In planning this trip, I've managed to come up with all sorts of excuses to buy new gadgets and the latest travel gear. The only problem will be when we come back, I'll be hard pushed to justify buying anything else !
We haven't broke the bank - we couldn't possibly carry everything that we'd like to take, so we've had to be sensible, but we've learnt a lot and hopefully bought wisely.
I want the kids to get as much out of this as we do, so they mustn't get frustrated because they've not got the right gear. For the European leg of the trip, we'll get by on pretty normal stuff, but for the backpacking section, you need a bit more specialised clothing, especially as you take so much less of it !
We have found definite gaps in the market, but I guess what we're doing is of minor interest to the big manufacturers.
For example, we trawled the Lake District looking for a long-sleeved, wicking top for Beaulea, and found 1.
And I mean just 1. We didn't have a choice ! Same story for Brett too. Manufacturers don't seem to think kids want long sleeves, but you need them to reduce the chances of being bitten by Mozzies !
We've all got pants with Zip-off legs to convert into shorts (sexy). And shirts with loads of pockets that fold up into nothing (alledgedly).
I'm the only one who's dared to buy a wide-brimmed hat though. Otherwise, it's baseball caps all round.
Me and Lea have large rucsacks to cater for every eventuality. Unfortunately, they weigh a ton before you've started filling them, so we'll both be a foot shorter when we get back - something neither of us can afford !
I couldn't possibly spend a year away without a gadget! As it is, I'm not going to be able to surf the internet every evening, so I had to get meself a palmtop PC to make up for it, with the very feasible excuse of having to carry so much information around with us that going without was unthinkable ! I've bought a modem the size of a stamp, which plugs in the back and will allow me to send emails from anywhere in the world (that has a phone socket at least).
And rather than carry half a dozen Rough Guides and break my back, I've bought e-books and downloaded them onto another stamp ! Technology eh ?!
