Updated: Never — Philip's Blog

Another two workdays and I'm off to Canada for my hiking trip. I'm looking forward to it. It always amazes me how much last minute crap creeps up when you're trying to count down to a holiday in earnest.

Yesterday, I biked looksaus' damn uphill street the wrong way twice. If that's not good fitness, I don't know what is. That bend halfway is death. Really. The fact that I can survive that twice in one evening (panting like a dying whale the first time, slightly less so the second) is a good sign.

Borrowed a large backpack from Bram via looksaus. Now I just need to fill it.

The tent fits very nicely, as do clothes, hiking shoes and the other paraphernalia of an outdoorsy existence. I'm a bit dubious about my sleeping bag. It's ancient and fairly heavy. I wonder if these are being made of lighter materials these days. With the criminally low dollar, I might decide to buy a new one when I raid the Vancouver branch of MEC (whose domain name amuses me) when I get to that side of the world.

While in the ophthalmologist's waiting room last night (I'm very happy that man gives appointments at times of the day which are compatible with my mode of life) I made a small list of things I'm likely to forget. The list now spans four post-it notes. Double-sided.

Getting to the airport on Friday morning (at 05:00 godsdammit!) will be an interesting challenge too. Public works are being simulated around the area where I would take the bus, so I have a nice twenty-minute practice hike with all my luggage. Yay. Not.

Counting down, counting down.

Still looking for hiking companions too.