The Count Down is on!!

Just a couple more days and off I go! This week has been busy getting last minute items, cleaning and waterproofing my boots, waterproofing my coat, packing and repacking and finishing off my September budget.

I ordered a couple things from Amazon.ca and am so glad I purchased Amazon Prime back in January. I paid around $80 for the year and in exchange I get super fast delivery on most items, no shipping fee and thrown in for free is their movie and TV show streaming. I am hooked on "Justified" (watching for the second time!) In shipping costs alone I have saved more than $80 so this membership more than pays for itself.

A couple days ago I ordered Granger's XTreme Repel spray for my gore-tex raincoat. Apparently the DWR (Durable Water-Repellent) wears off and needs to be replenished from time to time. So I washed my coat, sprayed it, wiped off the excess and dried it in the dryer and did a little water test on the sleeve. Water beaded up and rolled off. Here's hoping it will continue to repel water over the course of my trip. (I am taking a back-up coat this time around as it rains a lot in the Scottish Highlands. )

Then on Tuesday I ordered a new cable for my laptop as old one was making a crackling sound - THAT can't be good! Shipping is free again and the cost of the cord is less than half of what I have previously paid here in London. It is supposed to arrive today - just 2 days after ordering.
Amazon has done well by me so far and I do love getting packages in the mail rather than driving

all over the city looking for what I need. Win/win!

For packing I used a list from previous years making note of what I did and didn't use, for example last year I took a pair of shorts and never wore them. Also took a nice black top which I never wore. So I won't be taking those items with me this year. I also made a note of what I could have used more of - like hiking socks. I was able to wash the dirty ones thankfully after sloshing through the peaty bog.

I think I've finally got my suitcase figured out. On one side I put my hiking boots, socks, sock liners, undies, tank tops, PJs, toiletries and first aid supplies.

Then in the pouch on the flip side I put extras & misc, safety pins, kleenex, duct tape etc.

On the other side are my clothes...under a couple of plastic bags which I will use to put dirty clothes in.  Three pairs of pants plus I'll be wearing my jeans on the flight to Scotland, T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts and a couple of cozy fleece sweaters.

Some I lay flat and some I roll depending on the spaces available.

 My daughter bought me a new hat for the trip - I like a hat with a large bill so that my glasses are protected from the rain. Plus this style of hat fits well under the hood of my coat.

I am taking my wonderful Gregory backpack with me as per usual - it holds my daily snacks while hiking plus backup rain gear, first aid kit, flashlight, whistle, rain proof backpack cover, bug spray, bug hat, bug jacket, gloves, head band & skull cap with omni-heat interior so my head stays warm on those windy days, emergency blanket and emergency chocolate, just in case, my extra litre of water in addition to the one I attached to my backpack...I think that's about it. Then for travelling and city exploring I have a fabric purse with many compartments for passport, money, phone and maps.

So I am just about set. Left to do is tidying up the house, taking out garbage etc. That and throw in my suitcase the last few items I need such as toothbrush and rechargers.

So...why is it I feel as though I'm forgetting something really important??

Preparations are Afoot!!

I waterproofed my boots today.  I <3 my boots, I really do. They are so comfy and keep my feet warm, dry and unblistered. I like to wear a pair of sock liners and then a pair of hiking socks over them. The only time I've had wet feet was when I walked in an area where the water was up to my knees :(   The downside of going on hiking trips is I have to wear my boots on the airplanes and trains as they are kind of big and awkward to fit into my suitcase. So I wear them. I keep the laces loose and slide them off when I'm sitting down.

 And my pack is...you guessed it...PACKED!  I have a new day pack from Mountain Equipment Co. I wore it around the house today to see how the weight felt. Not bad, not bad at all! My other backpack is just a Roots backpack, meant more for school than as a day pack-it isn't very comfortable after a couple of hours as it tends to dig into my shoulders. My new pack spreads the weight out to my hips so I don't feel it in my shoulders at all!

It is all set to go - I have two water bottles in the side pockets and where it wraps around my waist there are 2 pockets for snacks.

In one pocket I have kleenex, toilet paper and ziploc bags :) In another pocket are my sunhat and warm headband if it gets cold. Close to the top is a pocket with a rain cover in it so if it rains I pop it over the pack to keep everything dry. I also have a small first aid kit, wet wipes, lip balm and gum. Oh, and a partial roll of duct tape!  No self-respecting Canadian goes anywhere rustic without duct tape. I know I used it a couple of times last year.  In the main compartment I have my rain jacket all rolled up tightly and a pair of rain pants. My raincoat has a hood that fits over my hat - I tried it on to make sure.

And I tried putting on my selection of rain pants to see which pair, if any, I could pull up without having to take my boots off and I had success with just one pair. That's all I need. I can't imagine getting caught in a deluge and having to take off my boots in order to put on my rain pants. Gotta make things as easy as possible.

Next challenge - the suitcase!!

PS - I'm already thinking about my next trip!! There is a path called the "London Loop" which is "140 miles of secret countryside to walk in a green corridor around London." Doesn't that sound fab?!?