Getting ready for a trip like this seems like a full-time job. Thankfully I'm in "house husband" mode right now, so I have enough time to make reservations, research gear, shop for clothes, pick up our medications, and fulfill a list of assorted duties. When my wife and I went to Jamaica (both times) and Playa Del Carmen, she knocked out the various responsibilities with such ease and grace - and still had enough energy to carry my dead weight. Now that the tables are turned, I feel like such a slacker.

Some people have asked, "what are you packing for a trip like this?"

The simple answer is, "As little as possible."

But honestly, I get a little nervous looking at various packing lists from people online who have made a trip like this. Some brave souls manage to venture out on an RTW (round the world) trip with hardly anything at all. No music. No fancy gadgets. Barely any clothes. As a music-lover and fan of technology, I can't bring myself to leave home without my tunes. It just can't happen.

Naturally our backpacks are coming with us. Various toiletries and first aid meds. Socks, underwear, you know the drill. But here are some of the new things we purchased:

Chaco sandals: these seem to be all the rage right now with the backpacker/hiker set. As an old hiker I remember how well my Tevas served me in the most dire conditions. My Teradactyls held up for 8 long years. But the new Chacos are like Tevas on steroids: http://www.chacousa.com/products/performance.cfm

Money Belts: the kind that go under your clothes. Maybe we're paranoid, but it's better to be safe than sorry, right? My folks graciously gave me a money bag for over my clothes, but it will likely get used for other things like maps, postcards, directions in Thai, my trusty phrasebook...

Thai language cd's and books: this is the part about this trip that freaks me out the most: we don't know the language. I'm doing a crash course in the necessities... "hello", "help", "where's the bathroom", "I've got diahrea".. I'm also brushing up on my hand motions just in case my pitiful language skills let me down.

Zip-off pants: These lightweight pants (with extremely deep pockets and mesh inner lining) have legs that zip off just above the knee in the event you want to go swimming, cool off, or show your legs on the side of the road when hitchhiking. Hopefully it won't get that bad. But you can't wear shorts in the temples. So after a day of swimming on the beach, you can zip on your pant legs and pay your respect to the Buddha.

Mp3 player: yes, we are a few years behind the rest of America. We still *gasp* buy cd's.

Digital camera: see above.

Watertight bags: there is always a chance of rain in some parts of Thailand, and you never know when your river raft or ferry may decide to roll over. I'm not saying it's very likely, but imagine how ticked we'd be if all of our precious new electronics and handy guidebooks got soaked. I found these cool bags in the kayaking section of REI, and it seemed like an obvious choice.

Collapsible Nalgene Water Bottles: Just like in Mexico, the number one rule in Thailand is DON'T DRINK THE WATER. Fortunately bottled water is everywhere. These handy bottles save space in your backpack by collapsing as you drink. Can also be used to store Thai whiskey or vodka when we head out to the more rural areas of Thailand, so we'll still be stumbling even when the nearest bar is a hundred kilometers away..

oh yeah, and the metric system. Why does America have to be so damned stubborn? I was brought up thinking that feet, miles and yards are good measurements. But whose feet? Whose yard? Now that we're heading out of the country, it's high time to learn about liters and meters.