#3 - Clothing, Packing & Luggage Part II

There are advantages and disadvantages in checking your luggage on flights.  I am sure that you are aware of these.  My travel preference is to not check my luggage and have only carry-on bags.

In order to travel with only carry-on bags, I need to select clothes and equipment carefully to keep within weight and size restrictions.  Further, clothing needs to be selected based upon activity, available washing facilities and climate conditions during the activity.  Your equipment will be the biggest impact on both luggage weight and space, therefore activity and conditions are equally important.

 

I have developed a Clothing & Equipment Packing List for travel, based upon whether I will be trekking, hiking, on safari or on a cultural journey.  The items in my list may not be applicable for your travel interests or needs, but represent an idea for  travel preparation which you may consider.

Here is my list:

Hiking Parks of Patagonia (2005)

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If you don't take the time to sit and reflect before you leave, you'll surely be remembering what you've forgotten when you're on the way to the airport or on the plane.  By then it's too late.  This tend to be true for what goes into your bags as well as what goes into your heart about the purpose of the journey.  

 The Art of Pilgrimage, Phil Cousineau

# 2 - Clothing, Packing & Luggage Part I

Before departing on a journey, one needs to consider which clothing items to bring, how to pack those items and in what luggage to pack them. 

But first, two book delivery stories -

Book Delivery to Belgian Royalty (~1976)

My flight from Hawaii landed in Portland about 6pm.  I had been guiding, driving and cooking for a camping group of 8 Travelers and arrived just in time for the backyard BBQ at the NE Portland home of a friend.    During the evening, I was introduced to a climber named Dean Caldwell who, along with Warren Harding, spent 27 days in 1970 climbing The Wall of Early Morning Light in Yosemite.  During our discussion, I mentioned my upcoming departure to scout hikes in the European Alps.  He asked if I could deliver a signed book to the Royal Palace of Brussels for the royal family before going to the alps. Of course I could.

I arrived by train in Brussels, checked my pack at the left-bag counter and, attired in my hiking boots, hiking pants and shirt, I reached the Royal Palace and walked back and forth in front trying to find the entry door.  Having walked several times past two sentry guards standing at attention in tall hats with a shoulder rifle, I decided to ask one of them where to find the entry gate.  I don't know how many sentry guards you have spoken with in your lifetime, but I hadn't previously spoken to any.  I still have not spoken to any.  Sentry guards are not allowed to speak while on duty.  Yes, your image is correct; book in hand I approached the first sentry guard and asked where the entry gate was located.  He didn't answer.  He didn't even acknowledge my presence in front of him.  I assumed he did not speak English, so I walked over to the second sentry guard who, also, stared straight ahead as I requested directions to the entry gate.  Not a word spoken, but both eyes, twice, quickly looked to the left and back.

I found the entry gate, entered in hiking boots, hiking pants, hiking shirt with my long hair and scruffy beard and approached the vary large, heavy-looking, secured front door expecting to hand Dean Caldwell's book to the King of Belgium.  I pushed a doorbell button and waited to be escorted into the palace.  After a few minutes, the door was partly opened by a gentleman who looked askance, but asked in very clear English why I was there.  I explained my mission, he took the book, thanked me and closed the door.  That was it........no Royal Palace visit and no Royal family meeting.        

 

Book Delivery to  Oriental Hotel, Bangkok (~1982)

I was on my way to Kathmandu, Nepal to guide a 28 day Rolwaling trek.  My Thai Airways route required an overnight in Bangkok, where I would spend a couple days exploring the city and getting some rest from the flight.

A friend of mine who worked at the Portland Art Museum had heard that I would be traveling through Bangkok on my way to Kathmandu and asked if I could deliver a book to his photography friend who would be opening a exhibit at the legendary Oriental Hotel located downtown on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.  Of course I could.

Attired in hiking boots, hiking pants and shirt, I arrived late afternoon at the hotel, entered the main lobby and received directions to the exhibition hall from a well-dressed Thai lady attending the front desk.  It seemed a bit strange that I had to go back out the front door and make my way around the outside of the hotel to find the hall, but accepted her word that this was the most direct route.  I found the photography friend, gave him the book and received an invitation to attended the exhibit opening that very afternoon in an hour.

Attired in hiking boots, hiking pants, hiking shirt with my long hair and scruffy beard I approached the entry room where a posting board listed dignitaries from different embassies and companies.  I entered the exhibition hall, saw all the men in tuxedos and women in flowing silk gowns and turned to reverse my steps.  The photography friend saw me, came over and, haltingly, thanked me for coming, then hastily turned to speak with someone nearby.  As quickly as I had arrived, I exited the hall of tuxedos and flowing silk gowns.

Lesson from the Two Book Delivery Stories:   When traveling, bring suitable attire for an unexpected occasion which may require more appropriate clothes than hiking boots, hiking pants and hiking shirt.

American Men's Annapurna 1 Expedition Fund-Raising Trek (1979)

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"The World is a book and those who do not travel read only a page"  St. Augustine

#1 - The Mission

It has been suggested several times over the past 45+ years of traveling and guiding that I should write a book about these experiences.  Up until this last year, my travel designing and guiding has not allowed enough time to spend in writing.  Now that I am in my sunset years, it seems a good time to share some of the adventures I have enjoyed.  Rather than trying to seek out those exotic instances, I would like to focus on people, places and sights that may have a particular appeal for the Traveler.

Is anyone who travels beyond their home a Traveler?  (Notice that I did not say travels to a foreign land). No, because, for this discussion, we must draw a distinction between a tourist and a Traveler.  The distinction is not a valued hierarchy with one placed above the other, rather it is a consideration of which one could avail himself or herself to the experiences that I will be describing.

For this discussion, we will define a tourist as one who is on a set itinerary and time schedule with a group of 15 or more individuals who may be moving about in a large bus hosted by a tour guide speaking in a loud voice or through a closed communication system and who could be observed walking in front of them with an umbrella or colorful flag in the air.

Does this suggest that we define the Traveler as one who moves about on ones' own or with a few friends, travels by public transportation, researches destinations and sights before departing, brings his or her own written guides and does not follow a schedule or timetable. Maybe, but said individual might be a pilgrim, a wanderer or a student spending a period of time on the road.

For whom am I writing these reflections, recollections and recommendations? I would like to draw from the mission statement directing my work and suggest the I will be writing for those Travelers who seek life-long learning in a creative, stimulating environment while promoting cross-cultural understanding.  The Traveler's focus is the diverse cultural and geographic settings of our global community that provide an environment for growth in understanding international relationships through a prepared, personal encounter with regional nationalities and the environments that molds their culture.

Drepung Monastery Monk Debates (1993)

                                                                                     

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 "For the history that I require and design, special care is to be taken that it will be of wide range

and made to the measure of the universe.

For the world is not to be narrowed till it will go into the understanding (which has been done hitherto),

But the understanding is to be expanded and opened till it can take in the image of the world."  

                                                                                                                                       Francis Bacon