Much needed equipment

There is nothing better than a trip to REI (shameless promotional plug) to get stuff for a trip. And boy did I make out like a bandit. I finally got my micro-fiber towel, which can also be used to dry clothes that you wash. I am excited to use it, but am going to put it through some trial runs before I get to London (seeing as being cold, naked. and wet is not the time to find out that it doesn't work, especially in an unknown hostel). On top of that I got some micro-fiber underwear. The tag line on the package says "17 countries. 6 weeks. One pair of underwear." Not that I wouldn't love to push this theory to the test, but I think Shawn couldn't stand the smell by the time I got to India. With that said, I got two pairs, just so that I could switch off. I have already tested them out and they do dry exceptionally fast (let’s hope they work that well in the field) but the hostels should have heaters on which I can use to help dry things out as well. Other items of interest, I finally remembered that I needed an alarm. I (and most other people my age) use a cell phone as the main source of getting up in the morning and this is one of the items that are not brought on a trip. Best is being in France, at a different hotel, and having someone tell you you need to be at their hotel at 8 in the morning without using an alarm and where you try to communicate to the desk clerk, who does not speak English, that you want a wakeup call. Needless to say I woke up on time, and the wakeup call came right as we were walking out the door to leave. The girls in the other hotel were not on time...they shall remain nameless. So I got a travel alarm so I know when to get up, not crucial for most but a must for me. The list is getting shorter and so are the days, 11 more to go.

All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware –Miriam Beard