My 1980 dream of Camping at the Fort, Fall 2012: Pop, BWV and THE FORT! .. update: 10 years later .. Trip report is complete!

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 5 2012 Day 11 of my trip.. What else can I lose???

As my new friend heads on, it's getting dusky, the crowds have moved on, and I manage to snag a rocking chair, and I settle in.

It's an hour post-meal, it's settled somewhat, but I have a craving for a soft drink.
Rooting thru my pouch -which has far too many pockets and zippers - oh my goodness, I CAN'T FIND MY 'RESORT/CHARGE CARD' ... and my wee runfitness belt (like a SpiBelt) is awol as well.

As I’m “oh my goodness”ing going thru the zippers on the pouch, my phone rings.....lol, how the heck do I answer this thing? (I just got upgraded from a non-smart phone to a I-Phone just before my trip started)..
Well, missed that call.... but hey, maybe I dropped the card between the Trails End door, the bench by the order window, and the chair, & it's been found!
So I head to the window:

Nope..they don’t have it, they didn’t call me​

So I head to the podium:

-Did you just call me? Nope, they don’t have a phone, but what did I lose?​

YES! they do happen to have my room card, and they hand it over ... along with my iphone zipper case.​

- What the... I laughed, saying I didn't realize I was missing my phone zipper case... I was looking for my Resort Card... and I still to have to figure where my fitnessbelt went.​

Hmm she says, is this what you mean? And hands that over as well!​

- Good grief! I'm laughing saying if I didn't decide I needed a soft drink, I would have been back to my site without realizing I was missing any of this!​

And, bless her heart, the hostess offers to bring me one on the house! What a sweetheart!​

So, I get my diet coke, and head off, stopping by the bathroom to adjust things.. Aargghhhhh! I’ve now lost one of my 2 run sleeves!!!!!!
Thank goodness my head at least is attached!
Back I walk looking down at the ground.
Lol, it’s right in front of their podium on the ground! I get there, pick it up and hold it up in the air, laughing to them... I swear, I say, I’ve got nothing else I can drop tonight!!!.

Do you ever feel totally dipsy? There I was!

It's turned out to be a beautiful evening, and eventually I walk back thru the campground to my site.

Despite the rain & warm temps, I'm not really noticing any flies..... but have a few red splotches that I figured was the cursed Disney Rash, it's on my lower leg, it's hard & itchy.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 6 2012.. trip Day 12, but Morning 2/Day 3 at the Fort

Goooood Morrrrrrrnnning, Fort Wilderness!!!

I've slept in again!

Woke off & on thru the night, lots of little nocturnal noises, but nothing to jolt me upright awake .

(Someone told me the sounds like rubber boots squeaking on the floor are some sort of tree frog!)

It's a beautiful morning in my neighbourhood!

I'm sleeping pretty well in my solo tent... from home I brought a blue velvet flocked single air mattress, blanket, blue sheet & pillow....almost as comfy as my bed! Big tarp as well so no real worries of leaks!

But, my flybites are getting itchier & look to be rising… hmm…

9am….No rushing around is The Fort rule, but darn forgot about my 9am ADR for Trails End, but walked up anyway... if my ressie given away, then so be it.

Nope, Apparently, I was still before the morning rush, table still avail.

QUESTION for 2022 readers: do they still offer both the Chocolate Chip Mickey Waffle AND the Plain Mickey Waffle?

Back in 2012, I was a Mickey waffle novice & had no idea there were varieties!

The choc chip one was far superior! The batter was so much better! Eggier & Fluffier (at least, that batch!). The juice in Jars was great!



The place wasn’t hopping, so I took my time over breakfast & tea, dealing with some emails on my new fangled phone (still in awe that I didn’t need to be pulling out the clunky laptop for emails!.... 10 years later, I take my iphone’s abilities more for granted, but love still that it’s a phone, emails, camera, flashlight, atlas, city map and so much more all rolled into the size of a calculator (oh, and it’s that too! Whoever would have thunk!)


eeps... my photo journal shows I had 3 THREE!! full plates of breakfast... Can't eat like that anymore! But had to go! I've got Blizzard Beach & a round of mini golf on my agenda, hopefully before the day turns to rain!

Took the bus back to Meadows, bought some ice to replenish my cooler, lowered the tarps to “RAIN PROTECTION MODE” & off to my favourite WDW water park!

Blizzard Beach it is!

Both water parks have elements I love, but Blizzard Beach is the best for the loooonnnnggggg Family Raft Ride – the rafts are big enough that it is not awkward to share with others- you might have to play footsie, but that’s all. And the Wave pool is not the bruiser that Typhoon Lagoon has!



After 3-4 hrs, I cleaned up & drove over to DHS area & had a solo round of Fantasia MiniGolf.

That was my first time there & loved it! Hope to visit in Nov 2023, but will have to make a point of watching Fantasia before I go!

Love these cute little Shrooms!



And their hint to getting thru:



I was just getting to the last few holes as the sky got darker and darker… Juuuusstt as I was stepping up to the18th the heavens opened up and it P-O-U-R-E-D

I was so close to the Kiosk, I got a snack of cheezies & water & just waited the raincell out … ~20 mins later I was back in the game & finished (I won.. yep…)



Remember those itchy fly bites I mentioned a few times?

Well, they are getting larger.. and now they are also blistering. My calves are looking pretty angry.

On the way back to my site I stopped at the Outpost & got an internet kit (there was no resort wide Wi-Fi at that time … feels like the dark ages to me now!)

Back at the site, I stowed the kit away & got ready to head to beach for fireworks….
Arrgh! Where’s my “resort/charge card”? Not again!
I must have left it at the outpost… did I? can’t call them, don’t have their number
… so, back in the car, drove back to the outpost... nope, they don’t have my card, so they reissued a new one, telling me the old was now cancelled
... Back to the site again. Darn... No way can I get to the beach in time for the fireworks, but I managed to catch some by watching at the front of the loop by the bus-stop. Walked on up to the beach and watched the Electrical Water parade.

It’s old and maybe a bit kitsch but always enjoyed… maybe because it reminds one of a slightly less complicated time?



I took the long way back going thru several loops to see the Hallowe’en décor. Even 10 years ago, the place was lit more than my neighbourhood at Christmas!

Sigh, is there anything as fine as a nice bed in a nice tent in a nice park at Disney on a temperate night????


Camping is a happy place!
Good night and sweet Disney dreams!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 7 2012.. trip Day 13, but Morning 3/Day 4 at the Fort ...........PART 1: A hard decision

Good Morning Campers! French Toast with a view for Breakfast!


(yup, if you're Canadian, you might have noticed my Becel container! I've had enough disappointing Margarine, that I bring a tub of Becel when ever I go to the States!)

I started off setting up the internet connection to my laptop w/ the kit I picked up at the Outpost yesterday, but dang! there's no power supply cord in their kit! Arrgh! well, not going to make a trip down to the outpost for that, I'll just send a short email on the iphone later.

So, a bit of puttering around & tidying up,
even did a dark wash & hung clothes out to dry!

The bed is made, the tent is tidy, so here's a peek at my sweet sleeping quarters:



Next thing I know there's a park vehicle pulling up... bless their hearts! They must have realized they left the power supply cord out of my kit!
NOPE .... somebody picked up my room card & they are dropping it off for me....
Errrr... so is this one reactivated and the one I obtained last night deactivated? Which one is my park charge card? They have no idea & tell me to go down to Outpost to have it checked out. ARRGH.

Today's plan was a late lunch & Typhoon Lagoon for the afternoon. I so love the waterparks!

Not very crowded at all, no problem getting cheers there! (oops I mean chairs!
But Cheers to you if you recognize where at Typhoon Lagoon I've perched myself!


My legs are looking misery, they're bitten, welting, blistering, itching, and nothing I've taken is relieving that misery .. And as I'm leaving Typhoon Lagoon, I notice it's along my torso and arms.
I try not to, but I'm scratching hard. I know that I'm scratching in my sleep as well.

What the heck is it? There were small red ants on my balcony & chair at Boardwalk Villa Studio.... Did I bring a colony of ants in my suitcase to the campsite? I ruled out bedbugs... Is it sandfleas/flies or whatever nasties might thrive in the wet sandpad at the campground & Typhoon Lagoon? I'm not so in love with my low slung campchair at this moment!
This is only getting worse, how can I last another 3 nights here?
The hard answer is, I can't... it's ceasing to be a quality trip because I'm so distracted w/ tearing my legs off! I'm worried about infections.... I'm also thinking that if it rains everyday, I'll be packing things wet & probably sandy & maybe even bring some little nasties back with me....
sigh. it's a hard choice, but I know it has to be the right one.

Back at the Fort, at the Outpost, I tell them I need to check out in the morning & are they able to maybe help me secure a room for my last two nights anywhere? I figured I'd be forfeiting what I paid & have to just pay rack rate wherever.
They could see the misery I was in (it was breaking my heart to end the stay early), and arranged to switch those 2 nights to be at AllStars. (I went w/ the Cheapest at that point, thinking rack rates, no discounts, with luck I'd just have to pay the diff between campsite & there.

That was a really hard choice, but I know it was the right thing for me.
(fast forward to today Dec 2022: Still dreaming of the Fort & determined I will get my fixin 2023!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 7 2012.. trip Day 13, Day 4 at the Fort ...........PART 2: I get visitors!!!

Back at the campsite, I'm torn, but relieved. I decide I'll head to MK just after ropedrop in the morning, and then break camp.




I'm prepping my last Fort supper, and notice there's a golf cart stopping at my driveway.... hmmm... I don't know anyone.....

Hey, it's the lovely person K who I chatted with outside Trails End on Friday evening.
In the golf cart w/ her husband, about to go "looping" & decided to come look for me to see if I'd come!

That was a novel thing for me, given my loop wanderings were all on foot!
We did every single loop, K & husband were regulars at the Fort, and paused some many times for a quick chat w/ people whose names/nicknames I recognized from this Forum (tho many had got banned from the Disboards in the year before my trip) . ... Lol, I said it was like meeting celebrities!

We saw a lot of deer, several young ones (there are no deer on my island province)



It was dark when they dropped me back at my site.

(Dear person, if you're back on the Disboards & continue reading this trippie & recognize this is you, pls feel free to message me! Heading back to the Fort Nov 2023 & would be awesome connect if still around!)

I caught some of the fireworks, then took my laptop & walked to the Settlement porch , Skyped w/ my enjoying a mug of cold beer & some potato chips.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 8 2012.. trip Day 14, last day at the Fort, unfortunately!

well, this is the day I strike camp and move over to All Stars for the last night of my trip.
I was up early, showered at the comfort station ~7am …chatting with a lady leaving the CS as I left: They had just arrived the prev evening, so I offered her my cooler & folding chair (things I picked up cheap at Wally or Targ). Gladly accepted.

Made myself a last breakfast & headed to MK via the Fort’s boat … just missed rope drop & first train departing from Main

Stopped in at the medical room there by ?Crystal Palace to see what they recommended for my welts & blisters ….. An Angel of Mercy there gave me several wee Caladryl packets, suggesting to use an antibiotic ointment & Benedryl instead if it really started to look infected.

I spent just two hours at MK then, but got several rides in, as most were walk-ons, including Jungle Cruise (only reason I did it, because sometimes it is just painfully lame)

Well!!! The J. Boat captain was hands down the best I ever experienced!
It was Jeff from Williamsport IN … maybe he’s new or maybe we were among his first for the day, or maybe Jeff is just always that fantastic, but it was a great ride!
He actually delivered as if he was doing improv! It was great! I know it wasn’t all new material, but it certainly seemed new thru him! We were genuinely laughing, not just polite laughing or twittering!
(My favourite lines were re the fountain and the study re the bacteria in the spray after we all enjoyed the spray, and then the waving of the gun at the hippos (hippos?): Shoo! I have a gun! (Isn’t that from Abbot and Costello?)

I am always so wowed by the attention to detail at the park!
Swias Family Treehouse is always a must!



By 10:30, I was back at the Fort, it was pretty dry thankfully as I broke camp.

I headed to All Stars to checkin ……oops! Didn’t know there were three…. I had no idea which one I was booked at… asked the gate security which might be the quietest … Music was her thought…. so that ‘s where I headed.
well, turns out that the back room of The Fort didn’t send my reservation info to All Stars… but, after much waiting, they reassured me, no prob, they’d find me a spot.... And due to the wait & inconvenienc, there were be no price diff to be charged! Wowsers! I did not expect that!
(it was 2 hrs from leaving the Fort to being settled in room at the ASMu).


I had a brief swim & a bite to eat, then bussed back to MK for a couple hrs & then to Epcot for a Schwarma platter in Morocco!
(my notes from 12 yrs ago show that I was either too itchy, too tired, or too hungry to think straight in the evening ....I knew I wanted to go to Epcot, but instead of going straight there, I more than doubled the travel time: I took bus to DHS, then boat to EPCOT...

Finally, back to ASMu room about 10 pm, right to bed. lol, room looks like disaster hit it!!

 

[DL1WDW2]

I have been following .
Always wanted to Camp at Fort Wilderness … your trip in rain w/ strange itching … and losing stuff …
Has changed my mind . But love the Tell it like it is updates .

 

[WalkingintheFog]

I have been following .
Always wanted to Camp at Fort Wilderness … your trip in rain w/ strange itching … and losing stuff …
Has changed my mind . But love the Tell it like it is updates .

Oh no, DL1WDW2!
Ignore the itching & the minor mishaps!

Camping in the rain is an awesome adventure!
(in my planning & testing of the various tents, if there was hard rain, a sister & I would run out (with wee doggy) to lie down on the floor of the tent to just listen to the rain on the tent top!)

Camping anywhere is glorious, And at the Fort, it is wondrous!
Get outside! Sleep outside. Be a camper!
And, Go visit the Fort!

I simply had a reaction that I wasn’t prepped for!
I know now that I react badly to the first flurry of bites when warm weather comes!

AND! one of the real reasons I have to finish this trippie is because the dream still exists, and I have booked 2 wks+ at the Fort for Nov 2023, and ain’t no way I can start in about that on the disboards until this report is done and dusted!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Oct 9 Day 15 morning 1 at ASMu

Wow, really enjoy the theme elements here at All Stars Music. I had only stayed at POR & various Deluxe Resorts before now, thinking the Values were bldgs on barren lots with tacky decor.
Man, was I ever wrong! I started this trip at the POP & loved it, and here I am, unexpectedly at another Value resort ASMu, and it is very nice! My section was callled “Broadway”, I affectionately referred to it as The Ritz. Check out these pics! Even the two pools were musical a Piano shaped pool, and a guitar shaped pool.
Mind now, the room is just a standard hotel/motel room, but blue skies & sun shining in the window elevates everything.





My mission today was shopping for a new suitcase… On the day I was leaving BWV, I found my big suitcase had a smashed wheel —that would have happened on BWV room change day whenBell Srvcs took the suitcase down to store until new room ready & then brought it to the new room. Manager came up & looked at it & offered to replace with what they had, or give a credit so I could buy one to suit my needs (at the time, I chose to take a credit as wanted to have a wide range of choices AND I just wanted to get to the FORT! (Nothing wrong w/ BWV, loved it, but my adventure awaited!)

Not sure of how crazy traffic might be, so took a cab to Prime Outlets on Idrive. Checking out suitcases: Thinking I’d get a great price at the Sampsonite outlet, but OMG! $200-$500 a suitcase! Those prices aren’t in my budget!
Mentioned to a clerk in Bass Shoe, and she mentioned there was a Ross and TJ Maxx just 5 mins walk down the road, and that’s where she went for her suitcases.... Gotta love helpful sales clerks!

I take pictures in stores…. Anyone else do that? These were fun! But I gotta ask, who needs or wants to have a bear holding the TP for for them?

The first is right in time with current date! Happy Christmas to all!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

WED Oct 10. Day 16 & morning 2 at ASMu:

Last night was orig to be my final night before heading back to Canada, but I decided early yesterday I wasn’t done with WDW yet, and added 3rd ASMu night (this night charged at rack rate, but that was expected) & changed my flight.

The rent-a-car contract ends today, & I decided not to bother extending it, so a tank refill & returning the rental are the first fun and games scheduled for today. (Bear in mind, this is the first time I ever rented a car)

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Anyhoo, somewhere just after 9am, I headed to the Hess near DTD (aka Disney Springs).

....lol, I’ve never prepaid gas before, and I’ve never bought gas in the states and I’ve never bought gas by anything other than litres, and I had no idea how much what I wanted would cost, I just wanted to fill the tank from 1/4 to full!

....the clerk wanted to know how much I was prepaying, I had no idea, she had no idea, she suggested $20....I’m thinking to myself, that’s a joke! A full tank here costs me $70, and I’m near empty, so I said $50, and she said that’s a lot... It took $26! Wow!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Next stop is the Dollar Counter at the nearby Wyndham.

Dropped off the car no problem, same 2 girls there as 2 weeks ago, they brightened when they saw me even tho both dealing w/ customers at the time, so that was nice.


I asked re transport back to Disney, I was heading to MK or DHS, still undecided... There was a hotel shuttle bus just outside waiting to load, I asked if I just got that. She said, no, we have our own shuttle, we’ll call them to take you right there.
But when she called, her dispatch or whatever, told her it might be 30 mins wait …. She repeated it out loud to me, and ever so casually shifted her eyes to the front of the hotel where the hotel’s shuttle was just starting to load.
... I said if I’m back in 5mins, call your shuttle!

Asked the nice lady w/ clipboard at bus if I could take their shuttle instead of waiting ½ hour.
“Jump on”, she said!

Shifted seats to allow a mom to sit w/ little kid, and sat next to a young mother there w/ husband & 3 kids, some for the first time. We chatted the whole way, and as we approached MK, I quietly asked if she had glow sticks for the kids for the evening, “No?” she said..... “Here”, I said, “I’ve extras and I’m leaving in a day or so... Don’t tell the kids until they start seeing the other glowy things!” She was quite pleased! (I had those tubes w/ the 15 or so sticks that you could connect to make bracelets & necklaces out of).

(I stayed on the bus for the next stop of DHS).

 

[WalkingintheFog]

WED Oct 10. Day 16 & morning 2 at ASMu (Continued)

On the shuttle bus, I had no specific plans, MK or DHS …. Ultimately, decided to stay on the bus & head to DHS & try to score an early lunch ressie at Sci Fi Diner (never been!)

Success! 11am, it would be brunch (I just had an apple for brekkie, thinking I’d get a super early lunch somewhere.)

Had less than an hour to pass, so I caught Muppet Vision & then checked out the Shrunk Kids (never knew I could, as an adult, but noticed 1 or 2, so I went for it!)

SCI FI DINER:

Yeah, for me, it was a “once & done” thing.

It was dark, really dark (I was very glad that 1 of the 4 apps I put on my new iPhone was a flashlight!), and too close to the people behind me (I heard every single word of their conversation, it was like they were talking directly in my ear .. which in a sense they were!)

I ordered a Salmon BLT, but the salmon was dry.
Had deep-fried dill pickles as a starter... yum at the time, not so yummy after I was in the hot sun for several hours!
But the beer instead of the tempting Oreo alcoholic milkshake was a wise move!

I have to say, it’s a rare thing for a Disney restaurant to disappoint on so many levels!

But, the lady sitting in front of me, wearing a cool Disney hat with a flower, was also on the hotel shuttle bus with me! We both recognized each other’s head gear (I wore my gold mickeymouse 50th anniversary ears....so comfy!). So, that was cool.

I had no real mission for the parks today, Just my last day stroll, and taking in a few attractions.

I was hoping to get single rider line for RNRRC & TOT, but, man, those deep-fried pickles were making a repeat visit, and I figured if I did either of those rides, I would probably be sharing the pickles ).

So after wandering around a bit, I took in the now defunct Lights Motors Action & The Great Movie Ride. At the drawing school, I drew the 3-eyed alien from Toy Story (better job than I did with Stitch or Mickey Mouse in past years!)

I took several photos at LMA which have now served as my wallpapers for several years on my iPad or iPhone (yup, 10 years later & that newfangled iPhone I got and struggled with for this trip is now old hat!).



and can’t forget the side streets!



Early afternoon I took bus back to resort, packed my bags and napped a bit

And then it was back up and at ‘‘em for one last go at Epcot! How I love Epcot! And the boat! I took the bus to DHS gates, and took the boat thru the Boardwalk area to Epcot’s Intl Gateway.
Supper was grazing Food and Wine booths (no photos…strange that!).

Finally time to call it quits for the last night of my trip, and headed back to All Stars Resorts.
I got off at All Stars Movies to see if I could spot any of the celebrities rumoured to be hanging around there.
Score! I could not believe my luck!!!


(Have ye noticed I’ve not mentioned the itchy scratching anymore? Still there, but subsiding. I picked up Benedryl & a bottle of Calamine lotion!!!)

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Yep…. Two of the biggest stars I’ve ever seen! Both at ASMo!





lol…. They say the stars look better at night!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Thurs Oct 11. Day 17 & morning 3 at ASMu:

This is it, folks! The Disney party is over and it’s time to head back to Canada! I’ve seen the back of my last Disney bus for this season!


Where to next, indeed?

For the next few days, it’s stopover in Toronto (via Air Canada), for a half marathon and a wee bit of shopping, including some of my favourite shops on Spadina Avenue!






Next and final post for this trip will be WRAPPING IT UP!

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Drum roll please!!!
This post ends my 2012 long overdue trip report! (Lol 10 years later)
And, it’s also my 1000th post on the Disboards!


(Here’s a pic of my count just before posting! I’m at 999!​

(Edited to add this next pic with my 1000 post count!:




TRIP Wind up & Comments:

Despite the misery that forced me to shorten my stay at the Fort, I did have an amazing trip, with lots of adventures and great food.

Making a rough plan for each day was great even tho I often deviated from part or all of a day’s plan. Without it, I might have found myself trying to jam, into the last several days, things I wanted to do (or places I wanted to eat at!).

I had (and have) a subscription to Touringplans which served me very well.

The Disboards were one of my best resources in trip planning.

CAMPING:
Although I cut short the camping portion of this vacation, I am by no means done with the dream. Every trip to Disney since 2012, I’ve always visited the Fort for an afternoon or a few hours, walking loops, renting a canoe or kayak or bike, even taking in the evening movie.
I have my sights set on an early November 2023 stay, and I’m buying shares in Benadryl now.

PARK TICKETS:
There are discounts to be found…for the 2012 trip, the best discount was with runDisney when I reg’d for the Wine&Dine Half Marathon.

CAR:
The last minute decision to rent a car was a great move…I found a great rate w/ Dollar for $100/wk, so never felt the need to drive every day, but it gave me options and most importantly, a sense of security while camping.
…So, plan on car for any future FORT stays.

WEATHER:
I may as well expect rain every day & go prepared for it, esp in summer/fall ...buy several cheap dollar store ponchos & carry one e-v-e-r-y d-a-y… Can’t begrudge it the small space it takes up in purse when compared to the price charged in the parks. And buses & restaurants are chilly! Bring a lightweight sweater or shrug & even run-sleeves.

BIKE:
I rented a bike for a few hours at the Fort & really enjoyed it. On a solo trip, it sure would come in handy. For next trip that includes a long stay at large resort or the Fort, really make an effort to pick up a used bike at yard sale or pawn shop on arrival. (Have to have car big enough!)

PEEING: What is it about Disney that makes me/you want to pee all the time??!!!!
Don’t think I’m alone in that, I’m sure I’ve read some TR where they feel they’ve toured Disney by the Washrooms of each land.
I can tell you, I knew the location of every washroom there!

GROCERIES: Definitely saved a lot of money by heading off-site to the likes of Super Targets or Walmarts for groceries & sundries (ie case of beer, case of water, Cranberry Juice, salad fixings, meat, cheese, bread, even boiled eggs, snacks like chips, gum, salsa, toiletries, souvenirs, etc
…… wayyyyyy cheaper than the resort stores.

Vinegar: What are French Fries without Malt or white vinegar? I never ever knew that vinegar was not a universal French Fry condiment! The UK fish & chip spot in Epcot seems to be the only spot to find it in WDW.
(Note to self: bring sm packets of white vinegar on future trips).

TO BRING/BUY for next trip:
Even tho I realize I can cut down on things I bring, some of essentials that I must bring or buy pronto on arrival include:

• Calamine, benedryl and reactine, headache meds essential ….. I’ve gotten the Disney Rash every trip, and often bites that ooze, so expect it.
• My convertible WDW purse/fanny pack (big enough to hold the day’s essentials, such as run-sleeves, lightweight shrug & disposable raincoat (as per above note), phone & backup power pack, minor meds, folding fan, water bottle clip, and glasses)
• Small packets white or malt vinegar (as per note above)

I took a lot of pictures that trip …. These are 3 that bring me joy and contentment!