Tomorrow my husband and I are embarking on a 3 week road trip. Two and a half weeks of holiday and adventure followed by 4 days of intense conference activity.

One of the things I relish in life is being in the back country, all my worldly needs on my back, squashed into my 65 litre pack or hanging off the side, e.g. sandals.  I feel so self reliant and capable. No noise from civilization. No extraneous “stuff” but all that I need to be well-fed, safe and healthy while pursuing exercise, respite and fun.  Machu Picchu, West Coast Trail (Canada), the Chilkoot (Alaska) and through the Rocky mountains of BC and Alberta.  It has all worked.

Bearing this in mind, as I was packing last night, I realized I have somehow “evolved” to a set of necessities that includes a Blackberry, a Macbook, a Kobo electronic reader, a small digital camera (I made the tough decision to leave the (big) awesome Nikon behind), an iPod and 7 chargers.  The dark chocolate and wine in collapsible bags – that I can understand but the entire shelf of an electronics store?  Is this evolution or regression?  Progress or consumerism?

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