The Night before

I'm finally done packing!

It's amazing how much one can squeeze into a 55L backpack. I'll spare you the gory details but know that somewhere in there, I've got my zero degree sleeping bag, a pair of sandals, my full Gortex gear, a spare fleece, and medical kit. Not to mention health bars and a nice big bag of Twirls. The only thing I haven't got is my pair of gloves. Can't remember which friend I lent it to. Or which corner of my wardrobe I had hidden it in. I guess I'll just have to pick a pair up at the airport tomorrow.

Remember my Slingshot bag? It's equally amazing. I've stuffed all the gadgets, batteries, spare batteries and more spare batteries into the various slots in the main compartment. I've just gingerly inserted my camera and now it feels complete. Final weight? I guess about 7kg or so. Ive put in also a small box of silicon gel to take out the unwelcomed moisture. In the top compartment, my passport, air tickets, journal and a book on Tibet are now sitting nicely inside, ready to be flashed into action anytime tomorrow. Not to mention my new pair of Oakleys with a retainer band. I got it because I needed to shield my eyes from the sun's glare and harmful rays. Promise.

For added safety, I've decided to put all that I am worth (monetarily speaking) into a skin pouch which would wrap around my waist securely. Talk about security blankets. Come tomorrow, I'll put my backpack on, sling my camera bag in front of me, and shoulder the tripod, and I'm ready to take to the mountains.

But first, send a list of emails to friends, then to bed.