is hard work. The little mini-van that does the last 8 hours crams 21 people into a space that might usually hold 12. Alwys fun. I rest a day in Cratie, which really has nothing going for it, even with the Mekong running alongside the town. You take the cell phone stores, hair salons and shoe stores and moto stores out of Cratie...you got nothin' left
<p>
We do get to a nice temple and the freshwater dolphins (left of photo frame with the boat). Notice the oil-can that the accolytes are supposedly praying to...cracks me up.
<p>
Banlung is a nice town. I get in a haircut, some swimming and a good 10 km walk...mucho locals to say hi to...friendly place. I get to see Anna for a few days and we catch up on things over food and a few drinks. She lives on a lake (pics below) that have little restaurants along the water's edge...so you can sit and watch the sunset while schmoozing. Very enjoyable.
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">PHNOM PENH</span><br />
<p>
This town is a lot of fun. The Tonle Sap and Mekong converge here, there is aerobics on the waterfront every evening, bustling markets and a decent nightlife along the Riverside. My enjoyment is tempered the fact that I am back in high heat/humidity land after a fair bit of time in northern Thailand, Laos, Cambodia. I find the heat difficult.
<p>
My newest buddy is Vana and he takes me around town, to the Killing Fields and the airport when i go. So nice to be able to buy a SIM card and cheap air/internet access when travelling. Allows me to contact locals, read my Gmail/Facebook anywhere and use Google Maps to find stuff when walking. Too bad North America is so far behind the times. In Laos I paid $4 for a week of access...in NY, they want a pre-paid first month ($50) and a startup fee ($30)
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<p>
The Killings Fields are tough. I love how they present the site and the information and am very glad that i went. The reality is still quite mind-boggling. About 1/3 of the population of 8 million killed from 1975-1979. I saw the movie when it came out years ago and look forward to seeing it again.
<p>
I don't do a lot of reading ahead of my travels, but i do a lot after. So easy to take in information once you have visited a place.
<p>
I tried to ignore Floating Markets, but with a day to fill in Bangkok, i end up at one that is very touristic. We only have ourselves to blame, showing up in all these poorer countries with our fistfuls of cash and lack of restraint.
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">BANGKOK</span><br />
<p>
First time in Bangkok, I still have lots of jam left and it is as crazy as you want to be. I enjoyed myself a lot. Now, I am on my way back to NYC and Halifax and definitely a tad burnt out. I get in my shopping, am on the river a few times and then it is a 30 hour (20 air, 10 ground) odyssey back to NY.
<p>
Peace out.
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-40708674616780753012013-01-10T04:52:00.001-08:002013-01-10T06:07:01.417-08:00New Year's and Mekong Slow Boat
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">NEW YEAR'S</span><br />
<p>
Once again, I am shocked that New Year's was but 10 days ago. Moving towns and countries opens you to lots of new memories and experiences. Ran into Aaron today, last saw him in Pai, 21 days ago. Another lifetime! Took a bit to cipher who he was, since he, Slim, Dani and Phil had headed to southern Thailand, while I headed north...mostly to stay cooler...20C in the mornings and evenings is just such a pleasure even if the days climb into the 30's.
<p>
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<p>
My stay in Chiang Mai was the longest in any hostel ever. It included Xmas and New Year's with some breaks for the trip to Pai and the 3 day jungle trek. I was trying to do some Wwoofing in Thailand, but had no luck with the few local farms, mostly setup as guest houses, not farms. Instead, I opted to do a few days volunteer work for the hostel's owner (Noom). The picture may not look like much but involved a fair bit of labour to redo the surface of the driveway and include some bamboo edging
<p>
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<p>
Noom organizes a lot of social stuff for the hostel, and we hit a BBQ buffet (like big group meals in Korea) that could feed at least 500-600 people. Amazing. For New Year's, there was a gift exchange, then dinner at a restaurant and then downtown for the midnight fireworks along the canal. With all the people linings the canals and the fire kites in the hundreds and about 40 minutes of ongoing planned and locally set off fireworks..it really was a magnificent sight and a cool memory
<p>
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">LAOS and MEKONG SLOW BOAT</span><br />
<p>
In order to keep the cool mornings, decided to stay north and head to Laos. This involved a bus to the border, night over, then a morning spent getting across the Mekong River and dealing with the hassles of a land border. It was mild chaos all around. The best part was the list of rules of things not to do, including no sleeping with Laos women...unless you are married to them...the usual possible death sentence for drug use...blah blah blah. Too funny...altho friends did get nailed with some consumables in a Laos town and paid a heft $600 US to get their passports back. Not funny.
<p>
The long boat was a lot of fun, the scenery gorgeous. Lots of little villages along the way. At times, low mountains on both sides, speedboats zipping by at a furious rate...the drivers with serious helmets, the passengers...maybe helmets, maybe not.
<p>
The first nite, we do a stopover in a little built up village (Pak Bang) and find some great food and the one and only late night bar. The boat finishes in Luang Prabang...which is a crossover of Pai and Chiang Mai (lots of ex-pats and a very busy riverside restaurant and bar scene.
<p>
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">LUANG PRABANG - LAOS</span><br />
<p>
I enjoyed Luang Prabang a lot. It is on a nice part of the Mekong and I like towns that the river plays a major part in (not true for Vientiane, the capital, where I am right now). There was a great night market that had a funky food street with big buffet tables...$1 to fill a plate..same same for a big BeerLao. There were some cool bars including the very chill Utopia.
<p>
Notice the kids playing in the boat below. Parents are up the hill about 50 meters, no helmets, no life jackets..just playing in their 'yard'.
<p>
The sunset pic is from the temple that dominates the center of town (Chomsi) and is a big hit every night.
<p>
You meet a lot of people travelling (hostels, boat tours, jungle treks, long-run buses, bars, etc). While this makes for a very social trip...in SE Asia, with the cheap prices, warm weather and tons of backpackers...this means a lot more partying. I will have to go a a diet and exercise regime as soon as I get back (likely before Super Bowl).
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-6772883525537580072012-12-25T21:59:00.000-08:002017-04-26T12:10:58.928-07:00Singapore, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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WHAT THE??? Have been a tad too busy the past few weeks. Now in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand and going to take a few days to rest , both mentally and physically. Did NOT go out last night and went for a run early this morning, trying to reset my clock a little. The old city of Chiang Mai is surrounded by and old wall and canal that makes for an 8 km run. It is hot here during the day, but the humidity is low and the mornings, evenings are cool (ie: no A/C running in the hostel dorms, which makes me happy...hate A/C, would rather be hot).
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I am here because Indonesia got to effing hot/humid for me. Thought i was doing OK after 3 weeks, but after a month, I was starting to crack up. Was looking online for cheap flights north, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan....settled on northern Thailand and it has been a real treat.
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<span style="color: red; ">SINGAPORE</span><br />
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You never know when you will like a big city. Al ot of it depends on what you were doing in the week or so before. After scurrying out of Bali with my tail between my legs, it was a lot of fun to be in a big, modern city. A tad pricey till you find the local food-markets, but English Premier soccer on in every bar, lots of night markets and great food. Not to mention hot showers, sit-down loos and fast internet.
<p>
I was in a good hostel (5footway on Pagoda st in Chinatown), hit a few museums, learned the subway system well, made it to the world-class zoo (open-concept, very few fences/cages/pacing) and botanical gardens and generally enjoyed myself.
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<span style="color: red; ">BANGKOK</span><br />
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In order to move around SouthEast Asia, you will end up in big, hot cities. Was pleasantly surprised by Bangkok. I fly home out of there in February and am looking forward to going back. Was in a great hostel (WE Bangkok off Silom Rd). What makes this city for me is the river (Chao Phraya) and all the traffic and cheap ferries on it. There is also a light rail system, so you can get about pretty good. Taxis are dirt cheap but the traffic snarl is deadly. I do a lot of walking.
<p>
The hostel has a front porch, right on the street where everyone hangs out for a beer after a day of sight-seeing (Wat Arun, Gold Buddah, Reclining Buddah, KhaoSan Rd). Next thing you know, you are off for some excellent street food or Soi Cowboy ping-pong shows or Thai kick-boxing or the bars on KhaoSan Rd. It is a busy town.
<p>
I take a Thai cooking class because the food here is so amazing. It was a lot of fun and the food I made turned out way better than usual. Can't wait to try and duplicate some of the dishes back in Canada.
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<span style="color: red; ">PAI</span><br />
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I was so happy to get to Chiang Mai, as the the temperature in the mornings and evenings is high teens, low 20's. I am so happy. You get up here in northern Thailand and everyone says that you MUST go to Pai, which i do and have a lot of fun. I hook up with a 'croo of Brits (Slim, Aaron, Danielle, Phil) and an Aussie (Claire) who have been a group for a few countries/months.
<p>
We party for 2 days and then the rest of the group splits up for a week or so. We consume whatever Pai has to offer. There are hundreds of ex-pats in this town, just chilling out and enjoying the very relaxed vibe in this special place. Even the street-hawkers are chill which is a pleasant break.
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<span style="color: red; ">CHIANG MAI - Jungle Trek </span><br />
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I have been using Chiang Mai as a base for the last week or so, with a few days spent in Pai and another few on a jungle trek. There is enough stuff to do here (lions, elephants, hill-tribes, long-neck tribes, white-water rafting, ziplining) I did a 3 day jungle trek that included most of this and cost a whopping $60 that covered food, guides, accommodations. The expensive part is the nightlife. Beer costs about $1-$2 and there are mucho bars and live music in this town. Easy to get caught up in all the hoopla.
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">CHIANG MAI - Christmas</span><br />
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<p>
Christmas Eve was a tad rowdy. Noom put on a big BBQ and then we all headed downtown for some bar-hopping and live music. It was a late night out, but dovetailed nicely into Christmas Day afternoon at a local lake.
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<p>
I got to try Dancing Shrimp (the pic up above, movie below) Up to you to figure out why the dish is called that.
<p>Bruce eats Dancing Shrimp - Chiang Mai<br>
<iframe width="400" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UGIFUSf4CKE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>
Bruce
bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-74454452827765865682012-11-27T01:56:00.001-08:002012-12-01T23:23:39.651-08:00Pangandaran/Jogyakarta, Bromo, Ijen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Indonesia is an amazing coutry with equally amzing people. I am enjoying myself so much here. My visa runs out next week
and i am looking to extend it a month. Actually, if you told me i had to spend my entire trip here, it would be a real treat
<p>
The place is hot, damn hot, and muggy (it is rainy season). It hits 30C before I fifnish breakfast. The rain comes most days, a few times a day. That being said, it is just a variable, along with no easy train/bus info, squat toilets , cold showers, really lousy bread, etc. All these things can be workded around. I have been to the mountains a few times and the drop of 5C is worht the work to get there. Everyone can help you get to where you want to go, either as hostel support of local tourism.You take a bus/shuttle/car/moto/train somewhere. for a few bucks, someone picks you up where you are staying.
<p>
Whie I genrally like to be my own support staff, this place is just so social and inter-connected that I am enjoying the different way to get things done. I am spending about $32 a day for food, lodging, beer and including transport and the guided and non-guided tours.
<p>
Breakfast is usualy in the losmen , homestay of hostel. Lunch a steet stall or resto and same for supper, which runs to $2.50 without a drink.
<p>
Local Buses and trains are a riot. As many people selling food and services as customers, and they all change every stop or so, so are continually inter-acting with these people, who are basically polite about their business. I enjoy moving about this country a lot. I smile,say hello or laugh with people 40-50 times a day and it is addictive. When you get in a public spot, like a temple, like Eva from Germany says, it is like being Madonna, surrounded by people who want to talk to you, take pictures with you. It really is a heart-warming culture
<p>
You give an Indonesian a smile, you get a bigger one back.
<p>
Been busy with sports and cultural, a few volcanoes, rivers, plantations parks, temple sites, beaches, day hikes, mucho hours on a moto. The traffic here is intense. No way a description or photo does it justice. It is not as intense a India, but in the same ballpark. Really need to follow the rules whne xrossing lanes of traffic that splay all over the roadways:
<p>
Walk, don't run. Don't stop
<p>
Traffic will flow around you. Honest. Believe it. You have to believe ro never cross a street.
<p>
Been way more social than usual, as the backpackers crowd tends to hit the same places and between the tourist attractions and bars, you keep hanging out with a flowing group of 10-15 people that changes as the towns change. Facebook is the
common language, which is why I bought a for, for the wifi connections that exist everywhere and people post and comment like CDNs text all day. I have to work a bit to get time to myself and get things done like reading and this blog. I use
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">PANGANDARAN</span><br />
<p>
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<p>
What a week, nice little surf town, great place to stay (Panorama), lots of new friends, a few nights at the beach bars being silly, a jungle walk (the pic is from a swim...stunning view), a tour thru the kampung (local villages), coconut farms, a day of canyoning with some big jumps and of course, surfing. An amazing week all around.
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">JOGYAKARTA</span><br />
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<p>
Another amazing week, the little backpacker section of the city is all little alleyways maybe 6 feet wide, no vehicles. You can get anything you want without leaving, sleep, eat, drink, laundry, internet. The tours around include Borobador and Prambanan, plus the Merapi volcano. Did all of this, but no luck with a view on the volcano. Also finally got a phone, as wifi is everywhere but internet shops not so much. The train to Jogja was a riot.
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">BROMO - IJEN</span><br />
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<p>
Bromo is the crater everyone goes to see when travelling from JogJa to Bali. With the Merapi washout, we also went to Ijen...a most stunning place with guys digging sulphur out of the volcano crater and hauling it up. We live in a funny world.
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<p>
Stunning amount of bussing it takes to get this done. 12 hrs to Bromo, 8 to Ijen and another 8 to Bali. Current medical report has a heat rash on my ass, a rash from climbing Merapi in the rain with sandals and a foot infection (small abrasion canyoning, exacerbated by leash on surf board and the volcano hike, no way to deal with in 3 days of bussing) and voila...now holed up in Denpasar, Bali with antibiotics. No surfing, no beer. Catching up on things which is good.
<p>
Indonesian Hospital...in and out in one hour with doctor appt, cleanup and meds..all for $40. Sweet.
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-28264727025540013972012-11-13T20:09:00.001-08:002017-04-26T12:12:04.258-07:00Indonesia - Jakarta/Bandung<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p>
My Remembrance Day moment of silence in Jakarta<br>
<iframe width="400" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A4x0cFIa15A" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>
Indonesia is quite a change from Japan. Time and space mean different things here. It is a very fast-paced country with a large, traditional Muslim culture. It is also very dense with people, motos and cars. Being in the middle of all this interaction is a lot of fun. Everyone gets about on little combi buses and motos. Watching Muslim women hikes their skirts (they all have long trousers underneath) to get on the back of a moto is very odd. Definitely not a picture-taking opportunity.
<p>
There are malls that inside look like middle America (with mucho more people) and yet outside, the street teems with food stalls glued to every conceivable usable space, open sewers, garbage without end and enough traffic to keep you on your two. To cross, you have but one rule, walk, do NOT run, do NOT stop. he traffic will flow around you. Trust me. My first experience of this was India...which is another level up, so here I am quite fine.
<p>
First night in Jakarta, we drive some scooters over to Monas Park to play soccer againsta small crew of 14-15 year-old, barefoot locals. The temperature was in the 30s at 9:00 PM. There was a chnace of this being my last day on the planet. Then it was off for a few beers and back to hostel. We saw a girl on a moto get hit as we left the bar. This made the 20 minutes back a little more hair-raising.
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<p>
People have been more than friendly, with lots of eye-contact, smiles, hellos and nods. In tourist areas like the volcano, you deal with street touts, but they are friendly, not really aggressive and no grabbing, so easy to be polite or ignore them. Otherwise, all I get is lots of hello, Mister!.
<p>
The hike above the hills in Bandung yesterday was very cool. Took an hour to bus to Lembang then a bit of walking to get out of town, then uphill thru a few villages, surrounded by working rice paddies, cut into the mountains.
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My favorite part of travelling includes hiking the backs of small towns and then getting up into some elevation to look back down. The Lembang hike was perfect.
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-69346106759119116182012-11-07T19:29:00.002-08:002012-12-01T22:36:43.170-08:00Wwoofing with the Kinezuka Family in Fujieda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">I think the Japanese drink more beer than Canadians!!!!<br />
<p>
<span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Cxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Mxxxxxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Oxxxx</span> / <span style="color: red; ">FARM</span><br />
<p>
Wwoofing is such a great concept. You show up at someone's farm, agree to live and work with the family..and they take you in, feed you, give you a bed, expose you to new food and a bit of local culture. I have done this in Canada and New Zealand and it was always a lot of fun. Woofing in Japan adds the variable of a different language and a lot of food I have never seen nor heard of before.
<p>
The Kinezuka family in Fujieda took me in for a week, and all I had to do was put in 8 hours of back-breaking labour, and the rest was free sailing. My best buddy was the patriarch of the family, Toshiaki. In the first minutes we meet, we are having hand strength contests and putting back beer and sake while eating what was to become a serious array of (to me) exotic foods. Then it was off to an outdoor onsen (hot spa) to soak up some serious heat and watch the moon come up over the low mountains (Fujieda is in some small mountains just SW of Mt. Fuji).
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It takes a certain type of family to want to take in a variety of un-skilled, non-Japanese people to help out on the farm. They have to be curious about the world, be open to other cultures and allow strangers to share their family life. The Kinezuka family is all this and more. There was a lot of warmth in the family, between themselves and towards me. It was the best part of the experience..that and the fact that they have a sense of humour, especially Toshiaki. I tend to may a lot of wisecracks about the situations I am in...even tho they may or may not come across in another culture. I felt very comfortable being myself in this family.
<p>
I bring 2 things with me when I am Wwoofing, a strong work ethic and the desire to eat everything placed in front of me. This went over well in the Japanese family. Kazue and Toshiaki seemed to be intent on not having the same food twice for my entire week. Everyday was a lot of new tastes and textures.
<p>
I got to learn about soy beans, rice and tea farming (very hands on, you could say), we got out to three restaurants, a tea festival, the onsen and some horseback riding.
All in all, fantastic way to spend a week and one of the coolest experiences I have had in the past few years.
<p>
Thus ends my Japan visit for now..my plan was to visit 4 areas (City - Tokyo, Mountain - Fuji, Ocean - Izu Peninsula and Farm - Fujieda) and that went very well. Onto the next country!
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-64013957532147158732012-10-29T19:03:00.001-07:002012-12-01T22:37:48.224-08:00Izu Peninsula<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">I got swimming here, but no luck renting or bumming a board<br />
<p>
<span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Cxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Mxxxxxxx</span> / <span style="color: red; ">OCEAN</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Fxxx</span><br />
<p>
I am just finishing up Part 3 of my intro Japan Tour - CITY / MOUNTAIN / OCEAN. I am on the Izu Peninsula, staying at a re-furbished Ryokan in Ito. The coast is all old volcanoes, lave flows, rocky inlets and hilly towns. The train/bus system gets you anywhere in a hurry and I am here for 4 days. I usually stay 3 or 4 nights everywhere I go. You see less (or do you?) but the pace is more relaxed. The Ryokan is a fluke. did not know how nice it was till I walked in
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<p>
Check out the pics of this place...mine do not do it justice
<a href="http://kshouse.jp/ito-e/facilities/index.html">K's House Ryokan - Ito</a>
<p>
If you think I am burning money, I am in a dorm room with 6 people and the cost is in line with Hostel prices here (in Tokyo I was paying $27, 12 to a room, here it's $35...the next country it drops to $12-14 and cheaper yet after that. My breakfasts are groceries (yogurt, fruit, bread, egg), lunches are street or stall food in the $4-6 range. Suppers are usually sitdown and bottom of menu or combo plate at $13-15. All in all acceptable for a first-world country. Trains and buses are expensive, but I take all local, non-reserved, which makes it OK. I am not in a hurry.
<p>
My average day is spent outdoors, walking, hiking, climbing, swimming, a shrine or two, a cemetery, a walk thru the older sections of a town, interested in architecture and use of space. Before supper is errands, computer work, laundry and shower/hot-tub(onsen). Supper and after are very social times when you meet people and compare trips and the days activity. since i do so little planning, a lot of my days walkabouts are based on what I heard in the hostel the night before.
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">No wasted space in this cemetery, places I find quite peaceful and always peculiar to the local culture<br />
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Up behind the orange groves<br />
<p>
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Rocky, lava flow coastline<br />
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Mt Omuro, bus up, walk back to Ito (15 kms)<br />
<p>
Breakfasts tend to be quiet, as most of the kids sleep late. There are always a few of us and conversations start up easily. I am by myself most of the day unless there is a something particular going on (fish market trip, bike rentals). Supper on is very social, sometimes supper with a new friend and always some drinks/ reading/ online stuff in the common room. It is a lot of fun to meet other travellers and share stories of current and past experiences. I find backpackers a very open crowd.
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I am finding locals very friendly, both in helping on trains and when I invariably get lost. They love to try out their English on you . Everyone has smiles all around and there are always handshakes and bows and sometimes pictures.
<p>
Above are Sibos (Indian) and Yamanase, both my age, both quite interesting
<p>
People travel for a variety of reasons. I love the speed that I travel at, I love spending time outdoors getting some form of exercise, I love sharing travel stories with other backpackers and meeting locals, I love the food in most countries I visit.
<p>
I don't count what I miss in any one area, just what I see, because you really only see a small slice of a country anyway.
<p>
Backpacking alone and staying in hostels and dorms with a very social way to travel. If I was with someone 24/7, a large part of my social interactions would be with that person. Being alone forces you to open up and let things happen. It is a large part of what makes me travel.
B
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-5792851520089491852012-10-27T18:54:00.002-07:002012-12-01T22:38:02.325-08:00Mt. Fuji<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Sunrise view of Mt. Fuji from the hot tub in my hostel...sublime<br />
<p>
<span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Cxxx</span> / <span style="color: red; ">MOUNTAIN</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Oxxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Fxxx</span><br />
<p>
After the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, I trained (4 trains, 3 companies, help!) to the Mt. Fuji area (Kawaguchiko) for some hiking and R&R. In a nice hostel just across from the train station with a kick-ass view of Mt.Fuji.
<p>
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Bussed up to Fifth Station at 8000 feet and hiked about 1.5 hours up to Seventh, stopping because of all the hard ice and requirement to hold the chain to stay on track. The path is closed for the season, the huts are closed, they take down the signs.
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<p>
I love looking down from a height more than looking up, so the 15 km hike back into town was very enjoyable. Mind you, I got lost and ended up in the next town just as the sun went down. Added a bit of stress to what had been a very loose day. Made the supper , beer and hot tub all the more enjoyable.
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">Japan Thoughts</span>
<p>
- I never hear car horns...so odd. Just too damn polite<br>
- The huts from Fifth Station down are all abandoned, as the bus goes around them. Many people hike the mountain, but not from the bottom. Too bad<br>
- The hiking paths are well maintained, yet they handle water runoff completely different from say New Zealand, using wired sandbags, cement poles that look like birch and rock bins<br>
- I am continually in small, polite simple conversations with locals. My 5 words Japanese with their 10-20 English can across quite a bit, as long as it is not specific directions and you remember that answering YES to your question may not mean much
<p>
I also hiked up Tenjoyrama, which gives a nice view of the lake and the mountain
<p>
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<p>
<span style="color: red; ">Travel Thoughts</span>
<p>
- The mechanics of backpacking (book hostel, find groceries, laundry, maps, trains/buses, ATMs, museums, restaurants, hike locations) take about twice as much of your time when access to English is compromised<br>
- I spend a lot of time wandering back streets, popping into cemeteries, peeking in backyards. I love seeing how different cultures use space for say gardens and laundry and parking and courtyards and how their architecture deals with hills and dense living.
<p>
I also visited the Fuji Museum. Lots of old farm implements and sports gear. Check out the split-toe skates, knapsack, crampons and handyd-dandy all-around food processor.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieefA5g8Ygpo9LVxcEmxhnOPnkmfgZ5TZehx3VrCUyT7-CYexrEp9QMzAYKJGQ_8kvzkodAQEbVXhK4jddLL8ScUn0qqk_IvM_DTTx4whhdvKfnpUKGUEYs7TVd-n3kN1FnKavuO_SpZQ/s1600/DSC02148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieefA5g8Ygpo9LVxcEmxhnOPnkmfgZ5TZehx3VrCUyT7-CYexrEp9QMzAYKJGQ_8kvzkodAQEbVXhK4jddLL8ScUn0qqk_IvM_DTTx4whhdvKfnpUKGUEYs7TVd-n3kN1FnKavuO_SpZQ/s400/DSC02148.JPG" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoHY6MJvMtn_Xa5U4m_pcMyk8blpAnmXpl_2Uhwo4rLaZjzGjsAR0HJkoNZIDGskTp5XaLwg152_ZAbeeYHDG3KdZUvGVm7xu76aO6ufiXlH0s9uvwRKDzVd-RmcRBxD54w7cLIRar4/s1600/DSC02145.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpEoHY6MJvMtn_Xa5U4m_pcMyk8blpAnmXpl_2Uhwo4rLaZjzGjsAR0HJkoNZIDGskTp5XaLwg152_ZAbeeYHDG3KdZUvGVm7xu76aO6ufiXlH0s9uvwRKDzVd-RmcRBxD54w7cLIRar4/s400/DSC02145.JPG" /></a></div>bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-31032413443050573082012-10-23T17:47:00.001-07:002012-12-01T22:38:15.218-08:00Tokyo Drift<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRJaj1Altscqt7wcXh_b8QmYof9E6m1gEoZgNU6bzi14Jp4Dba_PRzKVWAgd_IeDd8-vjqSu7U5V5XuNyK3OgDsgbOt4aueN7kmdBwnaQs6qWjwm9Umy9xf_th46OaTJ-5BKRsbC_tMg/s1600/DSC01948.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQRJaj1Altscqt7wcXh_b8QmYof9E6m1gEoZgNU6bzi14Jp4Dba_PRzKVWAgd_IeDd8-vjqSu7U5V5XuNyK3OgDsgbOt4aueN7kmdBwnaQs6qWjwm9Umy9xf_th46OaTJ-5BKRsbC_tMg/s400/DSC01948.JPG" /></a></div><p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Next participant on Japanese Hoarders<br /></p>
<p>
<span style="color: red; ">CITY</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Mxxxxxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Oxxxx</span> / <span style=""font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Fxxx</span><br />
<p>
The 12 hour timezone shift from Halifax to Tokyo does a hard job on your body clock. From 2-4 PM each day, I want to lie down more than anything else. 12 hours later, in the middle of the night, I lie there awake. My body is forced to stand up/lie down to match the current timezone, but the brain has it's own clock...and it is pissed off.
<p>
Japan is a first-world country, but every society has it's people that fall thru the cracks. The city is the cleanest I have been in...yet no garbage cans anywhere...you are responsible for your own trash. Everyone waits patiently at crosswalks....unless someone like me crosses against the light...then a few others do as well. A very socially conforming society.
<p>
The picture above is taken by the Shibuya Station, a very rich shopping district. Just how did this guy end up here and why does he still have so much stuff. There are about 8 of these in the little section I was in. Japanese people are very polite and person to person theft is very rare. In such a conformist, group-oriented society, it would be too embarassing to be caught stealing from someone. So buddy has all his junk, and everyone, even the other down-on-your-luck people...leave him and his stuff alone.
<p>
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">The sushi here is top-notch<br /></p>
<p>
The food in Tokyo is amazing and you can get really good food at street stalls and sidewalk restaurants, just like in any big city. I am in a small town now and the quality has dropped with the price going up for a very basic meal
<p>
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<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Anne Hostel, NE of Tokyo Station<br /></p>
<p>
The hostel was pretty cool. Will stay there when I fly out in 2 weeks. I was in a 12 bed dorm that was 10' by 18'...basically bunk beds and a 2 foot walkway.The mix was global..2 Japanese girls, 2 American girls, guy from Spain, a few Aussies, a German, a Brit and me. The mix changed everyday and some of us ended hanging out together. There was a free, light breakfast in the common room and you got to meet the rest of the hostel 'croo then or for drinks in the evening.
<p>
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<p>
<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Tokyo Subway and Above Ground System<br /></p>
The train/subway system is mind-boggling. It serves 33,000,000 people...yes that is the population of Canada! Very little English, but enough to let you know when you have messed up. Been lost a few times already. Really lost today, but not in Tokyo. If you are lucky, you can find one of these with English names to work with. The subway lines are owned by different companies, so you either by a bulk pass, or tickets at each switchover. That being said, the station masters and people you ask for help are very friendly tho their the English is limited. It is a learning process. I am now 100 kms or so outside Tokyo and the train trip held lots of little surprises.
<p>
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<p>
<p style="font-size: 12px; color: rgb(153, 181, 163);">Bicycle Parking Lot<br /></p>
The bike traffic in this city is astounding, bike parking lots everywhere, bikes on all the sidewalks (altho reading today about the amount of bike/pedestrian accidents)
You have to be alert when walking, because the bikes weave in and out of foot traffic at quite a good clip. since theft is rare, the bikes lock to themselves but not to any post or fence. Of course, 90% of the bikes are the same commuter model...like a said...a very conformist society.
<p>
Love big cities...for awhile...then your head gets too full and you have to leave. In a small town now, decompressing, getting in some hiking.
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-77595924044244540032012-10-08T17:31:00.001-07:002012-10-15T16:46:41.999-07:00On The Road, Again...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; ">SAYONARA</span><br />
<p>
Once again, I find the stars aligning and I am ready to head out into the world for a new set of backpacking adventures. The last year was spent doing a house down-size, and it took quite a bit of work to bring the old house up to snuff.
<p>
When I did the big 10 month HoboTrack trip around the planet in 2009/10, I skipped SouthEast Asia...and for a good reason. I was worried that I would get in there and really not care to leave. The internal drive to get around the world was pretty high.
<p>
When I say that the stars are aligning...it basically takes a lot of luck to be able to do a backpacking trip like this. At a minimum, you need these 5 things to be true:
<p>
TIME MONEY HEALTH MOBILITY DESIRE
<p>
Everyone who travels long-term has some sort of mix of these variables. Most backpackers fall apart a bit on money, but the flip side of the coin, is that if you have a lot of money, you would probably not want to be a backpacker...walking everywhere, hitch-hiking, sleeping in hostel dorms, making a lot of your meals.
<p>
MOBILITY is separate from HEALTH. You can be basically healthy, but not be able to walk 5 kms, or hike over a mountain.
<p>
So, I am off for a few months, hopefully until February or so and hope to end up in a few countries (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Myanmar). I will be doing some Wwoofing (organic farm volunteer) in likely 2 countries, and hope to get in lots of walking, swimming, surfing and maybe even some climbing.
<p>
I have a few friends to visit along the way and will likely make some more. That is why I like travelling by myself and staying in hostels. I do what I want most days and spend evenings in hostels, sharing the days experiences with fellow travellers from all over the world.
<p>
I'll be posting to this blog 3-4 times a month and posting pics to Facebook as I get a chance.
<p>
So it goes...
<p>
Bruce
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bcmurphyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15833115561583299725noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7666092356345994642.post-15548796888683469532012-09-23T17:48:00.001-07:002012-10-15T16:35:38.140-07:00Gear List<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: red; ">CARRYING</span><br />
46 liter knapsack Osprey Hornet<br />
Small waist pouch for camera<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; ">KNAPSACK</span><br />
Sleeping bag Primaloft .5 kg MEC overbag <br />
Sleepmat Thermarest .25 kg Shoulders-to-Hips, self-inflating <br />
Drybag (15 liter silnylon) for knapsack contents<br />
Drybag (10 liter good quality) for clothes and electronics<br />
Drybag (1 liter plastic) for travel books and documents<br />
Daybag (15 liter shapeless nylon)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">KITCHEN / FOOD</span><br />
Spoon, plastic breadknife, can opener, chopsticks <br />
Water bottle .5 liter / Expanding 1 liter or .3 litter bottle<br />
1 day of light food (apple, cheese, chocolate, nuts, bread)<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; ">CLOTHES</span><br />
Rain shell / nylon Pants / umbrella <br />
Black jacket / light fleece <br />
Poly skull cap / Poly gloves / Poly hats (2)<br />
Bathing suit / Mini-towel<br />
Wool socks (1) / Poly socks (2)<br />
Techie tops (4) / Nylon shorts (2)<br />
Silk Sleep top/shorts Cotton underwear (3)<br />
Sandals / Water Shoes<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">MEDICAL </span><br />
2nd skin, Band-aids, alcohol gel, compression wrap, gauze, tape, Murine, Allergy pills, Ibuprofen,
Poly-Sporin, Gravol, Anti-Itch, Chlorine tablets, tweezers, scissors, pumice foam, Multi-vitamins, Lomotil, MalariaI<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">TOILETRIES</span><br />
Toothbrush/paste, floss, vaseline, sun lotion, chapstick, toilet paper, hair soap, deodorant, mouthwash, razor, Q-tips, clippers, hair soap,
laundry soap<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">MISC</span><br />
Watch, wrist Compass, LED flashlight(2), whistle, plastic mirror, SteriPen (water),Camera, battery/charger, Camera chips (3), USB memory stick(3), 1-cell radio, spare batteries (2 AAA), Digital clock,
Maps (2), Lonely Planet books, glasses/spare, pen (2), diary, family photos, travel documents/visas,
Passport, MSI card, Blue Cross, NS driver licence, Vaccine record,
needle/thread, safety-pins, cable-ties, Biners(2),
Confirmations, Book, Music/Docs chip, Logbook, Moneybelt<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; ">ELECTRONIC</span><br />
Passport, Drv Lic, Spare passport photos, Family pics, Calling cards, Immunize <br /><br />
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