* - Timbuk2 Large Classic Messenger Bag ~ Originally designed for urban bicycle messengers, the "classic messenger bag" is perfect alternative to the mass-market disposable two strap daypack. The company's website boasts that this bag can carry 200 pounds of concrete. Why one would want to carry concrete in this bag, let alone 200 pounds of it, is anyone's guess. I bought it because it can hold 2,149 cubic inches of camera gear, change of clothes, and other stuff I might want to carry with me while I explore the town. If you decide on the Timbuk2, make sure to purchase the strap pad accessory as well.

* - Kelty Light Year 25 Sleeping Bag ~ Trying to find an inexpensive, light-weight, multi-seasonal sleeping bag is just as hard as finding a vegetarian in a steak house. But it is possible! I was very happy to find this Kelty sleeping bag. With it's nylon shell and liner, it works well in 25F+ degree weather. But the biggest surprise was its compressibility. Unpacked, this bag has 86" of length and 66" of girth (the perfect bag for a large guy such as myself) but in a stuff-sack, it easily attaches to the outside of my backpack along with my tent and sleeping bag. It weighs an effortless 2.2 lbs (1 kg).

* - Eureka! Solitaire One-Man Tent ~ I fell in love with this tent on my first trip to Europe back in 2001. In fact, when it was destroyed during a run-in with a bear last year, I just went out and bought another of the same. I am 6'4 and over 250 pounds, yet I had enough room in this tent at night for myself and my gear (backpack and all). While hiking, I barely feel its 2 lbs. 8 oz. weight.

* - Pacific Outdoor Equipment Max Lite™ 1.0 Long Sleeping Pad ~ I've used this on two of my trips now with no complaints. I opted to bring this rather than use one provided by my Inca Trail tour operator. Most of the trekkers who used these bulkier sleeping pads complained of soreness & sleeplessness while I slept just fine.

* - REI Monarch II Gore-Tex™ Hiking Boots ~ For a guy who wears a size 15 shoe, shopping for a new pair doesn't happen too often. Usually I take what I can get for most stores only have a few of my size in stock, if any at all. However, once in a blue moon I find a shoe (or boot, in this case) that is just about perfect in every way. I wear these babies everywhere - not just hiking, but to work, around the house, to the store, etc. However, there are two things I wish I could change with them. The treads could be better. I almost had some very serious tumbles on the cobblestone trails in Bolivia (slippery when wet!). Weighing about 5 lbs (for my size), the boots are a bit on the heavy side as well.

* - Marmot Oracle Jacket ~ This waterproof jacket kept me dry on those long hikes through Bolivia where it rained for hours at a time. It was also comfortable enough to wear around town on sunny days. I like the attached adjustable hood which can be rolled up and stored inside the collar. The large slanted chest pockets comfortably held my camera and journal.

* - Leki Makalu COR-TEC PA AS Trekking Pole ~ I brought one of my hiking poles all the way from home because I assumed this would be a much-needed item, but during my first week in South America, I carelessly left it in a bus on the way to the Inca Trail! Turned out that the $1 walking sticks I bought in Peru from the locals worked just fine. I ended up trekking 75 miles in Peru & Bolivia and I can't think of more than a few moments where I wished I had my good hiking pole.

* - Petzl Tikka Plus ~ With the price of headlamps on a downward trend, there's no need to bring one of those archaic flashlights with you on your backpacking trip. After installing three fresh AAA batteries, my headlamp helps light my way for 80-120 hours, making it one less thing to worry about during evening hikes or unexpected midnight tent pitching. This Petzle 4 LED headlamp has three brightness settings and a pivoting head.

* - REI Power Dry MTS Top and Bottoms ~ You don't want to go on a South American trek without a pair of good long underwear. I liked these mainly because of their light weight and the "Power Dry" technology that wicks away rain and sweat from the body.

* - The North Face Bipolar Gloves ~ With temperatures dropping pretty low at night along the Inca Trail, it is always a good idea to bring gloves. You might consider lending them to your porters if you think you don't need them at night while you sleep. I could survive comfortably at night in my tent without these gloves, so I lent them out to the porters who spent the whole night standing guarding outside our tents wearing nothing but sandals, shorts, a t-shirt, and a poncho.

* - REI Alpine Lakes Full-Zip Pants ~ Very comfortable, breathable, and lightweight. There were a few times that these could have been used and I would have been less wet at the end of the day, but unfortunately, I never wore them! I blame it on my laziness and the great performance by my gaiters.

* - REI Mountain Gaiters ~ These were much easier to install than my rainpants. They were mostly used along El Choro in Bolivia, where some portions of the path were muddy and overgrown.

* - Gerber Harsey Air Ranger™ Knife ~ I always bring a pocket knife with me on my trips - especially when I'm camping alone. This Gerber folding knife is sturdy and has a comfortable grip.

* - Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1) by Neal Stephenson ~ I thought I would have time to read a bit of this behemoth of a book. At home the first 100 pages piqued my interest and I thought I would finish off a good portion of the remaining 818 pages while traveling. I was having so much fun, I only read six pages of the book while in South America! Talk about a major waste of space!

* - Lonely Planet: Bolivia ~ If I had more time, I would have added this to my...

* - Homemade Journal & Guidebook ~ For my latest trip, I decided to make my own journal... from scratch! I combined the journal with the pertainant information I needed from a stack of books about Peru and Bolivia to make one all-inclusive book for my journey! It turned out to be a very time-consuming project, where I put in over 100 hours into designing, printing, and building the 250+ page book. I worked on it up to the day I left. Of course, this is a one-of-a-kind book, so I can't really tell you to go out and buy it. So here's a list of the books I pulled information from:

  Travel Guidebooks
* A Let's Go Travel Guide: Peru, Ecuador & Bolivia
* Footprint: Cusco & the Inca Trail
* Culture Shock! Bolivia
* Lonely Planet: Peru
* Lonely Planet: Trekking in the Central Andes
* Lonely Planet: Quechua Phrasebook
* The Rough Guide to Peru
* The Machu Picchu Guidebook - A Self-Guided Tour

  History Books
* Stairways to the Stars: Skywatching in Three Great Ancient Cultures by Anthony Aveni
* Letter to a King: A Peruvian Chief's Account of Life Under the Incas & Under Spanish Rule by Huaman Poma
* Ritual & Pilgrimage in the Ancient Andes: The Islands of the Sun & the Moon by Brian S. Bauer
* Geography of the Central Andes (1922) by A.G. Ogilvie

  Other Books
* The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacredby Phil Cousineau
* The White Rock: An Exploration of the Inca Heartland by Hugh Thomson

* - Canon PowerShot G5 Digital Camera ~ I upgraded my Canon PowerShot from the A80 to the 5.0MP G5 for this trip. Although I like its size and functionality, I hope to upgrade again before my next trip. The quality of the shots aren't quite at the professional level I want them to be at. Along with the camera and it's included accessories, I brought along the following camera accessories:

* Adapter for Canon G5 - 52mm ~ Needed for attaching any lenses.
* Merkury Optics Super Wide-Angle Lens (0.45x AF) ~ Great for shots in tight quarters or when you want to get more in the shot.
* Pack-It Padded Quarter Cube ~ Perfect size for hoding my fragile equipment.
* Digicom Rapid Battery Charger for Canon BP-511 ~ The 110/200 switch was a very important feature in South America.
* Interface Cable IFC-300PCU ~ This USB cable was needed for connecting the X-Drive to a cyber cafe's computer so I could share my photos with friends and family back home.
* Digital Concepts CB-511 Canon Replacement Battery (BP-511) ~ This baby only needed 3-4 charges on my entire 3 week trip, handling over 1,200 photos!
* X-Drive Pro VP-300 ~ Can store 40GB of images. That's over 20,000 5MP images!
* 110-220 Wall Outlet Plug Adapter ~ without one of these, I couldn't have charged my camera or my X-Drive Pro.
* Opteka Compact Tabletop Tripod ~ At just 5" long, this tripod proves that size does not matter.

* - Eagle Creek Pack-It Koala ~ Eagle Creek makes a very sturdy hanging bag perfect for carrying most of my toiletries and first aid supplies. In the 50 cubic inches of space, I stuffed the following:

  First-Aid
* Moleskin Padding Roll ~ A "must-have" on any backpacking trip.
* Band-Aids ~ Bring an assortment of sizes and shapes.
* Centrum Multivitamins ~ Stay healthy while on the road.
* Blistex DCT Lip Balm ~ The SPF20 protects your lips from the sun.
* Johnson's Baby Powder (1.5oz) ~ Despite the name, don't ever think twice about bringing a bottle of this stuff. It ends chafing immediately.
* Ben's 100 Tick & Insect Repellant ~ Containing 95% DEET, this stuff is your best protection against South America's really nasty bugs.
* Potable Aqua Water Tablets ~ Makes small quantities of even the most bacteriologically questionable water suitable to drink.
* Neosporin + Pain Relief ~ Helps prevent infection and provides temporary relief of pain or discomfort in minor cuts, scrapes, and burns.
* Emergency Dental Kit for Travelers ~ After my Romanian incident, I never leave home without this small kit.
* Tiger Balm ~ There's a few reason to pack a handful of these little tins: They do an excellent job of relieving muscular aches and pains after a long day of exploration. They also make great gifts for your porter(s). If you give 'em one of these small tins the size of a quarter, they'll know you respect them for what they're doing for you without having to exchange a single word of Spanish.

  Toiletries
* 2-oz. Oval Poly Bottle W/ Cap ~ I use these containers to store sunscreen, hair gel, shampoo, and lotion.

More packing information coming soon!