Day -8: The Augean Stables

Gave the kitchen and bathroom floors a preliminary mop-out. I have been putting them off, but the hours are now ticking down – in less than 24 hours I shall be out of here – so all those yucky jobs finally have to be done.

The mini-skip rattled from time to time last night, but that which was added only balances that which was taken away.

The weather has turned cold in the last three days – common enough here in Melbourne at this time in April. We had 123 days in a row (more than 4 months) with maximums above 20° so I'm not complaining. The exertion of cleaning warms me up.

I have selected my clothes for the first part of the trip. I try to hand-wash my clothes each evening, so that in theory I could get by with just the clothes I'm wearing plus a change for the next day, but in practice there's often something I want to do more than wash clothes, so I need to carry another change.  But in the course of a year a lot can happen, especially where  am going this trip, so as usual I have packed more than I really need, in case I need to go several days without doing the laundry.

Working outward, I have:

• Underpants, seven pairs plus a pair of togs that can be pressed into service at need.  I always carry a good supply of underwear as I detest wearing them twice between washes.
• Socks, six pairs lightweight.  My feet pong in short order if I recycle socks so I need a good supply of these too. They double as padded stuff-sacks for fragile souvenirs.
• Trousers, two pairs lightweight travel.
• Track pants, one comfortable pair, good for planes and other overnight travel.
• cotton tights (Robin Hood style) – good beneath the trousers for warmth and unlike thermal underwear, can be used as outerwear at need.
• Shirts, two short-sleeved.  (I will buy a long-sleeved shirt later, for "best".)
• T-shirts, three.
• Lightweight fleece, one.
• Lightweight jacket, one (goes over the fleece at need)
• Lightweight woollen scarf, one.  A scarf proved its usefulness last trip but the one I took proved a little too heavy.  I bought this one in NZ and it's much more flexible, though not as robust.  I expect to wear it out – but I won't need it after China anyway.
• fleece beanie, big enough to cover the tips of my ears.
• Lightweight woollen gloves.
• Handkerchiefs, two.  I use tissues but if my nose starts running in earnest tissues soon run short.  These are "permanent" tissues for emergencies.

I will probably discard some of this as I go along and buy cheap local gear to replace it.  I could actually start off with almost nothing and buy what I need cheaply in Istanbul, but that's a false saving.  I already have this stuff and it's already well used, so I've had my value from it yet it costs me nothing to carry and use each item till it's worn out or till I see something I like better, whereupon I can trade up to a new item with a clear conscience.

I'm fighting the temptation to add a fourth T-shirt.  I'll fly out of Oz (21st) in T-shirt and track pants but I'll take a shower and change to button shirt and trousers at Abu Dhabi so I arrive looking presentable (22nd).  The other shirt will do for the 23rd, when I'll do a laundry run.  Track pants and two T-shirts for Anzac (the 24th and 25th), shirt and trousers for the 26th (Bergama) and my third T-shirt for the 27th (Kusadasi) will see me through to Bodrum.  After that I'm solo, so I can do my laundry when I please.  I clearly don't need a 4th Tee – I'm just fussing.

Added much later (19:45) – finished. Almost. Everything is packed except my breakfast things. However, while I was cleaning out the kitchen I twisted the dripping cold tap too hard trying to stop the drip, and broke the handle. So now I have a plumber coming in the morning to replace the kitchen taps and washers – another unwanted hundred dollar plus blow to my finances. If only – but there is no "if only"; I broke the tap, I have to get it fixed. With a little more time I could have found a cheap tap at Bunnings or Mitre10 and replaced it myself inexpensively. Not feasible now; my tools are in storage (knew that was a mistake). All I can do is toss money at it.