Gearing up

Yes, the time has come for me to gear up for my upcoming trip literally and figuratively. In 2 days I will be departing for another adventure, this time a two month adventure across south-east Africa. I thought I would share my packing list for comment...it's never too late to add a few things in, or take a few things out! I have tried to include explanations for some of the things I've packed. 90% of the travel specific items were purchased from Rays Outdoors (for those of you living in Australia near one, join their VIP club online - they frequently have 26.5% off sales - I bought my hat, 2 pillows + a towel for <$10 total!) which is one of my favourite shops.

• 65L Wild Country 'Discovery Bay' pack with 10L zip-off day-pack
• sleeping bag (10 degrees) + silk sleeping liner
• blow-up pillows: 1 U-shaped (for the truck + plane), 1 normal
• passport, US currency, Yellow fever certificate, photocopies of all important documents, money wallet, extra passport photos, + an NAB Visa linked gold debit card (pay AUD$12/mth and pay no other fees no matter how many overseas transactions or ATM withdrawals you make)

ELECTRONICS

• head torch + 4x AAA batteries
• newly purchased Canon Powershot SX100 digital camera w/ 10x optical zoom, + 2x 4GB, 1x 2GB + 1x 1GB memory cards + 10x AA batteries to power the camera (camera bought from Teds Cameras for $248) + lens cloth  
• Ipod + charger

MISCELLANEOUS

• 2 travel journals, the first one already has loads of stuff about the countries I'm going to stuck in it (including best things to buy and eat, weather, electricity, culture info) + photocopies of my hostel + plane ticket info. Also taking glue + scissors to stick stuff in along the way, and will probably have to buy at least 1 more travel journal when over there!
• hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
• wet wipes for the dust
• tube of Vegemite (I am Aussie after all!)
• 24 pens to give out to kids
• pack of cards
• the usual toiletries + eco friendly laundry detergent
• sleeping tablets, ear plugs, sleeping mask
• 1L aluminium water bottle + water purification tablets 'Aquatabs'
• mini address book
• big plastic colourful carry bag for dirty laundry/wet clothes while there, and to carry extra stuff in back home
• headband for those bad hair days...
• 3 small padlocks

FIRST AID

• crepe bandage
• roll of stiff bandage
• vial of saline
• sterile gloves
• a few heavy duty band-aids
• matches
• hand sanitiser (I never use this, but...)
• stingose (decreases sting in bites)
• aerogard (tropical strength bug spray)
• baby oil (for sandflies)
• Gastrolyte electrolyte replacer
• paracetomol
• 2 rolls of toilet paper
• mild anti-histamines
• gut stoppers for diarrhoea (loperamide)
• betadine (antiseptic cream)
• anti-malarials (doxycycline for Africa)
• course of tinidazole antibiotics and norfloxacin antibiotics (for diarrhoea)

On a side note, apparently the diarrhoea flow chart goes like this:

• -sudden onset/uncomfortable diarrhoea + 1-3 loose bowel motions in 24hrs (+- blood) + 1 or more of nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or fever
• ---> take norfloxacin + loperamide --> if not cured
• ---> azithromycin + loperamide --> if not cured
• ---> tinidazole + loperamide --> if not cured
• ---> cotrimoxazole --> if not cured
• ---> SEE DOCTOR!!!

CLOTHING (all of which has been washed in Dr Debs Permethrin Soak (anti-mozzie stuff) before I go - available from $10 for travel docs, and each bottle can be used to wash about 10-15 items of clothing)

• 3 pairs of pants (2 quick-dry, 1 of which zip off into shorts + 1 of which tie up into 3/4s, + 1 cotton pair)
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 5 short-sleeved t-shirts (wore maybe 1-2 of these), 2 long-sleeved shirts, a few tank tops that can be worn as pyjamas
• 1 slightly dressier shirt + 1 long skirt
• 1 pair of thermal underwear (top + bottom) to compensate for lack of warm clothing and for not bringing my quality sleeping bag!
• 1 weeks worth of underwear + socks
• polar-tec jumper
• sarong
• 2 pairs of bathers
• 1 microfibre towel + 1 mini quick dry face-sized washer thingy
• Gore-tex waterproof jacket
• runners, water-proof sandals + thongs

So yeah, that's about it. Any comments? :) I'd love feedback from those who've been there at this time of year as to what I've forgotten and what is just taking up space unnecessarily! :)