Packing to Travel Light Takes Practice

12 Photos from First Rehearsal

 

 

Today, I decided to start about a week early, getting organized for this trip.

It's an annual event, I've been doing for the past few years, where, I go off island.

 First, the contents stored in the pack, had to be taken out and examined.

There are lots of things,  that will be unnecessary for this journey aboard a boat in June.

Woolen socks, insect repellent and, a can of tuna fish shouldn't be needed.

Getting rid of all the unneeded junk, would lighten up the load, I'd be carrying.

A little bit at a time, I started making room for more important stuff, to pack away.

The sailing sabani boat races, I'm attending, will be out in the ocean.

So, all the cameras and lenses, stand a good chance of, getting wet.

The two cameras (above) are the Pentax K1 and K3, I'll be using a 300MM lens, at sea.

For closer up shots, the Pentax 18-250 and 15-30MM will come in handy.

 Battery chargers and a USB wire for the smartphone are important things to carry.

Two changes of clothes and some plastic bags, I'll bring for sweaty laundry.

In case, I get stuck, washing my clothes with body soap, I brought along some clothesline.

Don't giggle at my underwear. Somebody else, buys and folds it Not me.

 When all this, thinking about packing, started to get on my nerves, I remembered something.

Get the Aspirins and Rolaids ready, to stuff in the backpack. Just in case.

 Some additions (above) were, a spare belt and camera straps.

Normally, I wouldn't use straps, on the camera but, this time they may, come in handy.

Bouncing around on a fishing boat, shooting a camera, can be dangerous.

So, I might rig up a contraption, to keep me from falling overboard.

A circular polarizing filter, was added, in case, I'm shooting on a bright sunny day.

Certain times of the day, there's a horrible glare, off the ocean, to be dealt with.

With that thing, mounted on the end of a lens, glare can be eliminated.

As things started, getting stuffed in the backpack, more things were thought of.

Like a Mickey Mouse towel and the laptop power supply. Important stuff.

A laptop and gadgets, plus a surge protector, almost complete the required load.

Then, I remembered to throw in a USB wire for the Android.

Add, a light weight windbreaker jacket and the pack is getting full.

The Lowepro camera bag which, is hardly ever used, got called into action.

That's because, the cameras, aren't in the backpack, yet and it's getting full.

The two hours, spent on this exercise, wasn't a total waste of time.

It just taught me, it will take more practice at packing things for the trip.

Just for the heck of it, I reduced the images down, to make a 20 second video:

 Previous Zamami Island Excursions:

 
2013 Packing List for an Overnight Island Hop

2014 Scenes from Zamami Island Sailing Sabani Race

2015  Animations from the Sabani Sailing Race: Zamami Island

JUN 15 2016 Koregusu for Wordless Wednesday

Related Post:  Red Pepper Called Koregusu in Okinawa

Rant: About Mongooses

Meerkats in a Zoo

 

 

These rascals were spotted in a cage at the zoo and, are probably treated alright.

I'm not too thrilled, about seeing any wildlife held captive.

But, sometimes if, it's to preserve a species from going extinct, that's sort of OK.

Animal experts, can teach youngsters about the critters and, know how to care for them.

An alert reader contacted me today and, gave me this photo.

This meerkat is in a glass cage at a pet store and, it's for sale.

Unlike its furry friends pictured above, it probably, doesn't have a trained caretaker.

What will surely happen is, it will be bought by someone as an exotic pet.

And, when the cuteness (kawaii) wears off, you can guess where it will go.

Now for the Rant

 

Early in the last Century seventeen mongooses were brought to Okinawa.

The population, increased to somewhere around 30,000 and these critters are destructive !

The brilliant scientists, who brought them here, thought they knew what they were doing.

One jackass professor's name, was pointed out on an earlier blog. 

A little research was done, to learn more about the meerkat.

I learned that meerkats come from the mongoose family, over at Live Science .

They have more about these pretty colored mongooses at Meerkat Network, too.

If, you don't trust those sources, checkout National Geographic.

Okinawa has enough problems with mongooses, already.

Do You Think They Should Be Allowed to Sell Meerkats in Pet Stores ?

A GIF Created from Cell-Phone Images

Unexpected Lunch Today

 

 

The cameras were left behind because, I had to do some banking business.

Just for the heck of it, I wore a fancy shirt that I had hanging around the office.

Before long, the banking stuff was done and, it was time to start thinking about food.

From Kin Town the Map It Okinawa dude and I, headed to Ishikawa.

No food joints, down there, turned me on so, we went to Onna-son.

Then, headed north, looking for someplace to eat on a rainy Monday.

We decided to stop in here and, sample the Garlic Steaks.

250 grams of meat, fries, onions, soup, salad and rice or toasted bread come with the meal.

All that comes to a grand total of about 15 bucks.

The chef, was kind enough, to let me shoot, while he was cooking my steak.

 The beef, around here, isn't quite as tender as American steaks would be.

But, when it's sizzled with all that garlic, is as yummy as you can get.

Back in the Office

The first thing I did, was get the fancy shirt off my back, to let the raindrops dry.

Then, went to research the place, we had been to for lunch.

It seems to have a few different names so, I'll give map links, to both of them.

Over on TripAdvisor it's called Michi no Eki Food Court.

On Google Maps 道の駅 許田 would be the best way to find the place.

Now, I have to hurry and get on out of here because, unexpected stuff kept happening today.

When, we left that restaurant the next stop was a travel information office.

And, some gal wanted to pose with me, I guess because, she liked my shirt.

What was I supposed to do.  Refuse ?

Later in the Day 

A message came in, saying there's a surprise birthday party going on tonight.

Mr. Map It Okinawa and a few of us got the word from a gal, we like to drink with.

So, it's time for me, to shake the wrinkles out of my special shirt and, get on outta here.

Just a Couple of Gents (GIF) Eating Noodles

Last Stop at the Folklore Museum

 

 

Off to the left of these guys eating, is a collection of Zippo lighters in glass cases.

Entering the tatami room, I left my flip-flops outside the door and, excused myself.

A waitress, had just brought the two steaming bowls of Okinawa soba, to serve the men.

It's a pretty small dining area and, I had to step back to let the girl pass by me.

She asked if I wanted to place an order bit, I really wasn't hungry.

Speaking Japanese, I asked if it was alright, to take photos of the display.

The old fellows, didn't appear too happy, seeing a foreigner in the place.

But, seeing, I was being polite, respectful and, talking their language, must have helped.

Going back outside, I figured, "What the heck maybe, I'll get a photo of them eating."

They agreed, to let me shoot and, started flipping peace signs.

Then, I asked them, to just at natural and, go on eating the soba.

Click, click, click six times and, I thanked them while going back out the door.

A series of six images, were used, to create this animated GIF.

Camera: Pentax K1

Lens: Pentax 15-30 at 30MM

Exposure:  f/5  1/250   ISO 800

 Location: さわのや 名護店 Nago City, Okinawa, Japan 

Date and Time:  JUN 10 2016  12:14PM