3 Months Out: The Careful Deconstruction of a Life

With exactly three months to go until I weigh proverbial anchor and sail away to the South Pacific to begin the next stage in my crazy life, things have (finally! at last! already??!!) begun to seriously progress and let me tell you, it's getting fun!

It's funny and amazing to me how, when things are right, they just work. I had planned on leaving for this trip two months ago in April, and going straight to Europe to begin my grand adventure. For some reason, December came around, then January, February... and I knew I should be packing/planning/buying airline tickets/selling my belongings, and yet, I just couldn't bring myself to do any of it. None. So I pushed back to September and things began to click, whir into motion and become really, really easy.

This past weekend, out of the blue, I began the (what I expect will be) lengthy process of getting rid of my stuff. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Things that I thought I'd need right up until I left, I don't (like wifi routers and cable modems, because my roommate had her own...) and I've listed them for sale online. My roommate has a couch in storage, so I'll start selling my furniture as opportunities arise (thank goodness for craigslist, right?). My car *may* sell (a lot earlier than anticipated) and I *may* have the use of a friend's spare until I leave... crazy, right?

It's all working. And it's really exciting, liberating, terrifying and at times a bit cringe-worthy. You know? Like getting rid of my stuff: the things I selected carefully, researched and meticulously placed in the perfect spot in my home. All of this same stuff that I'd see every time I'd come home from a big trip, sigh to myself and think: OHMYGOSH, WHYDOIHAVESOMUCHSTUFF???? IT'SALLGOTTOGO! Is there a happy median somewhere? I sure haven't found it yet.

It took a long time, six years, to create the nest I live in, and in the next three months I'll be entirely deconstructing that home and having less than the amount of belongings I went away with to college at 18!

Meanwhile, this is exciting stuff:

 You know, it's just a picture of my kitchen without a kitchen table. Because I sold it. Really, who needs a kitchen table anyway? Desks and ottomans are perfectly good alternatives for vagabonds like me. ;)

PS: If you know of anyone in the California bay area looking for stuff: living room stuff, kitchen stuff, a bed, maybe a 2007 Jeep Wrangler, send 'em my way!

Please Declare Your Destination

The following is based on the actual phone call I had with my medical provider today.

The phone call went something like this:

Kaiser: Hello this is such-and-such from Kaiser Permanente's travel department, I understand you'll be traveling in September and will need vaccinations and medication?

Me: True.

Kaiser: Your first destination is the South Pacific?

Me: Yes.

Kaiser: Where specifically? We will need a list of countries and cities, in the order you'll be traveling.

Me: That list doesn't exist.

Kaiser: Pause... Okay, when you get a better idea of where you'll be going, you should call us back.

Me: No, you don't understand, that's not going to happen. I don't have a list, I have ideas of where I'll go, but I won't know where I'm going until I get there. I can give you a list of the places I'm thinking of going. Let me pull up a google Map...

Kaiser: Uh,

Me: Okay, The South Pacific: New Guinea, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Tonga, Tahiti, Fiji, the Marquesas...

Kaiser: Which cities?

Me: No clue. After the South Pacific, SE Asia. Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia.

Kaiser: Which cities? Will you be going to rural places?

Me: No clue, and maybe?

Kaiser: ...

Me: Then India, Parts of Africa, probably Kenya and South Africa.

Snippy Kaiser Lady: Well, we don't really work this way. I don't think we'll be able to help you, but I'll submit your request to our travel nurses and they'll contact you within four to five weeks of your departure.

Me: Great. Sounds perfect. Thanks for your help.

What I was thinking: This really is not all that difficult, lady. Put on your thinking cap and use your brain. I've done this before with Kaiser and it's never been this ridiculous. Oh great, I'm going to have to make a million phone calls until I finally get to talk to someone who is familiar with what I'll need in various regions of the world. Fabulous.

Okay, so most people actually know where they're going when they leave the house to travel. All I know is that in late September I'll leave the US. In late October I'll arrive in Sydney. Beyond that, I'll have six months to figure the rest out.

This trip is about spontaneity, about going wherever in the world the proverbial wind blows! Sure, it's probably important to have anti-malarial medication whilst traipsing around the jungles of Thailand, which is why I called Kaiser in the first place. And so far they're just not very cooperative with people, like me, who don't have a set plan. Maybe when I actually talk to a travel expert, it will be a bit easier.

In my experience, people who don't travel are always really, really resistant to even the idea of travel, so maybe that's what I encountered today.

So what would you do? Perhaps I'll make up a list of all the possible places you'd go? But I fear if I did that I'd end up with an entire suitcase just for medications. And that's ridiculous, just like the phone call was.

The Yearly Monterey Getaway

I started writing this post back in Febrauay. FEBRU-freaking-RARY.

For some reason it just got away from me? Back then, I felt like I was fighting for my life, practically. I caught a cold back in November and by February it still hadn't gone away. Waking up in the middle of the night on this particular trip to Monterey, drenched in sweat from breaking yet another fever from the sickness that wouldn't go away is what inspired me to finally go to an acupuncturist, and get well. And it worked.
I know, random. But it's important you should know this about me: I am random. Maybe. (?)


Original, unpublished post, written in February:
It's becoming a yearly thing, going to Monterey. And if you've been to Monterey, you'll know that is a really good thing.

I had one goal during this trip: I wanted my sister to have a restful, relaxing weekend. She's had a rough year, with a tough pregnancy which ended with an emergency c-section and was followed with thirteen weeks in a NICU (thankfully) tending to her twins. The twins are now a healthy 17 and nearly 20lbs and thriving. (June update: weights pushing 22 and 30lbs now!) And the emergency time is officially over. It was time for a little bit of relaxing and pampering. Sister's rock-star of a husband and amazing mother-in-law graciously agreed to watch the chilluns, allowing us to take off for a couple of nights.

Monterey is a little slice of heaven. Tons of people go there for the aquarium, which is very cool, but I haven't been in my past two trips; there is so much else to do in Monterey! Or not do, if you're in the mood to not do much.

I booked this year's hotels with mileage. I had to use two separate hotels as I had to split the mileage balances between two accounts, so we had a nicely varied weekend.

We started off near downtown, at Casa Munras hotel, a visually lovely property with a great, relaxing spa. Spa treatments, an easy walk downtown, amazing oatmeal chocolate chip cookies from our other favorite Monterey hotel, The Portola, (we stayed there during last year's trip) a long walk along the beach, and did I mention the spa treatments? Heavenly!

Overall, if you are looking for a centrally located, affordable hotel, Casa Munras is quite nice. But our beds were as hard as rocks and the walls were VERY thin, and neighbors NOT QUIET. Not a recipe for a good night's sleep. I'd pick The Portola over Casa Munras any day.

 Relaxation alcove at the Casa Munras Spa

 Outdoor bar and grill

--
 As nice as day one was, the absolute highlight of the weekend was our night at the Monterey Hyatt Regency. I've stayed at this property before, and had an absolutely lovely time and was really excited to go back and take my little sis. If you're ever in for a relaxing weekend in Monterey, stay here.

The Hyatt Regency is located about five miles away from the historic center/downtown area, which means you'll need to drive and park when you venture to the pier or cannery row, but this hotel is more of a destination in and of itself than simply a place to lay your head at night.

What can I say about this place? The pictures on Hyatt's website don't do it justice. And since I didn't take any photos the entire weekend (feeling sick as a dog hinders my artistic inclination, go figure), I can't either. (All photos in this post by Kelly Westover.)

 Wonderful, comfortable bed. I wanted to live in it. Forever.

 When I grow up I want a bathroom like this. It's just so... perfect in every way.

Think: sunrise over a perfectly manicured golf course. Fog rolls through the trees and across the green and the rays of sunlight filter through the clouds, creating an ethereal glow. Sparkling pools and hot tubs and fire pits beckon you to make use of the beautifully landscaped property. When you're tired, comfortable beds with crisp, white down comforters will lull you to sleep... I could go on and on and on. I could easily spend a week vegging at this resort and just enjoying the ambiance.

But I guess I'll have to wait until next time. To quote my sister as we drove away, "Hasta La Vista, Heaven!"



I'd count my mission a success.

Perfectly Portable // Packing Cubes

Product Review: Eagle Creek Packing Cubes

A couple of years ago, when I first began traveling with a backpack instead of a hard-sided suitcase, I had the brilliant thought that I should organize the sometimes difficult-to-maneuver interior compartment with camping stuff-sacks. I was fairly happy with the organized outcome, but felt that the shape of the stuff-sacks really wasted a lot of space.

When I switched to my current suitcase (a rolling frame-pack called the Osprey Sojourn) I switched up my organization methods as well.

While I was using stuff sacks, I thought that the perfect solution would be a soft, mesh rectangle. The shape and material would have enough structure to hold things efficiently and be soft enough to fold down if not fully packed. I really thought I was on to something! It could be a great idea! I could market it and take that flash of inspiration to the bank!

Apparently a bunch of other companies also thought it was a good idea long before me because they came up with Packing Cubes. I researched a few brands and decided to go with Eagle Creek's cubes as they seem to hold up a lot longer and be better made than some of the other (cheaper) brands.

I've been immensely happy with my packing cubes.


Cost: $9 - $30/cube, depending on size/features. Available on Amazon or at stores like The Container Store.

Products: Top, Osprey Sojourn 28"/80L Rolling Backpack. Osprey Pack cover (for flights, keeps the bag nice) and Eagle Creek Packing Cubes.

Hiking the Lost Coast Trail

If you like Backpacking and you're looking for an out-in-the-middle-of nowhere trail, check out the Lost Coast trail. About an hour north of Fort Bragg, California, off-road from HWY 1, you'll find Sinkyone State Park, a state park so remote that it's mostly left alone by the state, which means rugged, challenging conditions. Starting out at the Car-camping-friendly Usal beach campgrounds is a 22-mile long trail that is a backpacker's paradise.

 Just one of the gorgeous floral species along the trail.

 My travel-pal, Heidi, trying to hike through a blackberry bush that had taken over the trail-proper.

You Should Know:
-This trail is one-way. There is a shuttle service for hire that will pick you up at the end of the trail and deliver you back to your starting point, or you could just hike the whole way back.
-Depending on how fast you hike, plan on around three days to hike one-way.
-There are no established water sites and no trash collection bins, so bring a water purifier (there are creeks) and haul it out if you packed it in.
-You'll need a bear-proof canister to store your food in.
-Make sure you fill up your gas tank before heading off-road. It may only be six miles in to the trailhead, but driving that six miles takes about forty minutes. 4x4 vehicle recommended, especially in wet weather. (And this place normally has around 300 days of rain per year.)
-Pack for cool, wet weather and bring long sleeves and long pants. Even if you manage to avoid rainy days, the weather changes quite rapidly here and the trail conditions can be extremely overgrown with prickly plants.

NB: I seem to have developed allergies to Northern California this year. So if you're an allergy sufferer, do not, under any circumstances, forget your allergy meds like I did. This place set off my allergies like nowhere I've EVER been!

There Are Worse Places to Wake Up...

 ... Than an off-the-beaten-path campground on the Northern California's coast.

Even the Roosevelt Elk would agree, it seems, as they had no problem making themselves right at home among the campsites.

But first you have to get there:

California State Park's directions to our campground told us to look for mile marker 90.88 and turn. 

Well, the mile marker wasn't there, but after we drove too far, turned around and went back, we saw this spray-painted on the road.

 Six miles of dirt roads and forty minutes from hwy 1, and you'll find yourself at Usal Beach.

 This is what Jeeps are for.

 Home, sweet tent.

Usal Creek outlets to the ocean here, creating an amazing contrast of eco-systems and providing the perfect place to encounter gorgeous Roosevelt Elk. (The largest breed of Elk in the world, they can weigh up to 1,200lbs!)

These campers woke to a campsite full of Elk.

Seals play in the waves.

 Sunrise over the hills.

 The buck that decided to have a rest... about ten feet from my tent. He was soon joined by about eight friends.

 Hanging out in Usal Creek. Loving life.

It All Started With Jurassic Park

I studied film at University. I really enjoy the factoids and tidbits about movies and frequently read up on movie trivia on IMDB. One random day, a couple of years ago, I had followed a random wild hair of inter web surfing/playing movie degrees of separation and found myself reading all about Jurassic Park 2 and the fern canyon location used in the film.

(Pride & Prejudice>Sense & Sensibility>Mansfield Park [you may see a pattern emerging]... distracted by the oh-so-yummy Alessandro Nivola in Mansfield Park, leading to: Jurassic Park 3, which made me curious about Jurassic Park 2> Filming location. Bam!)

I was all kinds of intrigued to find out that one of the most beautiful scenes in the gore-fest/ dinosaur film were shot in Northern California! And more kinds of intrigued when I found out that not far from there (Fern Canyon) was a 20-ish mile coastal backpackers hike and a rural car-camping campground along a section of California's coast called The Lost Coast. It sounded brilliantly idyllic! And since that day I've wanted to go there, if not to backpack, then to car camp for a few days.

I'm not a fan of most of California's camping. You have to make reservations for most places months and months in advance (6 months) and when you get there, instead of a relaxing, solitudinous escape, you find that you, and a zillion other people have simply relocated everything but the kitchen sink out to the wilderness to "camp" in extremely close proximity to each other. No thanks. Not my cuppa'.

If I go camping, I want space. I want to explore without running into a ton of people. And I want a campground with no advanced reservations required because most people don't bother to drive so far out of the way, or off-road. So when I discovered the Lost Coast, is was just the ticket.

This past weekend, I found myself with some rare down-time. So I packed up my jeep and hit the road with my travel pal, Heidi and drove five hours north to the best camping spot I've ever found. Shhhh! Keep this one a secret!


Sunset over Usal Beach: