After a request for some more details on how we are 'living' on the trail, here is some of our routine and the gear we have for these hiking trips.
Except for food which we buy along the way, we have everything we will need for the next 7 weeks in our packs. We have to allow for all weather conditions and the possibility that the shelter is full or has been burned down so we carry a tent as well. The shelters are open front (3 sided) and although they can be dusty and drafty, we still prefer them to the tent. They have sleeping platforms and a table and chairs for cooking and socializing around. We have the shelters to ourselves more than half the time (which is the way we like it!) We sleep on inflatable mattresses with inflatable pillows. It's all pretty high tech nowadays and far more comfortable than the 'old days' of roll up foam. Our entire sleeping kit including the sleeping bag is under 1.5kgs. We carry 2 sets of clothing. 1 set we wear hiking, 1 set for at camp. No dryer out here so if we get wet and it's not warm enough to dry out clothing over night, we start out with wet gear the next day! We are able to pass through a town around every 4 to 7 days where we can shower, wash clothing and re supply in town. Washing clothing can be fun sometimes and I have sat in a laundry wearing only my rain coat and rain paints while all my gear is getting washed! On this first trip, the first leg was 12 days! So that was 12 breakfasts, 12 lunches and 12 dinners on our backs along with everything else. We have found it tough going. The heaviest item beside water is food, and of that, snacks and breakfast make up the bulk of the weight. Wherever possible we try to buy Backcountry dehydrated meals for dinners. They are easy to prepare, just add boiling water, stir and wait. The price for these range from 11 to 14NZD for a 2 serve pack. Not too bad. (As I actually write this this minute, I have just been given 2 extra meals from hikers we stayed with last night.. Thanks Neil you're a star!) Lunch this trip is crackers with tuna or peanut butter or honey. Take your pick! The tuna is nice, but the cans are heavy and we have to carry the empty ones a long way. Breakfast is muesli with extras. Extras being dried fruit, milk powder and strawberry mousse powder... Yes the last bit adds just the right amount of flavor. We eat off collapsable silicone type bowls with titanium clutlery. All nice and light and can be packed easley. We can normally buy all of the above except the breakfast anywhere. If we can not find an item we want... it's a compromise and sometimes not a good one, but so far we have survived. The remainder of what we carry is toiletries, first aid (very little in the kit, plasters and panodal) radio, mobile and gps. Christine will carry her kindle and I might carry a few magazines, but that's about it. Oh... I always carry coffee, of course. Perhaps the most important items we take along is our sense of adventure, determination to finish and our love for each other that sees us overcome the hills and weight on our backs.
Nicola
13/4/2016 06:37:10 pm
Awesome - thanks for the infos! I enjoyed the video of Christine inflating your beds and pillows. Didn't take any huffing and puffing at all :-)
jennie
14/4/2016 10:45:24 am
Hi always great excitement when a new blog comes up. We wait for your evening check in before going to bed and they have all come up so don't know what happened your end a couple of days ago.All well here Comments are closed.
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it's Our Epic Trip...David & Christine are from New Zealand and are embarking on a trip around the world the slow way, on foot and by personal vehicle. This could get interesting! Archives
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