Remembering which side of the road to be on is easy....................................................


If all of the cars and lorries are driving straight at ya and blasting their horns then you're on the wrong side. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

For a longer trip Baby Wipes in the bigger packs are more cost effective than Wet Ones and I just dispense them into a smaller bag to carry in pocket. Saved me a few times, I'll tell you :o ;D

One thing I really missed on a very wet european tour a year ago was...being at home...well as well as that a hood on a proper jacket or a waterproof hat. So I bought the latter. It gets a bit wet pitching/ unpitching a tent and then your hair's soaked which doesnt help misting up. I also got some little Ortlieb dry pouches for phone and wallet, another lesson learned, possibly by leaving a waterproof pocket open. And on the subject of wet I'm almost inclined to say rain suit. A waterproof jackets all well and good but unless its that fancy outer membrane goretex they saturate and get heavy. After a few leaks last year I just gave in and put on the nylon suit....toasty ;D

I don't know if you guys in Europe have it, but my favorite non-necessity is XM Satellite Radio. Out here in the west, radio stations are spotty at best.  To have 100 or so channels to choose from is great. Have you ever taken highway 24 in central Utah?

My list of essentials:
- tent
- sleeping bag
- roll mat (sleeping mat)
- head torch
- decent knife
- map
- compass
- flint
- spare petrol can
- food
- backpack hydration system (platypus/camelback)