My trip to Uganda is eleven months and nine days away. It is never too late or to early to start planning for a trip. I spent most of yesterday without Internet planning  my packing list and budget. Along with how much I need to save each pay in order to achieve the target amount of money I need for my trip.

I am in the processes of getting a promotion at work. Providing I don’t do anything to screw up my promotion I stand to earn at least a dollar more an hour, a chance at bonuses, as well as full heath benefits. While I am happy for the benefits of the job. I am a little apprehensive about taking the job. The job is a managment job. I feel alittle guilty of taking it, because I know in less the a year I’ll be spending a month in a forigen country then returning to go to school. Now they are aware that I had plans to go to African next summer, and hopefully school, I still have the feeling I maybe put in an awkward position when the time comes to go.

The Budget

Destination of Trip: Uganda

Goal of Trip: Volunteering

Dates of Trip: July 6th 2009- August 7th, 2009

Number of Nights: 31

Number of days: 32

Max Budget: $6300

Per day Allowance: $37

Breakdown of Expenses         Per Day     Total

I-to-I Project Cost                                 $1625

Airfare                                                  $1900

Visa                                                     $75

Airport Transportation                         $160

Day to Day expenses           $20           $600

Gifts, Fun and Souvenirs     $17           $533

Emergency Fund                                    $800

Insurance                                             $200

Total:                                $37           $5,893

Does my budget make sense. Only $37 a day?  Yes for me it does. $37CAN goes along way in Ugandan Shillings. Included in my project cost is my accommodations and three meals a day. I-to-I recommended to budget $150 per week for day to day expenses i.e. extra food, internet, laundry, transportation ect. For fun on the weekends and spare time they suggested $500 per month. Now I hope I’ll never have to use this fund, but they suggest having at least $800 for emergency i.e. seeking medical help that requires payment before service.  Insurance covers trip cancelation/ interuption, medical, baggage. Insurance is very important no matter what trip you’re taking but even more so when traveling in Africa.

The Packing list.

By nature I am a “boy scout” packer – always prepared. So I tend to have a long packing list.  Between now and then I may pair down my list. It is a little hard to pack for a month long trip and still pack light while making sure the majority of your downtime is spent seeing the country not the inside of a laundry room. Yet at the same time everything I bring must fit in my 60L travel back pack, and my carry on bag, while being easily carried and stowed. There will be no bell hops where I’m going.

The Basics

Travel Pack                                              Credit cards and telephone cards

Day pack                                                 Insurance information

Personal ID                                              PASSPORT/VISA

Info binder                                               Wallet/Cash/Travelers checks (limited amount as hard to cash)

Plane tickets                                            I-to-I documents

Personal

Soap and Container                                 Hair spray and gel

Toilet Paper                                           Medication and perscription

Vitamens                                               Sunglasses

Shampoo/Conditionar                             Feminine hygiene Products

Comb and Brush                                      Min. Make up

Toothbrush/Paste/Floss                          Razor

Lip Balm and Sun screen                          Deodorant

Small towle and face cloth                      

Clothing

Rain gear                                                   Swin suit

Sandals                                                     Pajamas

Atheltic Shoes                                          flip flops

2 Hoodies                                                 1 Shirt/blouse

5 T-shirts                                                1 dress

7 Underwear                                             7 socks

Hat                                                         Bandana

2 skirts                                                   1 jean

2 Kaki/line pants                                     1 shorts

Belt

Additional Travel Gear

Digital Camera and Memory cards            Memory card reader

Travel Journal                                     Extra batteries

Sleeping bad                                      First Aid Kit

Water bottle                                      Insect repellant

camping fork/spoon and collaspable cup 

Matches                                            non pershable snacks

Books/Magazine                                  Flashlight

Playing cards                                      Watch and alarm clock

Notebook/Pen                                     Envelopes

Sewing kit/ safety pins                         Inflatble pillow

Umbrella                                            Compass

Plastic bag with seal                            Clothing line

Laundry soap                                      Commination lock

Collaspable Nylon Bag                           Voltage adpater and plug

Even after typing this from my orginal list to this blog I’ve cut things from the list. It’s still pretty long. What do you think? Anything I should omit, add? Let me know.

          If you’re anything like me packing light is not an easy task – ever! I use to pack an airline standard carry on suitcase full just for an over night trip. When packing I’d stuff items in my suitcase thinking ‘better safe then sorry’, or ‘hey I may need that’, even ‘I’m going to use 8 bathing suits for my 4 days vacation to Cuba‘. There are two general tips to help pack light: Pack everything you think you’ll need then take haft of it out and multipurpose items.

 

Pack and haft method:

 

            This is probably the hardest method to follow, especially when you’re able to justify everything with “I may need that!” This method is simple and easy to use if you stick firmly to don’t bring it if you’re not 90-100% going to use it, you don’t need it, and they sell it where you’re going if you end up do needing it. 

            Pack everything you think you will be need, and then go over what you have packed. Bring only what is necessary. There is no need for a wooly jumper for a trip to South Africa, nor is there any need for shorts for a boating expedition to Antarctica either.  Most toiletries that you need will be available where ever you go, so save some space in your suitcase by omitting anything you can buy over there for a reasonable price. Don’t bring every CD you own if you’re only going to listen to one or two and only on the plane ride there. Analyze every item you put in your suitcase if you really don’t needed it take it out.

 

Multipurpose items method:

 

            This is a great method, perfect for those who think “I may need that”.  Bring items that have multipurpose. Clothing that can be dressed up and down, pants that can be zipped off into shorts, 2-in-one shampoo/conditioners, palm pilots/smart phones/Ipods (to store pictures, addresses, memos, journals, key languages phrases…), mp3 players etc. Clothing that is wash and go, that can be washed in a hotel sink and can mix and match is key to packing light.

 

 For a 8 day trip all you really need is 8 pairs of underwear (old ones that you can throw away to make more room), 4 bras, 8 pair of socks (same as underwear), 4 pair of pants and/or shorts (1 pair that can be dressed up), 4 pairs of shirts (long or short depending where you’re going and 1 shirt that can be dressed up)

 

When it comes down to it, you need to be firm if you don’t need it, don’t bring it. If you cannot fit everything in to one carry on bag start all over again weeding things out until it all fits.