Getting It Done and Checking It Off

Tick Tock, Tick Tock. How has the month passed me by already? I’m unemployed and still couldn’t balance getting everything done and exercising consistently. Everything always takes longer than you’d think. And without a schedule, I seem to be rather good at faffing around. Well, I leave tomorrow and I think my “To Do List” is done enough (despite growing longer in the process). If not, I’ll just have to deal.

Well, here’s what I got for you. I’ll star the things that are “hot tips” to know for travelers or general gear stuff.

• Find Insurance to cover $8000-10,000 worth of gear (incase it gets stolen from my car).

After looking up the statistics on how often cars in New Zealand were broken into, I became almost frantic to find insurance coverage for my belongings. I sat down to make a list of what I was bringing and to do basic math on how much it was all worth. If everything of mine was stolen it would be about $10,000 to replace it assuming I paid retail price. As I mentioned before, regular traveler’s insurance won’t cover that. I even called Squaremouth.com (a general travel insurance search engine) and they said they couldn’t help. So the search intensified.

I looked into Renters insurance, but that was not helpful. They only cover 10-20% of the total value of all your personal items when you travel off your insured property. I’m taking about 50% of all I own to NZ. Do you think if I left a note in my car that said, "Please don't steal my things. It's almost all I have and it's my life." it would deter a thief?

            One insurance company I called referred me to another company I believe was called Rocky Mountain Insurance. They were exceptionally friendly; they even looked into writing a special insurance policy for me. They thought they could adapt this inland marine policy to meet my needs. Despite their efforts and friendliness, I got a call later that day saying they couldn’t make it work. They recommended I look for insurance in New Zealand to cover my equipment. 

I called an auto insurance company in New Zealand (**via Google Hangout: 2 cents minute, FYI). I asked if I could get insurance that would cover a car break-in, including the items in the car. No go and the man said he didn’t know of any insurance company that would cover theft of my equipment.

**My dad then suggested seeing if his homeowner insurance could cover it. I mean if Renter’s covers 10% for travel, surely homeowners would do the same. The difference? My dad owns a heck of a lot more stuff. The catch is the high deductible. No good. So we tried to see if we could put a “rider” on the insurance policy to cover my gear without having to pay the deductible. No such luck since my stuff didn’t meet the requirements for a rider (nothing was worth several thousand dollars).

In the end after many hours of those redundant phone calls with the insurance company, my dad claimed me as a resident of the household and lowered his deductible. I think it increased his insurance bill by $200 for the year, which I will be paying. Not exactly what I hoped but better than nothing.

• Fix security set up so they stop sending verification codes to my phone, since it won't be working in New Zealand.

Way easier than I expected. On the note of phones as well, **I actually remembered to change my voicemail to inform people that they can’t contact me for the next year via that number (and maybe never again because if I can, I’m cancelling my policy to save money on the phone bill). Email, Facebook, or Skype are now the way to get in touch with me.

• Get at least 6 months worth of prescriptions. 

**Here’s my advice and fair warning on this subject: if you need prescriptions filled for more than a 3 month supply at a time, tell your pharmacy and insurance company at least two weeks before you leave to get it done. Expect to have phone calls from the pharmacy and insurance that have discrepancies on what needs to be done and what has been done. Expect them to make you middle man/woman between pharmacy, insurance, and doctor. Don’t let this happen because you’ll be sent in circles. Get them to talk directly to each other. Don’t believe them when they say some medications were filled in full on the first attempt.

•  See if I can get a new sleeping bag for my birthday 

What an idiot. Didn’t do the research until 2 weeks before departure. I found what I hope to be the perfect sleeping bag set up and ordered online to save over a $100. I then realized I was cutting it close for getting them in time. Luckily, despite one getting lost temporarily, both bags arrived today, the afternoon before I leave.

I wanted a sleeping bag set up that would be resistant to water and ideal for winter mountaineering and summer in NZ. My 0 F bag was not ideal; my friend Danilo informed me I’d need just a 15 F bag for winter mountaineering. After listening to a gear guru friend rave about his Phantom sleeping bag, I did some investigation and figured out the lightest warm set up would probably the Mountain Hardwear Phantasia 32 with its hydrophobic down and a sea to summit heavy sleeping bag liner. Put the two together and I should have 12 F bag that weights about 2 lbs.

•   Test, Repair, and Re-waterproof gear. 

I got my pack back from the Gear Doc just the other day. The new zipper makes the new pack a little ghetto looking, but looks like it will last. His patch jobs were good, hardly noticeable actually, except he didn’t complete one of his stitches.  While he did a good job, I would say he was on the pricy side I think for what he did, but I’m grateful for the last minute fix. Gregory would have been a free option, but I wouldn’t have had my pack for the trip.

Ooh, I just remembered I was gonna clean my stove and test it...oh well. Tent and rain gear is cleaned, waterproofed, and the zippers are lubricated. 

• Inform Bank of Travel Plans

So on a trip to the bank to discuss some account changes and transfers, I was able to rework a flawed plan.

**I had expected to open a bank in New Zealand soon after I arrived and simply wire some money to my new account. This way I would save significant money on transfer and currency exchange fees. I hadn’t thought twice about my plan because it had been so easy last time. Not until the Banker informed me that it would be about $50 to wire my money. WHAT! That’s more than 5 hours of work for me. Oh wait, I forgot. Last time I went I had an account with Bank of America who’s sister bank in NZ is Westpac. So wiring money or taking money out of ATMs was cheap. Fees were a fraction of what they would be now without that account. What’s my new cheapest option? I got a bank check addressed to me. I will deposit it when I open an account in New Zealand. I’m bringing cash to get me by until the bank can process my bank check.

**Oh, and I went to AAA with my American currency to exchange it for NZ dollars. They had the new currency ready for me in two days (I forgot how pretty their money is). AAA doesn’t charge you the exchange fees you’d have to pay in the airport or other places. I’ve wasted way too much money on previous international trips on those fees. I’m going to be smart about it this time.

•    Computer Repair

            An unexpected obstacle while home-a crack in the screen appeared and from it blackness began to seep across my screen. Just when I promised to keep up on my blogs since I had a computer. I almost lost it when Mac said they would charge me 465$ to repair it-more than half the cost of the computer! Luckily, dad jumped in to help again, and found some cheaper options through ebay. I investigated one: iknowrepairs out of New Jersey. They promised to have my computer back before I left and that they would charge me $160 for the new screen, the repair service, and the return shipping. And that’s exactly what they did and they did a fantastic job! With shipping the item to them, I spent $182 dollars; a cost I could swallow.

•  See As Many Friends And Family As Possible 

            Well, I didn’t see everyone I hoped to, but I did manage to see most of them and I also saw some I didn’t expect to catch. Had some great moments with the friends and family and yes, I finally met my adorable grand nephew. 

The Big "To Do List"

Here's what I need to get done before leaving for New Zealand:

1. Get my holiday work visa application done and print off approval.
• For those looking to do the working holiday visa, here's a few things to know about it. First, make sure you do this before you turn 31. Two, despite what the website says, or used to say, the visa kicks in upon your arrival to New Zealand, not from the date they approve it. I waited until the month I was leaving to fill it out thinking it would maximize my time there, but it was unnecessary. You have about 6 months from when you are approved to  arrive in New Zealand. Three, unless you're pregnant, spent more than 3 (maybe it was 5) consecutive months in a high risk TB country, was previously kicked out of NZ, or committed a felony of sorts, then the application should take about 10 minutes to fill out, you don't need a chest X-ray, and they'll get back to you within a week.
2. Find insurance to cover $8000-10,000 worth of gear (for theft).
• This is a surprisingly hard task to do. I have already asked my car insurance company about their renters insurance-not even close to covering my gear. I stopped by AAA to ask them about their travel insurance to find they had nothing useful. I did a quick search on squaremouth.com to find nothing meets my needs (most insurances seem to only cover medical or baggage-so really just covering $2000 worth of your stuff if the airport loses it). I'm going to try and call several other companies about their renter insurance policies to see if they have better coverage. I'll call squaremouth to see if I can get a more specialized plan and I do want to double check with the American Alpine club as well. The gear is kind of my life, so I need some sort of coverage for it. 
• Just a heads up to future New Zealand travelers, petty theft in New Zealand, unlike violent crime, it pretty common. I know someone who had thousands of dollars worth of gear stolen out of his car when he was traveling there.
3. Double check that the family health insurance will cover me.



Helen on Lumpy Ridge

• Rumor has it, from my reliable source (Helen, a kiwi who now lives in Boulder, CO) that New Zealand's government will cover you if you get in say a car accident. For regular health check ups, chronic issues, and I think sickness, I don't think they do cover you. Don't quote me yet. If I get seriously injured (fingers crossed that doesn't happen), I'll let you know who had to pick up the bill.
4. Fix my online security set up so they stop sending verfication codes to my phone.
• Those little things, they'll get you. It would suck to be blocked from my email account because I can't check the text they sent my phone which will be in NZ.
5. Find out what kind of car insurance I should get for New Zealand.
• It's not required that you have insurance there and there is no suing culture since the government takes care of those injured, so I don't think liability is necessary. However, I may want something to cover collision damage or sheep running into my car.
6. Create a "Must Do" list for while I am in New Zealand. 
• I realize, being in one place for so long allows you to become a little lackadaisical with getting things done. When I studied in New Zealand, I was there for about 8 months. I probably accomplished almost the same number of big climbs as this one guy I met who was there for only a month. So while I'm relaxing, getting to know the Kiwis, and working here and there, I need to make sure I keep on track for getting all my goals done. Who knows, this may be my last time in New Zealand. At least for a while. I do need to explore new places like Europe, Ecuador, and BC.
• I'll post this list when I do finally get around to it.
7. Schedule appointments
• Ok, dermatologist, endoscopy, hearing (I think the whole throwing explosives for ski patrol might be catching up to me), and regular check up appointment done or scheduled. Dentist...trying to get a cheap appointment with the Uconn student dental school. Little on the pricy side for me otherwise with the lack of dental insurance.
8. Test, repair, and re-waterproof gear.
• So I dropped my good old gregory off at the Gear Doc in North Conway, NH the other day. Rich, the owner, is a nice guy, has relatively fair prices, and I will let you know when I get my pack back how good his work is. I realized however as we went over the things that need to be repaired that this trip will probably be its last trip. I think it's on its last leg. Over the last seven years it's only been used for travel to Chile & Argentina for 5 weeks, New Zealand for 8 months, on four 24-day backpacking trips, and many other shorter backpacking trips. It will be a great last trip for this pack to be on...so long as it doesn't fall apart before it is over.
9. Inform bank of travel plans
• Americaneagle said to do it through their online services 1.5 weeks before the trip. Now to not forget to actually do that. 
• Hot tip for other travelers: I do have a back up plan for banking situations. Even though I'm getting rather old (almost a quarter of a century actually) and I'm living pretty independently, I opened a joint account years ago with my parents (where I'm the primary person) and have kept it to this day. All the money in the account is mine and I pay my own bills, etc. It's just nice as a traveler to have someone who is in the States to help step in and talk to the bank directly if say my credit card or online banking gets blocked. Just make sure you have someone you wholly trust to be on your account
10. Get fit for New Zealand
• Climb, run, and hike as much as possible. Maybe even squeeze in a little crossfit. Sadly I can't ski now to ready myself for the ski season I will be jumping into. Though based on my one experience skiing there and what kiwis claim, I might be able to prepare myself better for skiing by ice skating here. 
11. See if I can get a new sleeping bag for my birthday
• The 0 degree F sleeping bag I have with me now may be a bit excessive for New Zealand. Considering average mountain temperatures in the winter hover around 32, maybe a little less at higher elevations. I'm thinking a 30-35 F down mummy bag with a silk liner might be enough to do the trick for the year. Kiwi friends, correct me if I'm wrong. 
12. Finish packing and double check I have all I need to survive a year there
• Let's see...mountaineering, climbing, camping, and ski gear. Wallet, passport, visa, computer, about 8 pairs of footwear (2 climbing, 1 approach, 1 running, crocs,  mountaineering boots, ski boots, and hiking boots), 3 backpacks, $10 Goodwill fullbody wetsuite...oh right, and maybe some clothes (hmmm, I think I will be thrift shopping for some of that. I have a serious lack of space and weight). Ooh, can't forget the camera. 
13. See as many friends and family as possible



Contradancing in Dover with
friends-Check

• I have yet to meet my grand-nephew so that obviously has to happen. The trip north to NH  & ME has already come and went; I at least caught up with most of the people I hoped to. I still owe grandpa M. a birthday dinner from 2 years ago, so that I have to get done before I go. Ooh, and I have yet to visit with most of my family since I got back. Better get working on that.
14. Limit my spendings.
• I was only partially successful on this front when I was on my travels north (much thanks to all who let me stay at their house and helped feed me). The necessary purchase of 'new' climbing shoes, food, and diesel still added up. Luckily I can earn money under-the-table money from my dad and brother by doing yard work. Hmmm, I better get working then.
15. Get in touch with Helen's parents again just before I go.
• They are my ride from the airport and a place to stay while I look for a car in Auckland. Cars in New Zealand are cheap, but staying in Auckland long enough to find a decent one is not, unless you have someone to stay with. I look forward to meeting my temporary hosts and if they are anything like their daughter, I know I'll love them. I'm already grateful that they offered me a place to stay while I'm in New Zealand. I really need to send them a picture of me though so they can find me at the airport.