Note to self: Do not seal camping equipment in a box

To say there is a lot going on in the Broudo household at the moment would be an understatement. I never thought I would be thanking Canada Post for being on strike, but the excuse to put my etsy shop on holiday couldn’t have come at a better time.

Let’s see ... besides planning our September/October car trip in the US South West, planning our November trip in Israel, organizing gear for our trek in Nepal in December, and gear for our 82 day overland trip in India, we are also moving out of our apartment, putting all of our worldly possessions in storage until we return from the 2011/2012 Broudo adventure. So — a few things going on.

Every day has it’s accomplishments as well as its surprises. Yesterday in preparation for our now weekly trip to MEC (Mountain Equipment Co op, for those of you reading that are not from BC), we bravely opened the storage locker and pulled out the box labelled “camping equipment”.

Nothing like the aroma of camping equipment that has been sealed in a box for a year! I guess it could have been worse, but we both almost fainted from the stench. Then figuring out how we would take it up the elevator, into the apartment without offending our neighbours — oh well, we are moving out so what the hell.

I immediately filled the tub with warm sudsy water, added two knapsacks, and was delighted to find that if you repeat this several times, the smell and the dirt does actually disappear! Even more remarkable is that by this morning, the bags are almost dry. kudos to quick dry technology!

Our (now clean) tent is draped over a drying rack in the living room. One knapsack is hanging from the shower and the second is drying on a rack in the tub. There is a sleeping bag drying over a chair in the kitchen. thermarests are blown up for testing.

The apartment looks like a campsite after a wild night of partying. The good news is, it doesn't smell like one anymore!