Gear List

CARRYING
46 liter knapsack Osprey Hornet
Small side pouch for camera

KNAPSACK
Sleeping bag Primaloft .5 kg MEC overbag 
Sleepmat Thermarest .25 kg  Shoulders-to-Hips 
Drybag (10 liter good quality) for clothes
Drybag (5 liter silnylon) for general use
Drybag (5 liter good quality) for electronics
Drybag (1 liter plastic) for travel documents

DAYBAG *Fits in knapsack*
Daybag (7 liter shapeless nylon)
Carries doubles of most toiletries and medical

KITCHEN / FOOD
Spoon, plastic breadknife, can opener 
Water bottle .5L
1 day of light food (apple, cheese, chocolate, nuts, bread)

CLOTHES
Light, yellow nylon shell / umbrella
Black jacket / light fleece
Poly skull cap / Poly gloves / Poly hats (2)
Swim shorts / Mini-towel
Wool socks (2) / Poly socks (1)
T-shirts (4) / Nylon shorts, Nylon pants/zip-off
Silk Sleep top, wool sleep shorts, Cotton underwear (3)
Sandals / Water Shoes

MEDICAL 
Band-aids, alcohol gel, compression wrap, gauze, tape, Murine, Allergy pills, Ibuprofen, Poly-Sporin, Gravol, Anti-Itch, Chlorine tablets, tweezers, cuticle scissors, pumice, Multi-vitamins, Lomotil, Malaria

TOILETRIES
Toothbrush/paste, floss, vaseline, sun lotion, chapstick, toilet paper, hair soap, deodorant, mouthwash, razors/case, Q-tips, clippers, laundry soap, foot cream

MISC
Watch, wrist Compass, LED flashlight(2), whistle, plastic mirror, eye-glasses(2), pen (2), needle/thread, safety-pins, cable-ties, Carabiner, Money-belt, small lock, CDN flag pins

PAPER
Maps (2), diary, family photos, travel documents/visas, Passport, MSI card, Blue Cross, NS driver licence, Vaccine record, Confirmations, Logbook, Login accts

ELECTRONICS
Samsung Galaxy Y phone, Kindle Paperwhite, world charger, Sony Camera, battery/charger, Camera chips (2), USB memory stick(2), 1-cell radio/earphones , spare batteries (2 AAA), Digital alarm clock, Music/Docs/Software USB

GOOGLE DOCS - DROPBOX
Passport, Drv Lic, Spare passport photos, Family pics, Calling cards, Immunize, Ids, Login accts, legal docs, music, pics

Uzbeki-beki-stan

Trekking in Uzbekistan

What and where is Uzbekistan???

Until Herman Cain injected himself in the US Presidential politics, Uzbekistan remained far outside global mainstream media. It is not much closer...many people have never heard the name, most have a vague idea it is ...you know...over THERE...Asia?? Russia??

So, why am I headed there? First off, this will likely be the last of the multi-month, backpacking, hostel dorm trips. They take too much out of me. Sharing rooms with 6-10 mid-twenty year-olds takes a fair bit of energy. I have a simple answer if anyone asks me if I want to do something (dinner, bar, hike etc)...Yes. That attitude opens a lot of doors, some of them quite silly and fun.

I am looking forward to the next phase of travelling. You know those 1-2 week trekking tours, say along the West Coast of Wales, where you stay in a different B&B or Inn each night with an intoxicating variety of beers to choose from.

Why Uzbekistan? I am turning 60 to on the road, and hope to do so in Mongolia in April. I want to go where people still live in yurts. I would like to be out on the steppes, nothing much around for many kilometers. I've always wanted to go there, but after the gorgeous tundra hiking up in Nunavut...I decided I need more of that kind of hiking. Add in the Uzbeki mountains, and I am sold.