My trip begins in about a week and I spent a part of the day picking up a few things I might need on my trip. I also did some preparation stuff.

Guidebook/Reading Material

I love guidebooks, but I hate spending money on them. On my last trip, I wanted to get it from the library, but somebody beat me to it and I went without it.  That was okay, but I wonder if it would have helped me find some different things to do.  For this trip, I took out the guide book several weeks ago, and was afraid to let it go back to the library and then have to try to get it the day before my trip started.  I talked to the librarian and she was able to give me an extended loan, which would cover from today until a few days after the trip ended.  I won’t get to keep the guidebook at the end, but I will be able to use it throughout my trip for fee–as long as I don’t get it wet or something.  I suppose I could slip it into a Ziploc bag.

I also found a couple of books for the flights I will be taking in the discard bins at the library. I got a John Grisham and a Jonathan Franzen book.  The former will be an easy read, but the latter is a bit of a hefty tome.  I am not sure whether I will take either book, but it is good to have option.

Soap

The company I am going on the trip with recommended biodegradable soap if I needed to wash anything. I will definitely need to wash some things during my trip, so I actually found some at MEC.  The price was more reasonable than I expected and I think it is going to work out.

Electrolytes

I always have something in my water bottle when riding, so I think the same thing should apply to the bottle I am carrying on the extended hike I will be on. I hope that there will be break stops with food and stuff, but I cannot be sure.  So, I am bringing along some tablets to dissolve in my water.  I chose cherry flavour because I am getting a bit tired of orange.

Personal items

A razor for shaving (not often needed on vacation) can be a bit dangerous rolling around in a shaving kit. This time, I wanted a more compact shaving kit and the danger of reaching in and finding the blades of the razor is a real danger.  I always wondered why razors didn’t have covers–cheap disposable ones do, but not the slightly better ones.  Today, just because I checked the travel section of the store I was in, I found some razor covers.  I am going to call that inexpensive genius.

Action Camera

I don’t have the money for a GoPro, but I found a less expensive version that I am going to try. If it isn’t good, I am going to take it back after the trip.  It will be outside the return window, but they said I could get store credit.  I will consider that a win.

This trip will have some rafting, bike riding, and maybe paragliding.  It would be cool to have some action shots of all that.

Sunblock

The two stores I visited were out of the sunscreen/sunblock I prefer. I have time to track it down, but I wish I could have concluded that today.

Packing

My girlfriend suggested I start packing. While I can’t do that, I have started to make the pile of stuff I am going to take.  Hopefully it will allow me some time to trim down what I am taking.  I am usually guilty of taking too much.