Johanna Travels

Tomorrow is the day I have been waiting for, for so long. It finally is about to happen. I cannot wait to stand next to the monument of the Southern Trail Terminus to get started.

I suppose this is also the point where I finally should feel prepared enough to be hitting the trail for real.

Well mentally I am ready. My body is not though. I left Germany with a cold, and I was more than certain it would long be gone before I am setting off to hit the trail. Played myself on that one, I don’t know how I ever thought sharing rooms with multiple people before setting off would help me to get better.

So here I am spending my final hours in my hostel bed in San Diego, waiting for a miracle to happen that will make me feel amazing once I wake up.

But either way tomorrow is the day and I am not gonna let a cold take that away from me. So it will be a slow start and I will be listening to my body closely to not push it too far.

Finally flying to Los Angeles sounds like the start of it all, and honestly it kinda also feels like that. But before this trip actually quite some organizing was done. And I do not mean planning every step I will take on the trail, but things that need to be considered far before doing so. Here are a few things I took care off far before leaving Germany.

Must Haves to be able to hike the trail for a distance over 500 miles:

• PCT Long Distance Permit
• B2 Tourist Visa
• California Fire Permit (for using a gas cooking stove)
• Canada Entry Permit

Well the above mentioned may allow you to actually hike the trail, but purchasing the proper gear is another major milestone. I took my time and considered every piece of gear over and over again. Here I am about to start my journey and do I feel like my gear is absolutely on point? Hell no! And I would also think that this is just a normal learning and adaption process I will undergo on the trail. Realizing what is really essential and important for this hike. So I suppose the content of my backpack will change drastically over time. And some final items I will just purchase upon arrival in the States.
Here is a picture of the gear I am starting out with.

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Yes, it is true I really am taking a diary and a hot water bottle. You are probably thinking, that is so stupid. And you also may be completely right in assuming those items are not going to last long, fair enough. I will figure it out on my own and until I get sick of it, I will very gladly enjoy having warm feet at night.

Other random things to consider before getting on a plane:

• Validation date of passport and credit cards
• Taking care of vaccinations, some are a must for certain destinations
• Purchasing a travel insurance
• Figuring out where to put everything that is not going to fit into the bag one is carrying on the hike itself
• Getting rid of a car and anything that won’t last without proper care taking