Last year I had no idea what I’m doing. This year I do and am more anxious.

This isn’t an article. Its a to-do list I’m publishing online because whatever. Maybe someone else is going on:

A camping canoeing holiday down the Otava river in the Czech Republic.

Or as I’m thinking of blogging it: somthing to write home about.

The Essentials – A Handbag

My shoulder bag is my best friend. One carry on and a ting handbag.

• Passport
• Boarding pass
• Bus ticket to the airport
• Money
• Foreign money
• Phone
• Earphones
• Fabric bag full of pre-flight snacks

Stuff

I need stuff. I didn’t read the book I brought last year so I’ll do that better. We also didn’t use the pack of cards.

• Notepad & Pen
• Pillowcase – fill it with clothes
• Torch
• Towel
• Book of songs – maybe another book, too
• Star map – Less light pollution out there
• Glasses tether – wore two last year – saved my sunglasses once
• Earplugs – love these so much
• Smaller bags for packing
• Waterproof pod thing on string for money
• Hairbands
• lighter – buy when there

Camping/Canoe stuff

Most of the gear is going to be driven between the campsites and thank goodness we don’t have to carry the tents and gear in the canoes themselves. Or take them on the plane.

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping bag liner – for the colder nights
• Leggings for cold nights
• Roll mat
• Rope
• Gloves – I have some from when I lifted weights to stop blisters
• Dry bag – vital

Electrical stuff

Yes I’m going on a camping holiday in a beautiful country. Look up! Experience real life. Last year we saw an eagle!

No. I need time to myself. I exhaust and then my brain get weird. Last year was fine but I was careful. Bed around ten. Bit of browsing the internet in a tent. Podcasts to fall asleep to.

• Powerpacks
• Phone charger cable
• borrowed solar charger – not the best but I’ll take what I can get
• That European data roaming legislation
• Camera that could be drowned
• Spare batteries and SD card
• Spare earphones

Health stuff

• SUNCREAM – I’m the whitest
• Clear bag with 100ml containers – filled with factor 50 suncream and one after-sun for luck
• Tooth brush
• Toothpaste – buy there
• Bug spray – buy there
• Painkillers
• Antihistamine tablets
• Toilet paper – also as tissue for hayfeaver
• Bug spray – buy there
• fiber bars? – to supplement a sausage and potato diet
• Laxatives – I’m serious – last year camping food did damage to all of us
• Plasters
• Compression bandage for my fucky joint

Clothing

Last year was hot. This year has been hot so far. But it will rain? July 2018: was a Europe-wide drought. Having skin that burns rather than tan means covering up even in the heat is vital. I love swimming I’ll also need stuff for that. For the cold I’ll layer up again. I’m not so concerned about bringing enough clothes to have clean ones. A week on the river and everything smells of woodsmoke and goulash.

• Shorts
• T-shirts
• Undergarments
• Trousers x 1

Hide from the Heat

• Sunhat
• Long sleeve light shirts – got a few white ones slightly ruined by river water from other trips
• Long skirt

Scarf – light material

River Clothing

• Bikini tops – why pack bras?
• Swimming shorts
• Not jeans
• Swimming shoes – best nine pounds I spent this summer

Cosy to Sleep & Travel

• Leggings to layer
• Big jumper – don’t have to jam it in a bag if you wear it
• Gloves – if space
• Big socks
• DMs – Leather slippers at this point

If it’s cold & wet

• Raincoat
• Thermals

So yeah. That’s a lot of stuff to fit in my carry on. There may be an addendum when I try to fit all this in.