Un pti peu de geekness

Visiting ancient temples and reading about mythology has been tickling my geek brain until I found myself daydreaming, trying to recall where I really intended to take my players on their DnD campain, and how they would react to an asian setting.

Daydreaming about this while riding a sketchy scooter. I reach a roundabout, and there's a 10-feet tall golden statue of Shiva with 8 arms. I am taken back to a scene with my other DnD group, the one Angus runs, as we're exploring a temple dedicated to unknown deities ( I guess I missed my knowledge check)...

And then I got this idea that I hope both regular readers and geek ones should like, if curious enough.

For those of you that never played pen and paper games or any RPG at all, sometimes what is in your inventory can make a difference (but wait, I found this warhorn earlier, what if I blow it?).

So, for more details about my traveling and so that I can have a list, here's my belongings.

Keep in mind everything is divided and packed in plastic bags to keep a semblance of order, this list starts with the bottom o' my bag, where I put the stuff less needed.

Here goes. (You should probably try to picture Diablo 1 inventory ).

Firstly, my ukulele, cream-colored with two zebras painted. I added a tiny sticker of the flag of the Philippines on it. It's in a travel case, standing up in my bag. Acquired near Cebu, Philippines.

My first-aid kit (there's a zipper at the bottom of the bag, so easily accessible): waterproof tape, tape for sprained ankles, (quest item received from Marc Jobin when he left Koh Tao), echinacea pills, hydrogen peroxyde, band-aids, and 2 months worth of malaria pills. Some of the tape has used when i cut my foot snorkeling.

Bag of "might-needs": stainless coffee mug (used once), keyclip, cheap ponchos (used 1 out of 4 that came with the bag), laundry soap (mostly intact).

Bag of electronics: camera (quest item acquired from Caro, but mostly unused, ipod is simpler), world electric socket adaptor, electric shaver. I started the journey with an iPod charger but the difference of voltage fried it.

Bag of light souvenirs: mostly maps, tickets, bills, business cards, museum and temple guides. Anything light I can later put in a box and open once in a while to help me remember this journey. 100% acquired on the road.

Bag of "never-enough": two bottles of Off!, Aloès after-sun, sunscream (60).

Bag of "to-read": Thaï phrasebook, Sex, Drugs, And Coca Puffe* (acquired from Damien St-Amour when he left Koh Tao. I would like to return it to him in person in Vancouver before I go back home), Teach Yourself Buddhism (acquired in Chiang Mai, pre-quest item if I find a monastary I can join for a time).

Bag of things to send home (once back in Thaïland, apparently Cambodia and Laos can't be trusted): t-shirts from Paï for my parents, red scarf similar to the ones used by the Khmer Rouge (quest item, members of Paï Scooter Gang sport this), bracelets for my brother (acquired on Malapascua, Philippines), cheap Dragonball Z toys, Game of Thrones Book II-III (book one entrusted to Marc Jobin, his own quest to bring it safely home), flyers from Blah Blah bar, the punk bar in Paï, and a scooter sticker for my guitar.

These are the bags I rarely take out. I then throw over them my dirty clothes, stuff them in to try and make an even floor. My clean clothes are stuffed with my shoes in my bottom pocket so I can change in-between bus rides easily.

I also have a bag of bags.

Clothes I started with: 2 pairs of underwear (one is now too big), 2 pairs of socks, 1 pair of jeans (my least favourite one, also now too big), my yoda shirt from the expo last summer, my Nothington shirt (awesome band, awesome show), and my camo shorts (had them for 5-6 years, starting to show). Finally I brought my favourite hoodie, black and shredded everywhere, but the lightest one I own. Half a mind to drop it, asians are always well presented and I feel I am shaming myself when wearing it. Finally, a green bandana.
Also crappy skateshoes.
I had to discard my swimming suit which I ripped at the overly-manly testicles area, during the "Try to Surf" level.

I obtained from various shopkeepers, mostly while haggling (Speach skills improved) 3 white beaters. One of surfing in Surigao, one of Tiger Beer (Tigers are awesome, and so is beer), and Muay Thaï. Also got 2 t-shirts. One of that famous E.T. In a bycicle in front the moon shot, only its an Alien (xenomorph) in the bicycle basket, the other one is a little girl holding an AT-AT walker in a leash. Star Wars shirts are EVERYWHERE in Thaïland (Sith happens). Also bought a hideous white swimsuit with yellow flowers (it was $4) and black shorts (needed to wash the camo ones). Got a really sweet camo poncho, light and it folds well. I keep it in the top pocket if my bag. Finally, 2 bandanas, one black and white, one black, white and red. They have more intricate designs than the ones back home. Also a dark blue baseball cap with no design.
Also got black gougounes.

A small towel, lime-colored and full of rust stains that I stole from my parents the very morning I left. With it comes my Habs débarbouillette.

Without a bag is my mostly useless Southeast Asia on a Shoestring (2008) book I got in Bangkok. Forgot my Lonely Planet book at my parents house, no doubt a horrific karma reaction to the towel theft.

Then comes my notebook. Was supposed to use it a lot but this blog took over. Right now there's some Filipino words, sketches from a DnD game in Koh Tao, and basic travel plans for Thaïland and Cambodia. Also lyrics for a song we wrote, about La Reine des Baleines. Inspired by a dive where Marc and Damien spotted a shark-whale!

Then comes my "everyday-use" bag, which I had to change since my beardcomb (yes) poked through it: 2 sticks of Old Spice (Smooth Blast), Tea Tree Oil (had a weird rash on the leg and this cured it), Polysporyn (cuts on the feet), bandaids, nail clipper, scissors to trim the beard and nose hair, a tiny mirror given by Marc Jobin, moisture cream so my feet don't crack anymore, tattoo cream, Q-tips (now huge because they got humid), 3-blade (balls), toothpaste and toothbrush (itself kept in a ziplok bag), soap, aaaaand beardcomb.

Finally, my "carry-on", my "satchel". If you go back to my blog from Bangkok I quickly say that I bought "some sort of tissue bag". Turns out they are called "Monk Bags".

In there, most of the time: my stormtrooper toy, gandalf light, swim goggles (Marc again), Gastro pills (yup), toilet paper, condoms (useless so far), my wallet, passport, harmonica, shades, earphones, speaker (asian), headlamp (asian), iPod charger (asian), keys for current hotel/scooter, and current book (Game of Thrones book IV), iPod in a separate pouch.

However when I go for a walk/ride I leave all the electronics save the iPod.

Whew! Lastly I discarded my previous headlamp which broke, and my Tremblay Beer cap which was full of sweat salt and surf wax.

If you read through all this, kuddos! Next geek post will be my travel achievements and levels.

This took SO long.