145 PACK MAN

The time for San Diego is fast approaching, roughly two weeks out now.  I’ve been busy packing and repacking the new photo back-pack.  The instructions for it say that it can hold a DSLR camera with a 200mm lens attached, but, with some judicious re-arranging of the Velcro spacers inside, I have gotten the case to hold something bigger.  I have my Nikon D4s, which is quite a large camera, to fit in the case with the Tamron 150-600 lens attached.  Down either side I have several lenses, a flash, noise cancelling headphones, my laptop and my iPad Pro.

BACKPACK AND D4s WITH 600MM LENS

The configuration is heavy but nowhere near as heavy as the rolling bag I took to Florida.  The other thing is that even with it fully loaded, it’s comfortable to wear.  Well, at least it is for the half hour or so that I walked around in the house with it on.  It maybe a different story when I get to the airport.

Initially the backpack will e riding on top of the “spinner” suitcase.  But once the case is checked in, the real test will start as I wander through the airport.  This time I will be doing a little more looking around.  Well, hopefully.  I’m hoping not to start off the trip sick this time.  Seeing some photos posted by friends, there is apparently an aquarium in the airport, so I’ll be looking for that.

I also want to leave enough time to hit the Maple Leaf Lounge and have breakfast there.  I chose an early afternoon flight this time.  That way I’m not trying to fight through morning rush hour to get to the airport.  The other method to my madness, is that the hotel I’m staying at doesn’t allow check-in until 4:00 PM.  Since my flight doesn’t arrive until after 4:00 PM it will save sitting in the lobby for 3 hours, like the earlier flight would have caused.

Being a slightly more experienced traveller now, I have a better idea of what I’ll be facing.  Last trip, I left my suitcase unlocked, even though it is equipped with TSA approved locks.  There was no problem with it, but I did not put anything in the suitcase of value.  I’m still trying to figure out the best course of action, but Facebook is being persnickety, and I haven’t been able to post anything for two days.

WATER POUCH NASA PATCH

POUCH  MEMORIAL PATCH

CANADA AND BC PATCHES

 The back pack itself, I have modified.  It is equipped with Molle straps which allows attaching various pouches.  I added a square one to the waist belt which can hold my cell phone, wallets, and Nikon A900 backup camera.  I also added a water bottle pouch to the right side of the pack.

To make things slightly more identifiable, I have added a few stickers to the big orange spinner suitcase.  On the backpack I added a few patches.  On the back I have a Canada Flag over top of a BC Provincial flag patch.  On the square pouch I have a Law Enforcement Memorial patch, on the water bottle pouch is a NASA patch and finally a Maple Leaf pin on the left shoulder strap.

COUNTER-ATTACK, UNDER ARMOR AND APPLE STICKERS

In order to help conceal what the backpack actually is, I will be travelling with the built-in rain hood over it.  On that I added a Canada Flag patch over the Lowepro insignia.  Now it just looks like an ordinary backpack.  As added security I will be locking the zippers to the main compartment.

PACK WITH RAIN HOOD UP 

I’ve even started packing the suitcase already.  Last time I had the camera bag packed weeks in advance, and I guess I do now as well.  But I didn’t even start packing my suitcase until the night before.  I’m also bringing things down to it, instead of loading it upstairs and having to drag it down two flights of stairs.

So, as I said, I’m a little more seasoned now and I have learned what I need to bring and what not to.  I will also no carry anything in my pockets and will put it all into the backpack pouches.  It’s much easier to throw one bag on the X-ray and search table, than it is to empty my pockets into a bin and then refill them after.  Less of a security worry as well, leaving my camera and wallets unattended in a bin, while the security people do the pat down.

I’m really looking forward to getting to San Diego and especially getting to the zoo and start taking photos.  I have a few “targets” as it were.  I want to get more gorilla and tiger shots, but I especially want to get orangutans, chimpanzees and panda bears.  Lions, giraffes and elephants, rhinos and hippopotamus rank right up there as well.