When packing for a year long trip that includes latitudes of muggy dripping heat, altitudes of air thin and cold, and rain of all textures, what do you bring? A carry on.
There’s no way to prepare for all contingencies, so stay light and move fast. Maintain ability to catch a last-minute flight without checking bags in Malawi after getting stuck in traffic. Keep weight low to toss baggage onto slow moving trains in India. Stay compact to tie bags onto pack horses in southern Patagonia. When staying at a friend of a friend’s house in South Africa, one doesn’t want to show up with heavy, massive duffels filled with reams of unwashed cloths or unused gear (a friend once schlepped a full sized crab pot and accessories to eastern Siberia anticipating the mouth-watering king crab off the coast of Sovietskaya Gavan).
Packing the carry on for the year’s odyssey is good sustainability 101 practice: Take what you need. Need what you take. No more. No less. Let the constraint of the bag’s size force you to innovate.
Today we say goodbye to Bug-Z, our now-part-of-the-family Vanagon. Now the carry-on commitment becomes actualized. Although space constrained, Bug-Z had all the amenities: 2 double beds, cooler with iced drinks, food and snacks, music from the 70s and 80s that we played on the blaupunkt tape machine, I had my old stumpjumper mountain bike, marci and Skye had razor scooters, plates, cups, bowls, there was even a kitchen sink (although we didn’t use it). We had it all.
It’s been a year of heavy lifting to realize this point of minimalism. The Vanagon is but the middle stage of our rocket ship leaving orbit. Packing up the house, finding Mike and Marne, putting affairs in order with Blu Skye, saying goodbye to family and friends, this was stage one. Today like an apollo moon shot, in order to get out of orbit we have to jettison mass, goods, gear, stuff.
So goodbye Bug-Z for now. The carry ons are still full and we now have 3 nights in Manhattan, NY before flying to Cape Town, South Africa to see if further culling is necessary.
My eyes welled up a bit at this latest blog. Seeing you three in Ashland on the second night of your journey during the first "breakdown".....I'll never forget Marci's question to me about why I drive older Porsches. "Kelly, Don't you EVER get tired of all the breakdowns? Don't you just ever want a car that runs and you don't have any "problems" with?" I said "NO! I LOVE my Cars!" Every breakdown in my "old cars"(1966-1984 babies) that I've ever experienced have led me to journeys proven to be magical, hilarious, unexpected, rewarding, entertaining, spontaneous and I've met some incredible folks and lifetime friends along the way. Porsche and VW people STICK together like glue. You will always be taken care of when driving these older rigs. We are a "special club". My heart sings to hear you have tasted this club for yourself; as well as the experiences of this journey in Bug-Z. I am Looking forward to hearing more of these blogs....Jibs' amazing writing, Marci's wise words and Skyes indomitable spirit.....GodSpeed...xoxo....Kel
ReplyDeleteHaving just gotten back from only an eight week trip with one tote bag for each of us, I can tell you that getting back to all your 'stuff' is really hard. As attached as we are to much of it, it is completely overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteHope all is well and I think of you often.
Best, A