Gadgets ~By Danette

I got some locks, clips and little link things for my back pack. Wasn't quite sure what I should get for all the zippers on my backpack. I could just see Amy and I walking through a crowded area while someone has their hands in my backpack taking my things. Didn't really want to have to be locking and unlocking it every time I wanted to get in. So I think the little link things will be perfect. This stuff only cost me like $7. :)

It's two weeks today!!! Wow! The days are just flying by!!!

So the sleeping bag Amanda let me borrow goes inside this TINY little stuff sack!!! I couldn't get it to all fit but Amanda assured me it would fit (and successfully accomplished the task). I slept in my bag the night I got it as a trial run. The next day Amanda asked me if I had success putting it back in the stuff sack. I laughed and said I needed to wait until I had a day off work because i was probably going to need that kind of time to commit! Well this sleeping bag has been sitting on my floor now for a couple of day haunting me! Last night I even had a dream about the whole situation... Only I was stuffing an entire queen size mattress into this mini little stuff sack.  ...I will probably try to tackle this tonight... I may even post picture. :)

~Danette

17 More Day! ~By Danette

17 more days!!!! Things are getting serious now!!!!

My camera arrived in the mail yesterday!!!! I love it!!! And I am now the proud co-owner of a Kelty sleeping bag. My best friend in the world was so amazing to let me borrow hers. Its perfect. However I realized it takes a special kind of skill to get it into a stuff sack... I will be practicing. =]

I think that is finally if for the large items. Now just to get little things like locks, clips and such.

I keep thinking we will spend 2 weeks in each Ireland and Greece, but as I was putting post-it notes on my map last night, I realized there won't be enough time to see 14 other countries. Getting so excited and giddy about this adventure!

~Danette

3 Weeks to Go! ~By Danette

Less than 3 weeks until we leave for Europe! I can't believe it's already around the corner! I feel like I'm not even close to being ready, but i guess there's not much else i need to get done. I made a final list yesterday of last minute things i have to get before our trip.  A sleeping bag is still on that unfortunately... I definitely have to order that today!

Also, I managed to ruin my camera while out clamming the other day. :( So I ended up spending $130 on a Canon camera. Definitely have to be able to take some good pictures while I'm there.

Saving is going a little slower than I was hoping.... Well, really that's not true. I've just been really bad about cutting out coffees and amazing Alaskan adventures here lately. The summer has just been way too beautiful to not have some fun! And they have all been totally worth it!

Also, just spend $211 on travel insurance through World Nomads. Hopefully I wont have to use it... But if I lose my new camera I just bought, it will come in handy... Of course the insurance has now cost me more than my camera. But if I lose my camera and my $130 jacket I bought... Then I will be glad I have it. =]

~Danette

Amy & Danette

Europe is just over a month away!!!! Getting so excited. Just bough a pair of Sketcher shoes today for $60. I have everything I need now but a sleeping bag!!!!

~By Danette

Backpack, Eurorail Pass an Airbnb ~By Danette

Good news x3! First I am the proud owner of a Coyote Kelty 80 liter backpack! I bought it on reioutlet.com for $124 (free shippig even). It was a little more than I was planning on spending but I believe it will be totally worth it. Also, I was planning on getting like a 65 liter bag,  but this one just seemed too perfect. I don't have to fill it full right? :)

Secondly, Amy and I finally booked out Eurorail tickets! This was probably the hardest decision I've have to make about the trip thus far. Which pass was right for me? Aims and I both ended up with the -travel for 15 days within two months global pass. It cost me $1200. And only because I am over 26!!! Apparently you are no longer youth once you reach 27. Amy's was somewhere around $800. Another thing I dont understand is I had to buy a first class ticket and Amy had to buy a second class ticket. Doesn't make sense to me because we want to actually travel together in the same location.  It says I can just go to second class, so I guess that is what I will do. We decided if we were on the verge of strangling each other maybe it would be our chance to separate and regroup. :)

I was originally planning on getting the -2 month unlimited global pass, but it was going to be $1700. And I am just so unsure if the passes will actually even cover all the places we are wanting to travel. I know a lot of the times we are going to end up having to pay extra for over night and reservations. Anyway, hopefully we made the smartest choice.

Thirdly, we booked our very first might in Valencia Spain! We went through airbnb.com and it was almost too easy!!! I'm so excited to book more places. It's a little like coach surfing where you are staying  at someone's house, but airbnb isn't free. But it's totally affordable. This place was $30 for both of us. 

~By Danette

More Goodies ~By Danette

Two more items for my trip An awesome polyester Pack Towel! It was $24. Not sure if that's a good deal or not. I got an XL but its still the size of a small bath mat. Apparently it drys extremely fast ands it weighs close to nothing. Oh, and another bonus, it's a pretty purple! 

Also I got a pair of flip flips for my trip. They are Reefs and they have a sweet arch. Super comfortable and perfect for walking on a warm day. I spend $35. On them. Amy was a little shocked I spent that much on flip flops, but as long as I don't lose them they will last me for years!! 

Making a trip to Anchorage this weekend, as there isn't much for shopping in Kenai. Hoping to come back with a pair or shoes and a sleeping bag. 

My converter ~By Danette

I bought a converter. :) seriously, the things you have to think about when planning a backpacking trip. I got it at Radio Shack for $22. Bargain? Maybe, maybe not, but now I won't fry my iPod or my camera while I'm there. :)

Also, one would not guess you had to have a return ticket when traveling to europe. I guess they won let you in with just a one way. Glad we found that out now and on at the icelandic boarder. So Amy and I just purchased our tickets back yesterday. We fly out of Copenhagen Denmark on the 17th of October. We paid right around $700 I believe. So total airfare cost us around $1400. Probably would have been cheaper to by a round trip, but how could we have know. Live and learn.

~By Danette