Marisa's Packing List

3 packing cubes, 1 toiletry case, and makeup kit



All my "summer" clothes- excluding rain jacket, fleece, leggings, etc.

All stuffed in the bag!

the bag normally cloeses... I was having trouble that day.

Contents of our day pack; sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, cards/dominoes, tissue, bandana, silverware, etc.

Denton and I (okay, primarily Denton) did A LOT of research of what we should pack. We followed several travel blogs and read about individuals and couples that completed similar adventures to ours. The most useful blogs included a packing list for us to use as a reference (like this one, or this one, or this one). Denton and I have the same packs and they usually weigh close to the same: 8-10kgs (~17-24 lbs). 

Also, we have to pack for ONE YEAR! At the time, we had to assume we wouldn't necessarily be receiving reinforcements. Fortunately, both of our parents brought over some stuff that we needed and were able to order online.  So, we brought some things we assumed we wouldn't be able to get more of (like medicine or preferred brands) and had to pack a lot of it. Without further ado, this is what you'll find in my pack...

Marisa’s Packing List

CLOTHING- packed in two packing cubes

• 4 tops (short sleeves/tanks)
• 1 long sleeve
• 5 dresses
• 1 rain jacket
• 1 fleece
• 3 pairs of socks
• underwear and bras (a sufficient amount, thank you very much)
• 1 pair of pants that roll into capris
• 1 pair of yoga pants capris (warning- spandex it the worst thing in world to wear in humidity. trust me.)
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of leggings
• 1 scarf
• 1 ear warmer
• 2 bathing suits (doubles as underwear on lanudry days... bonus!)
• 2 pairs of shoes- Teva's sandals and Teva's wedge flip flops

MISCELLANEOUS (Remember, we’re gone for a LONG time and it’s nice to have products that are familiar rather than searching for unfamiliar products in unfamiliar countries)

• Sunblock
• Probiotics
• First aid kit: bandaids, neosporin
• Tummy/gut meds
• Tea
• Hand sanitizer
• Watch
• Ear plugs & Sleep mask (necessary for sleeping on buses, trains, or hostel dorms)
• Cork screw
• Head lamp
• Screwdriver, mini swiss army knife thing
• Plastic silverware
• Bandana
• "Dream Journal" (for inspiration)
• Tiny travel notebook, for notes and directions
• Laundry detergent
• Books; constantly rotating
• Travel guides- We've used Rick Steve's and Lonely Planet. Though, I'd tell other people to avoid Lonely Planet like the plague- stick to Rough Guides or basically ANYTHING else. And I actually love Rick Steve's... he knows EVERYTHING!

TOILETRIES

·         Mach 3 razor (that we share)

·         Shampoo/Conditioner

·         Contacts, Cleaner Solution

·         Finger nail clippers

·         Hand soaps taken from hotels

·         Acne cream

MAKE UP KIT

·         Tinted moisturizer

·         Blush and brush

·         Mascara

·         Lip gloss & chap stick

·         Tweezers

·         Sample size perfumes

·         5 2 pairs of earrings (lost/broken)

·         Eyelash curler

·         2 eye liner pencils

FLASH PACK GEAR- in a separate backpack

·         Canon Powershot SX260 HS Digital Camera, battery charger, case, 2- 8G SD cards

·         Eee PC Netbook, battery pack/chords, soft case

·         Misc: microphone, ear buds, Ipod charging chord, universal adapter

·         Denton’s Camera, battery charger,

Note; Denton has considerably less clothes than I do. He only has 5 shirts, 3 short sleeves, 2 long sleeves and 3 pairs of shorts, one that converts into pants. He has one large fleece jacket and a plastic poncho in case it rains. He also has a large pair of shoes/boots and a pair of flip flops.


Backpack vs. Suitcase...
Depends on your needs. We prefer our backpacks. Often Denton and I laugh at people with rolling suitcases when they have to go anywhere that isn't completely smooth- sandy streets, cobblestone paths, stairs! BUT, if you're only traveling for 2 weeks and don't have a backpack, I wouldn't go out of my way to buy one. AND, if you were to buy one... spend a decent amount of money on it and make sure it fits you! My new backpack makes such a huge difference.

Packing cubes vs. Chaos...
My brother teased me as I was backing that I was taking several packing cubes. All I can really say is that the packing cubes have saved my life. They are just as amazing as Rick Steve...

In conclusion, we feel we've brought the perfect amount. We feel quite smug and proud when we see backpackers with 2-3x the amount of stuff as us. They often have shoes dangling from their packs, and wear lots of layers so they don't have to carry them. We also feel like our packs are easy to carry and weight light enough that we can walk around with them for a long period of time and still feel comfortable... but we'd really not have to!

Acknowledgements!

We want to say a quick Thank You for the many people who have helped us (whether they know it or not) in the last few weeks to get us where we are (thing sold/relocated, house empty, keys turned in, passports ready) today. So without further ado I present the list of awesome people in our lives

Amanda & Nate for clearing our living room of chairs, coffee table, side cabinet next to stove, wine glasses and decor
Heather & Vince for taking our BBQ, patio tables and chairs
Michaela for housing our chairs and for our first donation!!!
Cindy and Russ for helping us move- Twice! And for letting us take over their house with our stuff!
Lizeth for connecting Marisa to her Godmother who bought M's car
Dave for giving us an iPod (!!!!) and taking our couch
Meghan (and Ajay) for housing some stuff; like Marisa's bike and tea kettle! And for the lasagna and Indian going away dinner. Marisa is sorry for triggering the house alarm
Jim & Maria for dealing with the Vietnamese Embassy to get our travel visas
Anne for receiving mail for us and bringing Marisa's contacts to Vietnam so she can see!
Denise for helping us furnish and pack up our house, and for storing some essential furniture
Nick for offloading the volvo on us, it was such a lifesaver!!
Our friends who came out for our going away party, hosted parties for us, or stopped by for a special goodbye. Also, for everyone who has been so patient with us because we've been pretty strung out the last couple weeks.

This is a growing list (and we are so grateful for that!) and we're sorry if we've forgotten anyone, you've still made a difference to us!

We'll be posting soon about our packing list and last items for sale.
Thanks for reading (and being awesome),

Love, Marisa & Denton

Bon Voyage Thank You!!

Thank you to all of our friends who came out last night to celebrate with us! It was a great to have all of you at the same place, at the same time! We feel really blessed to have such a great support system and strong connections to our roots here in Sacramento.

However, I know several people couldn't make it and are still looking for extra special time with us. Unfortunately, we're busy packing and moving, so your best chances to catch us is to stop by our house (D x 21) sometime this weekend and lend a hand!

Denton & Marisa say Bon Voyage!

Denton & Marisa say Bon Voyage this FRIDAY!

We've given notice to our jobs, apartment, and now our friends! That's right- this trip is ACTUALLY happening! So it's time to send us off right! Help us say farewell to Sacramento and those dear to us, by stopping by for a drink or meal this Friday at 6pm.

We're meeting at Blue Cue, on J x 28th. They have a great Happy Hour special until 7pm ($3-$5 drinks and $5 apps), pool tables, and a full menu. For more info, go to the Blue Cue website.

See you then! Marisa & Denton

TICKETS!!

The beaches in Vietnam...
awaiting our arrival

Denton and I didn't exchanges gifts this year... we bought tickets. That's right- we're ACTUALLY going. I had already given notice to my job and given our 30 day notice to vacate to our landlords, so it was already feeling pretty official- but this sealed the nail on the...errr... you know what I mean!
We are leaving SFO on Sunday, January 22 at midnight and will arrive in Old Saigon, or Ho Chi Ming City (which is in Vietnam) on Tuesday, January 24 at 5:30pm-ish. We'll have an 8 hour layover in Taipei (which is in Taiwan). I know 8 hour layover is a drag... but the flights were a GREAT deal! $570 per person, for a one way ticket. Oh yeah, and we're students now ;) Thank you ISIC!

My family friends, Maria & Jim (and Jim's brother, Tom) will be meeting us over there. They will arrive on Monday, so they will refreshingly meet us as the airport, right? Okay, we'll probably have to navigate the route to our hotel on our own. Our plan is to head the beach the next day for a few days, while we wait for our other travel companions; Anne + 3. Once our group has expanded to ~8 people, we'll head to CAMBODIA! We're really just tagging along for the ride, so we don't actually know what to anticipate... we'll just see when we get there! I think Angkor Wat and Siem Reap are on the agenda.

In the mean time, we have been frantically trying to sell off our stuff, pack it into boxes, and move it! Well the packing and moving will come this weekend. For now, we're trying to sell it or pawn it off on loved ones for a year-long 'loan' of lamps, decor, small tables, etc.

Ok everyone... signing off for now. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy New Year; filled with adventures, big and small, to keep your lives exciting, joyful, and bright.

Marisa

Seasons Greetings from Marisa & Denton

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Research, Research, and MORE Research...

I can't believe the amount of research we've had to do to take on such a project! Granted... it's a project founded in love and adventure, but a project none-the-less. Each weekend we take on a different aspect of the planning process. Last weekend, I searched for the travelers loop around Southeast Asia; Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia loop that we plan to take. I knew there was a 'loop' but I had no idea what that actually was. I created our Google map, which you can see under the Itinerary tab. This weekend, Denton and I searched for Visa requirements, costs, and the ways to get a visa.  It seems like every website has different information... very frustrating. Fortunately, we realized our handy guidebook, "The Rough Guide to First-Time Around the World" (courtesy of Maria & Jim, Christmas 2010) has all of the requirements and answers all of our questions (how much, where do we get it, etc.). Uhhh... Score!

Tonight, Denton is making a delicious dinner at home; Chicken Marsala with mashed pototoes and carrots (like my Grandma used to make for St. Patrick's Day), with green beans. I am a lucky girl! We are so excited about our trip and yet we acknowledge that we're going to miss the little things; our place, making dinner; Midtown, disposable income (wink wink- see Donations tab), etc. We're busy day dreaming about our upcoming adventures.

That's all for now,

Marisa

Our Blog...

After a suggestion from a friend, we're starting our blog before we travel, so we can get tips and build our momentum with our friends and family! We'll make our greatest attempt to post a weekly update. We'll try to post more often, when time allows. Thanks, in advance for your enthusiasm, support, and patience :)

Marisa & Denton