The World on your Shoulders

Over the past year, I experienced a lot of wonderful things as a result of saving and planning for my upcoming journey. Once I committed to a direction, I found it really easy to cut out the luxuries in my life that I thought I needed, and live an incredibly simple life, originally as a means to save. As I traded gym memberships for a cinder block and expensive lunches at work with colleagues for a Tupperware full of cold pinto beans, I began to discover some important things in life. With the restriction of not being able to spend a dime, which I obsessively kept to, I started to look for free means of filling the time that I wasn't spending out at the bars or shopping for crap I'd use once or twice. Some free activities that I found in the city were salsa dancing, which I've become quite good at and love, meditation, which has led to wonderful things and simply joy, reading and learning, which has opened up many spiritual and life directions, and Couchsurfing, which has opened me up to the world without ever leaving home.

Sure, this aggressive saving method may seem easy for a 23-year-old with no real responsibilities or obligations like kids or a mortgage, but I would argue that a spendthrift lifestyle becomes more powerful as we take on responsibility in life. Taking your kids to a free philosophy book reading instead of Chuck Cheese may not be the easy road, but it will ensure that your children will grow up enriched and not rely on mindless entertainment and quick fixes for contentment. All I know is, that the world of free has opened my life to the possibilities out there, that money, while important to cover needs and other circumstances, is nowhere near as important as the time that can be used to learn a language, discover a new way of thought or to run into a freezing lake in the dead of winter with close friends, all activities which are free.

Now given the anti-materialism tip that I've been holding too over the past year, I was incredibly surprised to find the joy that I felt in putting together some of the gear that I will need for a long-term nomadic lifestyle. I think the pleasure I got from finding the perfect pair of zip-off travel pants, or in buying expensive non-stink boxers relates to the fact that these items are going to support my life for the next couple years. No more apartments, no more closets full of clothes I barely wear, my pack contains incredibly useful possessions that will without a doubt serve a purpose in my journey. It made me consider how materialism could be controlled in the city-setting, with this concept of having only the best of what you need being utilized. I think when I make it back to civilization, however long or short that will take, I will have an apartment with only the highest quality, most essential items. No soap holders, no plasma T.V's, because I want to learn to find happiness outside of these things, and that involves stripping your material life to the core. With such a light pack in hand, it's funny that I feel like I have the world on my shoulders... Drop a comment with any thoughts on preparing for long-term travel, finding happiness in simplicity or just to say "Hey"!

Clothes - for all of the clothing I picked up, I made sure that they could be easily washed by hand, were quick-dry, wicking and most importantly, smell-proof.

1 Salomon Raid LS Zip Tech T
1 Salomon Trail Runner Zip Tech T-Shirt
1 Nema Boost Bike Short
1 Obey Cotton T-shirt with an old-school bike logo
1 Icebreaker Sport320 Original Zip Top
1 Virgin Wool Pendleton button-up long sleeve shirt
1 pair of Ex Officio Amphi Convertible Pant
1 pair of Levis jeans
2 pair Ex Officio Give-N-Go Stripe Boxer
3 SmartWool PhD Outdoor Medium Crew Socks
1 button up T-shirt w/ cutoff sleeves
1 Columbia Glacier to Glade II Jacket
1 Cabela Down Vest (doubles as a pillow)
1 Northface wind-proof biking jacket

Shoes

Vasque Sundowner GTX Hiking Boot
Vibram Five-Finger Shoes

Pack

Timbuk2 Rollup bag
Lowepro Camera Case

Gear

High-power LED flashlight
Princeton Tec Quad Headlamp
Silva Compass
Sea to Summit Tek Towel
2 Moleskine Notebooks
Sigg Metal Water Bottle
Elastic Clothesline
Kealty 0 Degree F Down Sleeping Bag
Swiss Army Knife
Nylon Belt

Health

Medical Kit with all the fixin's
Mosquito Head Net
Hand Sanitizer
Doxycycline - Malaria Medicine
Rifaxmin - Travellers Diarreha Medicine
Tissues to Go
Wet Wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Harmonica
Sunscreen
Bag Balm for Caffeing
Dr. Bronners "Magic" 18-in-1 Hemp soap (for washing clothes, body, teeth, stripping grease, starting camp fires, fending off packs of dogs)
Non-sheepskin condoms

Technology

Acer 10.1-Inch AspireOne Netbook
Portable External Harddrive
Flip MinoHD Camcorder
Canon PowerShot SX120IS

Sentimental - They add a little weight to the pack, but are arguably my most important gear

A burgundy satchel filled with loving notes from my closest friends.
Various herbs and stones meant to attract positive energy
A little Pyramid statute give by my mother that represents following ones "Personal Legend" (For more details read "The Alchemist")
A gold coin given to me by a new friend with a guardian angel engraved
All of your blessings and wonderful support, Thank You!