EK Climbs Kili: T-minus 1 Week

Close to this time next week, I will on a plane going to New York. Then on Sunday I will get on a plane bound for Kilimanjaro airport, with a stop in Amsterdam. Crazy! This whole trip has come together so quickly and I am glad it happened that way since I can hardly stand waiting. Here are the last-minute details I have been consumed with...PACKING! I love and hate packing. The list-making is fun, but the actual gathering everything together, in one place, clean, and then making it fit into one bag, can be stressful. I used Good Earth's recommended packing list, ameliorated by a few other lists I found online, and set to work acquiring all my gear. I divided everything up into categories:

• Foot Care
• Pharmacy
• Bathroom
• Small Gear
• Big Gear
• Town Clothes
• Climbing Clothes
• Paperwork

Today I finished up packing for foot care, pharmacy, bathroom, and small gear. And guess what, you get to see what I'm bringing with me!

It's all about the feet.

FOOT CARE
On Good Earth's list were:
moleskin

I have this, but I haven't used it on my feet since my soccer-playing days. So I added a few things that I use currently and that are recommended by Fixing Your Feet: Hydropel, KT-tape, callus cushions, heel cups, nail file, toenail clipper, extra shoelaces, and small pocket knife.

The pharmacy is open for business!

PHARMACY
On Good Earth's list were:
NSAID of your choice
Throat lozenges
Bandaids
Sunscreen (SPF 15+)
Lip balm with sunscreen
Insect repellent
Disinfectant/Antiseptic cream
Bandages and tape
Diarrhea medicine
Antihistamines
Ace bandage
Melatonin (1-3mg) or other sleep aid
Malaria pills (Malarone)
Antibiotics
Prescription drugs
Diamox

I am bringing all of this, except the sunscreen is in the Bathroom bag. Just made more sense to me there.

Hi ho, hi ho, it's to the bathroom I go!

BATHROOM
On Good Earth's list were:
Toilet paper (and baggie to carry used paper while on trail)
Small towel
Soap
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Handi-wipes (moist towelettes for cleaning)
Hand sanitizer
Lotion
Glasses, contacts, solution (take contacts out each night to prevent blurred vision)
Comb, mirror

I am bringing all of this except the glasses/contacts stuff because I don't use those, and I am not bringing a comb or mirror. What good will it be to visually confirm how campy I look anyway? I am adding a few things to this list such as tampons, deodorant, a razor, and eyedrops, and the sunscreen from the "Pharmacy" is in this bag. 

Small gear to be brought with me while climbing.

SMALL GEAR
On Good Earth's list were:
Water bottles and Camelback (2-3)
Gatorade or other drink mix helps with taste and minerals - I'm using NUUN!
Water filter or iodine purification tablets
Sun hat with brim
Sunglasses
Bandana
Ski or trekking poles
Headlamp or flashlight
Camera, film, tripod
Video camera, tapes
Extra batteries
Binoculars
Notebook, journal, pencil, and pen
Pocket knife
Electricity adapter
Energy bars, hard candy, snacks, and comfort foods
Playing cards, games, books, frisbee, football, kite
Chocolate or pens for village children, mementos for guides, porters, and other climbers
Umbrella, particularly useful in the rainy season
Plastic bags and zip-lock bags for waterproofing
Sewing kit
Salt, pepper, and spices for bland food
Business cards
Alarm clock
Calculator
Swim suit for hotel swimming pool

I am not bringing film, a tripod, a video camera, or binoculars. I am moving the swim suit into the "Town Clothes" category. I am bringing 2 Nalgenes (1L each) and my 3L CamelBak (in "Big Gear" category). I am bringing about 500 calories in snacks for each day on the mountain, and it's a mix of Honey Stinger 20g protein bars, Clif bars, Honey Stinger gels, Justin's Nut Butter packets, Honey Stinger waffles, Gu Chomps, and Honey Stinger chews. I also added chemical handwarmers (10), an emergency whistle, and travel kleenex to this list.

Getting my ducks...er...bags....lined up in a row.

IT ALL COMES TOGETHER
...in ditty sacks from REI and a dry sack from Sea to Summit! I named the ditty sacks just to add some cuteness factor. The small (2L) green bag has all my foot care stuff and is "La Nina". The medium (3L) red bag has all my pharmacy stuff and is "La Pinta". The more-medium (7L) blue bag has all my bathroom stuff and is "La Santa Maria". The even-slightly-more-medium (8L) green dry sack has all my small gear, is unnamed, and my stuff in there is too big for it to seal in a waterproof manner. This will change when I remove my trekking poles.

My next post will cover the other categories: Big Gear, Climbing Clothes, Town Clothes, and Paperwork. I haven't got those things together because, to be honest, I need to do some laundry before packing.

So...can you think of anything I'm missing? Anything that's not on the list and I should consider bringing? Am I going overkill? Any suggestions for naming the 8L dry sack (keeping in mind that I have a 18L and 35L for my clothes)? Please share!! Pin It