Six weeks to go...

The excitement is slowly building: in exactly six weeks, Julian and I will say goodbye to our parents at Frankfurt Airport and board the plane to Hawaii.

I have so many things going through my mind that I still need to organize and take care of.

My preparations:

Last weekend on Friday, we booked the flights to Hawaii through Condor. I had to let that sink in first and couldn't really be happy about it yet. On Sunday, we booked a hostel in Hawaii and filled out the ESTA for America. We had to answer a lot of questions, enter data, and already provide the address in Hawaii. I had to chuckle when I found out that you can only enter the US with an exit ticket!

On Christmas, I received a lot of useful gifts for the trip:

· an action camera for cool pictures

· a collapsible cooking pot

· a utensil that is a knife, fork, and spoon at the same time

· a few pairs of hiking socks

· a star map

· a toiletry bag

· a foldable water bottle

· a small notebook

A few weeks ago (December 15, 2019), we applied for the Canada Working Holiday Visa. Since only a certain number of visas are allocated to Germans and no visas have been issued at the current time, we are a bit anxious. There are a total of 4,490 visas for Germans and there are currently 1,531 candidates in the pool.

In early December, I applied for an International Driving Permit. I was surprised that I could take the permit with me immediately. All I needed was a passport-sized photo, my driver's license card, and an application. It was so quick and uncomplicated. The International Driving Permit itself is not pretty. The color is a nasty green-gray olive. And the size is quite large! It is only valid if you also have your 'normal' driver's license card with you. It is valid for three years.

In September, we applied for new passports at the registration office. We had to take a number and wait a long time until it was our turn. Within a few minutes, we had filled out the application, completed the signatures, submitted the photo, and had the data checked and transferred from our ID cards. It looks quite nice and has been modernized compared to Julian's old passport. The passport was immediately placed in a cute cover that Nina gave me. On the front is my favorite animal - a raccoon - and on the back is Nina's favorite animal - a fox.

In September, I received a sleeping bag for my birthday. I had previously chosen the model myself and was really surprised by the differences. When I went to an outdoor store, I thought that there were just different sizes. But there were so many things to consider.

The first question was which temperatures the sleeping bag would be needed for. There is always a temperature rating that indicates when the risk of not being able to maintain body temperature is present.

Another question was the filling material of the sleeping bag. There are down and synthetic fibers. The down is supposed to provide better insulation in very cold weather. However, they are also a bit more vulnerable and don't like being compressed tightly.

Another difference was that there are women's and men's models. The women's model is especially padded at the feet and hips so that women don't get cold.

In the end, I chose a down sleeping bag in the women's model. I surely won't need it for Hawaii, but it will be perfect for Canada. Currently, it's sitting plushy in the living room so that the down doesn't get damaged.

Back in August, I bought my backpack with my mom. We specifically went to a special outdoor store that gave us great advice. I chose a Deuter backpack and I am very happy and satisfied. It not only looks good, but it also fits perfectly since it's designed for women. These models are suitable for a shorter back, and they have a special hip belt. In addition, the shoulder straps of the backpack are narrower to prevent rubbing.

I had my first 'stress test' on a long weekend in Amsterdam. On the first day, we had to sprint through Düsseldorf train station to catch a connecting train. On the last day, we had to check out of our accommodation at 11 am, but our return journey wasn't until late afternoon, so I had to carry my backpack for several hours.

→ Passed the 'stress test' and found the backpack to be very good! :)

What was particularly exciting for me was packing the backpack for the first time. I simply threw all my things and clothes into the large main compartment and was very uncertain because the backpack was already full. After a critical look, a few adjustments, and the right packing by Julian, the main compartment suddenly became very empty.

The trick is to use and pack the side compartments optimally.

The current travel plan is as follows:

Let's go back to my actual trip.

First, we will spend a few weeks in Hawaii.

Then we will travel to Canada. If we receive the visa, we will also work in Canada and therefore spend the longest time there.

In the end, we might also travel to Asia. But the plan is not final yet.

What I absolutely must do in the next few days:

Practice packing my backpack for the year.

What else do I need? Do I have all the necessary clothes?

What am I actually taking with me? What needs to stay at home?

Which electronic devices do I need? Do I have enough memory cards or should I simply transfer the pictures to the laptop?

So many questions! :D