10/12/2015 - Stocking up with GPS/radio, 2 stoves, new machete, etc

Garmin Rino 650 - GPS and 5Watt VHF
radio with altimeter & more! Dash mount included!

13" Machete for hunting, fishing, wood cutting,
and taking down zombies...

With about 8 days before my big trip - 30 days 4WDing on New Zealand's south Island, I'm starting to organize all my important survival gear.  I pack my fly fishing gear including waiters, net, 4 piece travel rod, and a whole bunch of custom flies already in the van.  I have a surfcasting rod as well with a really nice real in 15 pound test on.  I'm not sure about my fishing lures for saltwater, etc so I'm going to stop in a fishing supply store somewhere down south island to make sure I have the right stuff. No worries though.

I went shopping today and I have a new machete.  Ironically I got to test the machete today because I am cooking a lamb's leg and had to chop it in half in order for it to fit in our pot.  Since it is a full-size lamb leg with thick bone, I put it on our cutting board and with only one simple swipe of my new machete it cut through it like a hot knife does through butter.



Wow!  I guess I have my zombie apocalypse weapon.. No ammo required(!??!?!) < evil laugh!!!>

I picked up the machete at the local hunting and fishing store.  I also picked up my MSR XGK II stove with the pump. The stove and the pump were being check for faults by an authorised MSR repair centre nearby.  I'm really glad I got a check because the jet burner was broken/ very faulty, and they said if I would've turned it on it might have exploded on me.  They replace some O-rings on the pump, and gave it a good clean.  So even though my XGK stove is about 10 years old, it's now running like new!  I have another stove in my van already and it's the MSR Whisperlite Interational.  Both of the stoves serve specific purposes for me:

XGK II - is the ultimate mountaineering and cold weather portable stove.  It boils 2L water in about 1.5 minutes

Whisperlite International - is a globally recognised reliable stove that is for cooking, boiling and simmering.  While I could use it for boiling, I prefer to use my XGK as it is faster.  This way I can boil water for coffee or tea using the XGK, while cooking on the other Whisperlite International.

Tomorrow afternoon I get back my van from G Guy Motors with four new shocks, new custom springs, my lower step bumper removed and my newly replaced 400watt LED bar for my bull bar. I'm getting quite excited here!!!  Eight days from now,I depart on my 30 day/ 4WD trip to New Zealand's south Island....