Well I'm off; not quite the way I had planned, but then again that's about par for the course isn't it? It turned out that after all these months of messing around and testing equipment to get the solar panel and energy storage units to work I have ditched them all. Test hikes with the pack at 72 lbs were just too discouraging. So the laptop, solar equipment, and most of the other electronics have been ditched.   The pack is now 64 lbs without any food in it, and I will be writing in a notebook with a pen. Ugh. I still expect to be able to update the blog regularly with pictures and copy from hostels and internet cafes wherever I can find them. Thanks very much to everyone who has emailed with messages of support and inspiration. I hope you all have a very safe and productive next six months, and I am looking forward to seeing you all when I get back. Be good - Justin