And We're Off . . .

De Oudegracht, Utrecht, NL

And We’re Off

Finally, we on our way to The Netherlands.  After months of talking about it, planning for it, doing all the paper work, we’re finally on a plane from Chicago to Amsterdam with Utrecht being our final destination.  It’s funny how you keep yourself busy, backing bags, making lists, contacting people, trying to remember all there is to do.  It wasn’t until a few minutes ago, our 747 was gaining altitude and I saw the lights of Chicago that I realized I was leaving the U.S. for six months.

Now, I’ve been to The Netherlands before.  I usually go once or twice a year in my current job but for no more than a week at a time.  As we were packing, my usual routine for preparing to fly was different.  Certainly, I’m taking a few more things with me . . . most notably my desktop computer for photography and six months worth of clothes.  Some were shipped others were checked.  I’ve never flown with so many bags!  Nine in total, five of them checked (I hate checking baggage).  

I was glad to buy a new camera bag.  It was specifically for this trip.  It’s a Tenba Shootout large backpack and I mean large.  I was able to store, my 5D Mark II, 1D Mark IV, 70-200mm f/2.8,  7 more lenses, a flash, pocket wizards and a host of batteries, flash cards, chargers and cables.  The backpack was very comfortable but there’s no way I would ever hike with all that gear.  However, the bag serves it’s purpose and I didn’t have to ship or check any of my gear.  The back comes in a medium and small size which would be more suitable for day trips and hikes.