Berlin Muse :: An introduction…

by Mike Knispel | Carryology Editor-in-Chief, February 18, 2014

Travel

Here’s your chance to compound all of your carry know-how and curate the perfect quiver for the trip of a lifetime…

We’d like to introduce you to our newest of additions, Cam Hassard: accomplished musician, penman, dudely wayfarer and all-round free spirit. In only a few months time, he’ll be embarking on a year-long journey, an odyssey of self discovery and carry worship, and he’s taking us with him. Where? The thumping heart of modern Europe – Berlin…however, before he scuffs his leather boots on aircraft canvas he needs your help. But, I’ll let him give you the low down…

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The Berlin Manifesto

What’s all the fuss about Berlin? Why is everyone I know moving there? Is it the low cost of living? A brimming arts and culture scene? Its constant thirst for reinvention and change? Because you can get naked pretty much anywhere?

I’m Cam Hassard, writer and musician, and in May this year I’ll be taking a 12-month plunge into the Old World, lugging my life from Melbourne to Berlin to check it all out in the flesh.

I’ll be crossing hemispheres with my lady, partner in creativity, photographer extraordinaire, HK, and with Berlin functioning as our Euro HQ, together we plan to gallivant around the far reaches of Germany and Europe, chiselling away on a bunch of writing and photographic journalism projects.

Armed with a saxophone, guitar, and some basic recording gear, I’ll also be diving into Berlin’s dynamic arts and live music scene—to perform, write music and pump out a few records on the fly.

The mission is clear: bust a move to Berlin, set up shop, indulge in wild adventures, create amazing stories, and relay all the juicy nuggets of goodness and insight right on back through the Carryology grapevine.

I’ll be carving my way through Berlin’s streets on cycles and foot, jumping on cabooses and iron birds all across the hallowed nooks and crannies of Europe. Armed with camera and journals, recording gear and musical instruments, I’ll be scrawling words down, snapping shots and penning tunes with mad abandon.

But I’ll need some gear to lug it all…Here’s where I need your help: your savviness, expertise and carry curation.

The crafters at Carryology have offered to kit me out in style in return for my yearlong correspondence. I’ve laid out my inventory; this is me for a year. What gear do you recommend I take to make Mission: Berlin a smooth manoevre?

The Inventory:

Hard

– 1952 Conn 10M “Ladyface” Vintage Tenor Saxophone (+ reeds, accessories)

– 2005 American Standard Fender Telecaster, sunburst finish

– Macbook Pro 17 inch Laptop (my one stop writing and recording station)

– Mbox 2 recording interface & mic + lead (to make the gold records)

– Canon SLR EOS + Lenses (to capture the visuals)

– i-phone 5 (for talkin’ n organisin’)

– Logitech portable USB boombox (to keep good times rollin’)

– Bowers and Wilkins portable headphones

Soft

– Passport & ticket (+ 12 month German visa)

– Moleskine notebooks – 3 pack (insight on the go)

– LAMY fountain pen (ol’ faithful, the pen that keeps on giving)

– Leather journals (for daily insights and deep ruminations at Berlin’s cafés and bars)

– Cash (for ze exchange of ze goods and ze services)

– Power cords, USB cables, chargers, adapters, padlocks (for more juice!)

– Books for the road: Kerouac, Hemingway and Orwell (inspiration!)

Clothes & Stuff

– Texan black leather cowboy boots (Berlin Muse also moonlights as an urban cowboy)

– Black velvet dinner jacket (for looking super schmick)

– Black Geoffrey Beene Suit (for classy affairs & general schmoozing)

– Silver studded cowboy tie (ties it all together)

– Nixon Leather watch—“The Corporal”

– Ray Ban specs

– Blue leather policeman’s jacket (for the frosty Berlin winter)

– Civilian “generals” (3 x “Cheap Monday” jeans, assorted tees, sox ‘n jox)

– Globe plimsolls (for casual neighbourhood trundles)

– Dress shirts (to feel good and look fine)

– Beach towel (to laze around at Berlin’s vast network of nudist waterholes)

– Cashew pillow (keeping that neck in check on the 28 hour journey)

Toiletries:

– Gentleman’s Brand: face wash, body wash, face moisturise

– Contact lenses and solution

– Brown fat rimmed specs (that I actually need in order to see)

– Beard trimmer (sometimes too much beard is too much beard)

– And miscellaneous bits and pieces

Bags

Luggage

Wallets

Utility