Random Realizations III

Random Realization #6:

I used to watch quite a lot of TV. It's not like I was addicted or anything, but there were certain shows I followed, and it usually worked out that there was about one program like that every night, so I'd record them and watch them and that was that. Once in a while when I was busy, like when training heavily for a marathon or doing long hours at work, I'd get backed up. Then a weird thing would happen and I'd start to feel like I was falling behind in my TV watching. All the stuff I'd recorded was backing up, and I couldn't watch new episodes until I'd watched the older ones, and it all started to feel like a bit of a burden.

These days I seem to have less and less time for TV. I'm spending a lot of time working around the house doing small repairs and spruce-ups to get ready to sell, and I'm still running, and most of the leisure time I do have is now spent online. Researching the trip, reading travel blogs, planning, scheduling and blogging all take up a lot of time I used to spend passively watching TV. The odd thing is that I really don't miss it. For the first little while I'd think, "Damn! I missed House again." Or, more likely, "Yeesh, I've got four episodes of Heroes to get through. Will it ever be good again?" Then as I realized I couldn't catch up, I stopped thinking about it, and I deleted all the stuff in the queue, and I haven't looked back. (Did Heroes ever get good again?)

There are still a few things I tape, mostly so I have something to watch while I'm stretching after a run, or when I want to veg out a bit. I'm also watching more stuff right on my computer. All in all I'm quite happy to be free of TV, and consider it a useful evolution in lifestyle that should serve me well on the road. I'd hate to be stuck to some crummy, grainy TV in a dimly lit hostel lounge trying to find out who won.


Random Realization #7:

The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is, in fact, MAGIC. I've been doing a lot of cleaning in preparation for putting my house on the market, which will probably happen in just a few weeks. (Yikes!) One of the things on my To Do List was "re-paint kitchen cabinets"; I've been using that kitchen for 11 years now, and it's a kitchen so, you know, stuff gets kind of grimy (not that I don't clean regularly, but how many times to you take a toothbrush to the moulding in your kitchen?). Then I actually counted the number of cabinet doors and drawer fronts there are in my kitchen. Any guesses? If you guessed 7,987,574, 329, you're close. There are 28. TWENTY-EIGHT. So "re-paint kitchen cabinets" quickly became "clean kitchen cabinets", and that's when I unearthed a never-used box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers from my top pantry cupboard. "Ah," I thought, "this is worth a try." And was it ever. Those things are amazing - they freshened up the surfaces of the doors and drawers, and a little elbow grease + Magic Eraser scoured the grime out of the fiddly moulding details that catch all the dirt. I am now perfectly content with the state of my kitchen cabinets. The MCME even (almost) completely removed a black permanent marker "oops" on my painted kitchen wall. I also tried them in the bathroom, where they made it through the soap scum in my tub quite handily.

I don't know what they put in those things, but they could be made out of powdered rhino horn and children's tears and I'd still buy them. There's an urban myth that they contain formaldehyde, but I'm happy to report that Snopes.com says otherwise. If I don't meet the man of my dreams while I'm traveling, I'll probably just marry Mr. Clean.

Note: "Go See Run Eat Drink" receives no kick-backs from the good people at Procter & Gamble (TM). But if we did, we'd take the money and buy more Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

Snail Mail 2.0

Today we look at three ways of harnessing the power of the internet to wrangle snail mail while on the road. I've only tested one of these websites so far, but I thought they were all interesting enough to report on here.

Receiving Snail Mail Online:

Earth Class Mail is a service that pops up a lot when browsing around long term travel sites. As quoted from their website:

Here's how it works. First, you pick a remote address for one of our locations, and have selected mail sent to that address. As a Commercial Mail Receiving Agency, we then receive your mail, scan all the sealed envelope images, and then electronically deliver each envelope image to you via email and in your online account.

You then log in to your account and tell us what you want to do with your mail.

• Recycle all the junk with a click of your mouse
• Have us securely scan the contents so you can read it online
• Shred sensitive information
• Forward the original to you or someone else
• Forward the electronic document to whomever you choose
• Archive the originals at our facility

It sounds like a really smart service, but it gets some mixed and some bad reviews. Detractors report delays in receiving mail and complain about the cost for forwarding actual mail pieces. Also, if you cancel the service Earth Class Mail apparently won't forward your mail on to a new address. The other difficulty for me is that it's based in the U.S. and relies on being able to forward your mail to a U.S. address. I'm not sure whether Canada Post will forward out of the country, and if they did, that might exacerbate any already-existing problems with lag time. I'll be using a home-grown version of this by forwarding my mail to local friends and asking them scan and email anything that looks like it might be important. I think I'll call it "Friend Class Mail".

Paperless PO Box is another service just like Earth Class Mail, but there's a lot less internet feedback on this service, so if you're interested, go check it out yourself. Or if you've used it, please report in!


Sending Snail Mail Online:

PC2Paper sends actual physical pieces of mail from your email. They print out your message (or Word document, or PDF file) and stick it in an envelope and put it in the mail. They also accept documents with photos and will print in colour, and they allow you to keep an online address book for frequently used recipients.

This service is based in the U.K., so you have to account for the extra time it will take for your letter to travel from there to wherever it's going. The prices are pretty good - a 6 page letter to Canada would be about $1.50 CAD. (PC2Paper also offers a mailbox service like Earth Class Mail, but because they're based in the U.K., the same mail-forwarding issues exist for Canadians as with Earth Class Mail).

I think I may use this service to send printed updates of the blog to non-techno family members (you know who you are), so they can keep up.


Sending Custom Snail Mail Postcards Online:

HazelMail is a site I just discovered through Practical Travel Gear. It looks like a fun way to send your own photos as postcards, all online. The interface is pretty easy to use, though it's kind of slow. It lets you upload a photo from your computer for the front of the card and then write a message and address on the back. There are even a few "handwriting" fonts to choose from so your message looks a bit more personal. (I like "FG Vincent", though it seems to have trouble with exclamation points!). On the downside, they don't give you a lot of space for a message on the back of the card, even though the graphic makes it look like there's a lot more space available.

Of course you have to create an account with HazelMail to send a card. The total cost for one card is $1.50 USD, and they don't take PayPal, so you have to give them credit card info.

The other downside is that this is another service based in the U.S., so your card will be sent from a U.S. address with a U.S. stamp. I think one of the cool things about getting mail from overseas is seeing the fun international stamps, but maybe the ability to use a custom photo makes up for that shortcoming.

This is the only service I've tried so far - I went ahead and made up a postcard which should now be wending it's way to a lucky Go See Run Eat Drink reader! So if you happen to open your mailbox some day soon and find something that looks like this:

... you are now obligated to report back here with a comment about how it looks, how long it took to get to you, and how cool (or not) the whole thing is!

Packing List

I thought I'd share how my packing list is looking so far. It seems long, but most of it is small, and I'm still reasonably confident I'll be able to get it all in one bag. Stuff that's italicized is stuff I still have to get. Stuff with question marks is stuff I'm still debating about - is it really necessary? Where possible, I've included links to manufacturer's websites or reviews to show the real item. As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

LUGGAGE:
Aeronaut with Absolute Shoulder Strap
Aeronaut large packing cube
Convertible Packing Cube/Shoulder Bag
other miscellaneous packing cubes/pouches
Day Pack, Rick Steves Civita
Neck Pouch, Eagle Creek Undercover Silk Neck Pouch
Pacsafe Retract-a-safe 200 Cable Lock
small padlocks to lock zippers on Aeronaut
Lee Valley S-biners (Or some other way to secure luggage zipper tabs together on day pack.)

PANTS:
Pants, dark grey Ex Officio Nomad Pants
Convertible pants (I like these ones from Columbia)
shorts, grey, Golite
? super lightweight "lounge" pants for hanging around in hostels?

SHIRTS:
t-shirt, light blue, MEC short sleeved v-neck
t-shirt, "juniper" colour Icebreaker Tech T Lite (This shirt is on probation - despite it being merino wool, I still find it itchy on my bare skin.)
long-sleeved t-shirt, dark purple, MEC long sleeved crew neck
? t-shirt for sleeping in (or just use one of the above, or the running shirt below?) ? no-sleeve/tank shirt
short-sleeved collared shirt, tan stripe Tilley Women's Short Sleeved "Cool" Shirt
Long-sleeved collared shirt (I can't believe I haven't found this shirt yet, but EVERY ONE I try has too-short sleeves. Honestly, it's not like I'm an orangutan...)
zip-up wind-stopping fleece, black, by Lolë (It's pretty much like this one.)
waterproof windbreaker jacket, khaki, Sierra Designs Cyclone Parka

SHOES:
running shoes, Mizuno Wave Rider
shoe-packing straps, MEC (for squishing shoes together into the tightest possible space)
everyday shoes, Ecco Xpedition Sayan Lo GTX shoes (made with yak leather!)
sandals, Teva or Chacos

UNDERWEAR:
bra x 2
underwear x 3, Icebreaker Hipster (Oddly, the merino wool is fine on my butt, just not on my back.)
socks x 3, beige, Tilley travel socks
gloves, Au Clair Polypro Liners
bathing suit
running long underwear, black (Could this double as the "lounge pants" above, or is that too much like hanging around in my underwear?)

RUNNING:
running bra
running shorts
"Canada" running shirt (I thought it would be nice to have something "Canada", and a running shirt seems like a good option.)
running hat (also for all other hat needs)
Polar RS200 Heart rate monitor and speed-and-distance footpod device
SPIbelt - for carrying stuff while running

PAPER AND PAPER-LIKE STUFF:
passport(s)
copies of passport, travel insurance, tickets, prescriptions, ID cards, SERVAS Letter of Introduction, credit cards, spare passport-sized photos for visas, etc...
wallet, All-Ett Original
notebook, Moleskine
pen, Chrome Bullet Space Pen
sharpie marker (For labelling food in communal hostel kitchen.)
book (Whatever I happen to be reading at the time of departure, to be abandoned when complete.)
guide book(s) (not for everywhere -just the first stop or two)
Kwikpoint translator (What a great idea!)

TOILETRIES:
Toiletries kit, Rick Steves, red
Shower caddy, Rick Steves
toothbrush and toothbrush cover
dental floss (also for tough sewing repairs)
ear plugs
eye mask
razor
scrubby washcloth, Body Shop exfoliating skin towel
small quick-dry towel/cloth, BILT
brush
nail clippers
tweezers
deodorant

BAG O' DANGEROUS LIQUIDS AND GELS:
Pack-it Liquid/Gel Set
skin lotion
toothpaste
hair goop/gel
hand sanitizer
Tide-to-go stain remover pen
Refresh Tears saline solution

FIRST AID KIT (research still needs to be done on this)

LAUNDRY:
sink stopper
laundry soap, Sport Suds
travel clothesline, Rick Steves
sewing kit

OTHER USEFUL THINGS:
water bottle, Ultimate Direction Fastdraw Plus Handheld
Sunglasses
SteriPEN water purifier and spare batteries
MEC Silk Bag Liner, rectangular
travel towel, MSR Packtowl Ultralite, large
Orikaso Fold Flat Tableware
Halulite cutlery set
? Knifeless Fuse Leatherman (I'm keen to have some kind of Useful Tool, but am worried that, even with no knife, this would still get confiscated)?
Folding Scissors (These also may get confiscated in my first security line, but they only cost $2.00, so it's not a huge loss)
Small compass - for orienting myself to maps
LED headlamp
modest amount of duct tape wrapped around tiny core
? deck of cards / dice ?
? buff ? (They seem like a good idea, but I have one now and almost never use it.)
safety pins
elastic bands
empty ziploc bags, various sizes
? GSRED business cards? (I thought it would be good to have some cards with the blog address and my email address to make it easier to give out to people I meet.)

TECHNOLOGY:
digital camera, Canon SD1000
camera case, Lowepro Apex 5W
spare camera battery, battery charger
12 x 2GB SD Cards for camera memory
mini USB cable for camera
plug adapter
Eee PC 901, with charger and padded sleeve
A-Data 16GB SDHC card for extra Eee PC storage
8GB USB Drive, Sandisk Cruzer
iPod Nano, 4GB
charger for iPod and other USB devices (if any)
headphones, Creative EP-630
Palm Centro GSM Cell Phone / PDA (unlocked)
Case for Palm Centro
? External hard drive ?

Phew. Big List. Have I missed something important? Chime in!

Safe Sacks

I occasionally poke around in a few travel forums like Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree and the Boots 'n' All Network. Each has areas for discussions about different destinations, but they also have areas specifically for discussing long term RTW travel. One of the topics that seems to pop up regularly is the debate about Pacsafes.

Pacsafe is a company that makes theft-resistant bags and accessories. Bags range from small pouches to camera bags, daypacks, messenger bags and ipod safes. But the item that generates the most controversy is the Pacsafe itself - here's what it's all about, as quoted from the website:

Featuring patented eXomesh® Ultimate security technology, the PacSafe is an adjustable high-tensile stainless steel locking device, designed to cover and protect a variety of bags and packs from tampering, pilfering and theft. Throw it around your pack, secure it to something fixed and get on with your adventure. Four sizes mean there is one to fit almost every type of backpack, soft-sided wheeled luggage or duffel bag... The PacSafe 85 has the distinction of winning Backpacker Magazine's coveted Editors' Choice Award.

There are two sides to the debate about the Pacsafe - one side says that it's just safer and more reassuring to lock everything up all the time. The other side says that such an obvious anti-theft device makes your bag scream, "I''m full of expensive stuff. Do everything you can to steal me!"

Not surprisingly, I'm torn. I'd like the peace of mind of knowing that my bag and its contents were as secure as possible, but it's also just another damned thing to haul around. Even the smallest one - the Pacsafe 55 - weighs just over a pound and packs into a 5-1/2" x 4" x 2" pouch. Also, lots of the people who comment on this topic say the device is a pain to deploy and an even biggger pain to re-pack into its little pouch. I think the slickly-produced video may not be telling the real-life story, and the preponderance of opinion among people who post on travel forums is that the Pacsafe is more trouble than it's worth.

I've decided to skip the Pacsafe. Instead, I invested in another product from the same company, the Retractasafe 200. It's a retractable cable lock that I intend to use to attach the Aeronaut to an immovable object when I leave it behind. The device has a resettable combination lock, a 3 foot long cable, and weighs about 3 ounces. I'm also going to secure the three zippers on my bag by padlocking the zipper tabs together. It won't be a completely slash-proof solution, but I feel like it's a reasonable compromise. As a bonus, I've discovered that the Retractasafe doubles quite neatly as a padlock for gym lockers.

As always, I'd love to hear opinions on this topic, especially from anyone who has actual real world experience with this stuff.

Magazine Review: "Verge"

Verge is a travel magazine, but one with a difference - it's subtitled "Travel with Purpose", and the blurb on their website says: "Each issue takes you around the world, with people who are doing something different and making a difference doing it. This is the magazine resource for those wanting to volunteer, work, study or adventure overseas." I've had a chance to look over 3 issues, which is 3/4 of Verge's yearly output - they only publish issues in February, May, September and November. In all cases I've found the magazine to be interesting, informative and a bit inspiring. As an added bonus, Verge is Canadian - their senior staffers are from Waterloo, Edmonton and Kapuskasing. Also, their web address ends in a comforting ".ca".

Verge's goal is to highlight ways of traveling "with purpose" - not just heading to a remote location to soak up the sun, snap a few pictures and buy a souvenir. Many of the articles in the magazine are about people in other countries who are contributing to the communities they visit in some way. I've read pieces about a Winnipeg lawyer working in a community legal clinic in a small Guatemala town, a documentary filmmaker trying to produce video shorts about Rwanda's recovery after the genocide, and about the New Zealand Department of Conservation's efforts to revive the native bird population, with the help of visiting volunteers.

Even the short "Inbound" section at the beginning of each issue has a conscience - the image on the right is a look at one of the pieces from there.

The magazine is not all save-the-whales / dig-a-well-for-just-pennies-a-day kind of stuff, but even the articles about less altruistic topics seem a bit different. I really enjoyed one feature about "Car-free Islands" - a rundown of eight different small islands around the world that have banned most or all motorized vehicles. And the issue pictured above (Summer 2008) had a "Best of our Planet" feature including Best Adventures, Best International Music, Best Wildlife Viewing, Best Remote Destinations, Best Landscapes, and Best World Culture. It's a great spread that's should be enough to get the blood boiling in all but the most determined home-body.

The other two issues I've read also have big "theme" features, one showcasing the winners of a reader-submitted travel photography contest, and one listing "hundreds of opportunities for meaningful travel". There are also regular pieces from a Toronto doctor about travel health, a "Specialists' Directory" near the back listing details on study, volunteer and work programs abroad, and a recently introduced "Ethical Traveler" column.

Even the advertising in the magazine is interesting - most of the big colour ads are for study abroad programs, or Teaching English as a Foreign Language jobs, or volunteer opportunities.

In fact, after reading a few issues of Verge I'm seriously considering seeking out some kind of volunteer work somewhere in my travels. More on that in a later post, but for now I'll just say that I'd probably subscribe to Verge ($18 CDN for 4 issues per year), except that pretty soon I won't have a mailbox anymore.