This past week saw the arrival on store shelves of TRAIL Issue 13, South Africa’s pre-eminent trail running publication. We’re once again incredibly proud and excited that we’re featured in the publication. The latest issue continues our involvement as regular contributors to TRAIL, as we share tales from the trails that we explore and experience on our global adventure.

Click on the link below for our article as it appears in the magazine. This article covers some of the why’s, and how’s of our journey and includes a bit of Guatemalan trail magic. We hope you like it.

TRAIL Issue 13 – Team Eat.Run.See article

If you’d like to enjoy the full magazine packed with awesome trail goodness, pick up a copy at supermarkets or bookstores in South Africa, or buy a digital copy (from wherever you access the interwebs) via one of these links:

Zinio http://za.zinio.com/www/browse/product.jsp?rf=sch&productId=500650714

iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/trail-mag/id796352591?ls=1&mt=8

Thanks to TRAIL editor, Deon Braun, for his continued enthusiasm and interest in our story. We love being part of the trail and outdoor community and sharing some of our excitement and experiences in this way is fantastic!

The topic of what to pack for a trip like ours is always an interesting one, and we spent a great deal of time reading other travellers’ blogs looking for tips, tricks and advice for reducing overall volume and weight.

Bev packed and ready to go!

Richard packed and ready to go!

Having made the decision to travel with smaller backpacks (mine is 34 litres and Richard’s is 38 litres) than the average backpacker, we knew that we’d need to be very aggressive with our packing in order to make it all fit, while still providing everything we’d need for day-to-day living as well as running. Deciding to stay close to the summer season definitely helped reduce the volume of gear required, but we still opted to have at least one warm layer for early morning/evening activities as well as brushes with spring and fall around the globe.

Richard’s packing in progress

Everything ready to go into Bev’s pack

The lists below summarize what each of us packed. It feels like a lot to see it written down, and it’s amazing how it all fits into such small bags! At departure, my pack weighed 24.9 pounds while Richard’s weighed 22.7 pounds. We’ve since re-arranged a little bit to give Richard a bit more of the overall weight! Most of the toiletry and “admin” items are in my pack, while Richard is carrying the technology and connectivity equipment.

After 10 days into the trip we haven’t really identified anything that we shouldn’t have packed. We’ve been able to do laundry once a week and cycle through our clothes with enough to spare in the event of a downpour (yes, it’s happened more than once in this tropical climate during rainy season!). The running gear is a bit challenging as we’re having to run through each set twice before laundry day. I have more clothes than Richard, so I may need to trim down as we go if I find I’m not using everything regularly.

We’ve identified a few things that we should’ve packed: small multi-tool with knife and bottle opener, electrolyte replacement capsules (we’re sweating a lot more in the hotter climate), elastic ther-a-band for stretching and exercise, and an extra pair of shorts. Maybe we’ll pick up these items along the way somewhere (some will be easier to procure than others!).

I’m sure that we’ll revisit this topic after a few months to determine if there’s anything we need to remove and send home or gift to someone in the local community. We’re also getting better at packing efficiently so that the weight is well distributed and to ensure that everything goes in the pack without the need for additional carry bags. We tie our shoes to the the outside of the pack as they’re pretty dirty and often wet! This frees up quite a bit of space in the inside of the pack. We’ve also employed the help of stuff sacks to help us compress those items that are not used as often (like the cooler weather gear).

Bev’s packing list:

Running gear

• 3 x running shorts
• 2 x running bras
• 2 x tank bras
• 3 x running singlets
• 1 x light shell running jacket
• Long running pants
• 5 x pairs running/walking socks
• 1 x running gloves
• 1 x running cap
• 1 x hydration running vest
• 1 x running hydration reservoir
• 1 x personal item pouch
• 2 x 12oz handheld running bottles

Clothes

• 2 x bikinis
• 1 x sarong
• 2 x casual shorts
• 2 x tshirts
• 1 x tank top
• 3 x halter tshirts
• 3 x blouses
• 2 x casual dresses
• 6 x underwear
• 2 x soft bras
• 2 x underwire bras
• 1 x puffy jacket
• 1 x cargo pants
• 1 x jeans
• 1 x long sleeve technical shirt
• 1 x long sleeve tshirt
• 1 x microfleece
• 1 x fleece gloves
• 1 x toque
• 1 x waterproof shell jacket
• 1 x fabric belt
• 1 x bandana
• 1 x Buff headband

Accessories / living items

• 1 x sleeping bag liner
• 1 x travel towel
• 1 x length of thin cord for washing line
• 8 x pegs
• 1 x fabric shopping tote
• 1 x padlock
• 5 x small mesh bags
• 1 x stuff sack
• 1 x compression stuff sack
• 3 x pens
• 1 x small notebook
• 1 x in-pack hydration reservoir
• 2 x sleep masks
• 1 x small tin with simple jewellery items
• Malaria and tummy trouble meds
• 100 x water purification tablets
• 36 x tampons
• 4 x Vega One chocolate shake sachets
• 6 x Vega Sport Protein chocolate shake sachets
• 1 x travel size hand wipes
• 1 x travel size hand sanitizer
• 250 x EatRunSee contact cards

Travel items

• Passport
• Cash
• Travel insurance wallet card
• Bank and credit cards
• Drivers license
• Travel wallet
• Fake wallet with expired credit card

Technology

• 1 x iPhone (unlocked)
• 1 x headphones
• 1 x iPad
• 1 x running watch
• 1 x headlamp

Footwear

• 1 x pair flipflops
• 2 x pairs running shoes
• 1 x pair trail running shoes
• 1 x pair sandals

Toiletries

• 1 x toiletry bag
• 1 x soap bar
• 3 x moisturizer tubs
• 1 x face scrub
• 1 x toothbrush
• 1 x travel size toothpaste
• 1 x floss
• 1 x eye cream
• 1 x face wash
• 1 x ziplock with qtips
• 1 x razor
• 2 x razor blade refills (8 total)
• 1 x tweezers
• 1 x nail clippers
• 2 x small nail files
• 1 x travel size deodorant crystal

Richard’s packing list:

Running gear

• 4 x running shorts
• 4 x running singlets
• 1 x light shell running jacket
• 4 x pairs running/walking socks
• Long running pants
• 1 x running gloves
• 1 x running cap
• 1 x hydration running vest
• 1 x running hydration reservoir
• 1 x personal item pouch
• 2 x 12oz handheld running bottles
• 20 x Clif Shot running gels
• Running maintenance items (golf ball, tennis ball and myofascial release stick roller for rolling out muscles after running)

Clothes

• 1 x casual shorts
• 1 x bathing suit
• 3 x technical shirts (1 short sleeve / 2 long sleeve)
• 1 x button up short sleeve shirt
• 4 x underwear
• 1 x cargo pants
• 1 x puffy jacket
• 1 x microfleece
• 1 x fleece gloves
• 1 x toque
• 1 x bandana
• 1 x Buff headband

Accessories / living items

• 1 x mosquito net
• 1 x first aid kit
• 1 x sleeping bag liner
• 1 x travel towel
• 1 x fabric shopping tote
• 1 x padlock
• 1 x small mesh bag
• 1 x stuff sack
• 1 x compression stuff sack
• 1 x in-pack hydration reservoir
• 8 x Clif energy bars
• 4 x Hammer energy bars
• 1 x day backpack
• 1 x travel size hand wipes
• 1 x travel size hand sanitizer
• 250 x EatRunSee contact cards

Travel items

• Passport
• Cash
• Bank and credit cards
• Drivers license
• 1 x travel wallet
• Fake wallet with expired credit card

Technology

• 1 x iPhone (unlocked)
• 1 x headphones
• 1 x MacBook Air (13-inch) with soft travel case
• 1 x running watch
• 1 x running watch charger
• 2 x iPad / iPhone chargers and cables
• 1 x MacBook charger and cable
• 1 x camera and case
• 1 x camera charger and cable
• 1 x extra camera battery
• 1 x GoPro micro video camera plus cables and head mount
• 1 x headlamp and charger
• Assorted international plug adapters

Footwear

• 1 x pair flipflops
• 2 x pairs running shoes
• 1 x pair trail running shoes
• 1 x pair sandals

Toiletries

• 1 x toiletry bag
• 1 x soap bar
• 1 x toothbrush
• 1 x travel size toothpaste
• 1 x floss
• 1 x face wash
• 1 x ziplock with qtips
• 1 x sunblock cream 30SPF
• 1 x sunblock powder 30SPF
• 3 x travel-size shampoo
• 2 x travel-size body wash

After many months of planning, departure day arrived on November 4. With a robust gantt chart and planning spreadsheet in place (obviously!) we executed all tasks successfully and felt well prepared as the morning of our departure rolled around.

Here’s a quick summary of what we accomplished over roughly 3 months as we packed up our lives and prepared for long-term travel:

• Vaccinations – 10 shots each including yellow fever, rabies and Hep A + B
• Budget – researched average daily amounts and upfront investment required (flights, passports, visas, gear, vaccinations etc.) as well as daily expense management; more about this topic in its own blog post to come!
• Banking – opened a new chequing account as backup to our existing account
• Legal – updated our wills and appointed two Power of Attorneys to act on our behalf
• Finance – arranged our finances to ensure that we are maximizing the return on our capital while we’re travelling, and to ensure that we have easy access to funds as needed
• Travel documentation – renewed Bev’s Canadian and British passports and arranged visa for Richard for Brazil, researched entry and exit requirements for all countries in Central and South America
• Luggage – research and purchased backpacks (more here on this topic), and had a trial run with packed bags (more here on this adventure!)
• Travel necessities – research and purchased stuff sacks, sleep sacks/liners, travel towels, first-aid kit and other great ideas like string for a washing line and reusable shopping totes
• Personal belongings – sold over $3000 worth of furniture, sporting goods and household items, gave away 30+ bags of clothes, shoes and linen to a local women’s shelter and 15+ boxes of household items to the local hospital thrift shop
• Storage – moved a few furniture items to friends for use while we’re away, packed all other belongings into our Ford Explorer and parked this in a secure underground long-term storage bay
• Apartment – cleaned and vacated our apartment
• Air tickets – researched and booked flights from Vancouver to Belize and Rio to Johannesburg
• Work – gave 3-months notice and ensured smooth transition out of our roles
• Insurance – renewed our car insurance, continued our life insurance and researched and purchased emergency health insurance to top up our provincial medical coverage

Although we made diligent progress towards our departure date, the last week of our time in Vancouver was hectic! The clock was ticking and the list seemed to be growing not shrinking at one point! I must admit that Richard’s suggestion of having a week off before our departure would have made things a lot easier and less stressful. But, we pushed through to the last day of work on Friday November 1, with only 2 days to spare before November 4! Yikes – seems crazy in hindsight.

And yet here we are, far away from those stresses now and comfortable knowing that everything is well taken care of at home. We’re so thankful to our friends Kelly and Mike, Judy and John, Ted and Mona, Dawn and Joel, Tammy and David, Karena and Jeanette for helping us in one way or another to get to the finish line in a relatively sane state

About three weeks ago is when the preparatory activity shifted into ultra high gear and the sense of “something big’s gonna go down here” began mounting. During these past three weeks we were focused, almost single-mindedly, on getting the unending list of things that needed doing, done. It was amazing how much effort it required – a common thread, connecting all this activity, was that we had to sort things out and pack them up – some things to be sold, some things to be donated and some things to be moved to wonderful friends’ houses, and the remaining things to be packed into our Ford Explorer to wait for us in long term car storage.

In addition, we also had a lot of admin-y type things to get done – wills, powers of attorney documents, safety deposit boxes, car storage insurance, completing our vaccination programs, not to mention finishing off at work and ensuring a smooth transition there.

The result of this effort was that the process of getting ready completely monopolized my mental bandwidth and left me without much time to actually think about or get excited about what we were about to embark on. I’m slowly getting around to realizing that the preparation is now complete – the proof of that is undeniable, after all, here we are in Salt Lake City, on our way.

I’m just wondering why I don’t feel ablaze with excitement yet? Perhaps it’s the sense of expectation at this point that’s overwhelming – the conception of and planning of this trip led to a mental image just loaded with superlatives and endless options, and possibilities of adventure and personal growth. Talking about our trip invariably evoked welcome and wonderfully positive responses from family, friends and co-workers. Responses that usually included an exclamation of how utterly amazing and life changing it is going to be; all of which, I realize, has put a lot of pressure on me/us to make sure the most is made of this opportunity!

Maybe all I need is a little more sleep than the past few weeks have afforded me.

I’ll find my groove.

Today we took our first steps towards letting go of our material possessions. Enter Craigslist with a frenzy of picture taking, advert creation and price setting. Here’s a summary of what we have on offer (especially for those in Vancouver who may be in the market for something we own!).

It’s very liberating to let go but it’s also quite daunting to give up the tables, chairs, lamps, shelves and other furniture and goods that we’ve come to see as common fixtures in our home over the past few years. But, unless it can fit in a backpack or in storage, it must go! Thank you to friends who have kindly offered to take care of our more valuable furniture and other items that we can’t bear to part with.

We’ve also spent some time today sorting through old greeting cards, letters and photographs. What a walk down memory lane – albeit a scary one at times given the various hairstyles and clothing choices over the years! We’ve elected to keep a box with a sampling of sentimental items, but have been firm with letting go of the rest. Also very liberating!

Part of our purging strategy also includes divvying up our trinkets, clothes, sporting goods, books and everything else into three categories: to sell, to donate and to store. Hopefully it won’t be too hard to decide which items go into which category! With the cost of storage, we’re going to have to be very strict with which items fall into this box!

Our adventure is starting to feel quite real now, and there’s much to do before our feet touch ground in Belize. Fingers crossed our sale of items goes well and we’ll be emptying our apartment swiftly over the next few weeks.

Staying healthy on the road is a broad topic of discussion amongst globetrotters. There are so many factors to consider, including what vaccinations you’ve previously had, where you grew up, which places you’re likely to visit, and of course, what you can afford.

We started our research a few months ago, and determined that an initial visit to our family doctor would be a good place to start. She promptly sent us off to be tested for immunity against Hepatitis A and B. Our tests came back negative, which was a surprise since we both expected that this would be a common vaccination in South Africa, where we both grew up. We’d recently been vaccinated for tetanus and diptheria, so we could cross those off the list!

We then made an appointment to see a doctor at the local travel clinic to obtain advice on the remaining vaccinations we might require. Our 30 minute appointment started with us feeling quite upbeat and chuffed with ourselves as we shared the plans of our adventure with the doctor. I expect that our faces became more stern as the appointment progressed and the list of recommended vaccines grew, along with my sudden queasiness at the thought of multiple injections that were waiting at the end of our session!

We concluded the evening with shots for yellow fever, Hepatitis A and B, typhoid, measles, mumps and rubella, with a follow up appointment in September for polio, rabies and a second round of Hepatitis B. We both felt okay during and after the vaccinations, but the next morning we were both a little shaky and nauseated, with sore arms on both sides due to the intramuscular injections.

The price tag for this little cocktail was $320 each, with another $500 each for the next round. After this investment, we have a strong sense that there’s no turning back now! Got vaccinations? Go travel!

Buying a backpack takes a serious amount of research! Our bags are one of the most critical pieces of gear for our adventure. After all, we have to live out of these bags for many months to come, not to mention carry them around from place to place!

Once you start wading into the world of backpacking gear, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the many options to choose from. After 3 weeks of scoping out sizes, narrowing down the range of brands that offer the size range and utility that we required, and then reading online reviews and making trips to outdoor stores to test fit, we were ready to commit.

We both chose to go with a Deuter brand bag. Richard picked a blue Futura Pro 38L and I chose an orange Futura Pro 34L SL (ladies fit).

The Deuter Futura Pro 38

The Deuter Futura Pro 34SL

Here is a list of criteria that shaped our decision:

1. Be comfortable and well padded around the hip and shoulder area (check)
2. Be as light as possible and keep within the standard carry on size for flying (check)
3. Have two compartments with a zippered separation to keep our running gear and shoes apart from our clothes (check)
4. Have a raincover (check)
5. Have top and side zippered pouches for storing items for easy access (check)
6. Be able to incorporate a hydration reservoir (check)
7. Be durable with a good warranty (check)
8. Have zippered pockets on waist belt (uncheck! this isn’t a feature in the models we chose, but since the bags met all other criteria, we let this one go!)

The bags are a lot smaller than the standard backpack one might choose for the length of trip we’re planning. However, we want to travel in a very minimalist way, and pack as little as possible. I guess our decision to follow the summer over the next few years will help with the amount of clothing we need to cart around with us :).