Packing List
Usually I’m pretty good at remembering what I need to bring when I go somewhere, but for this last trip we had less than 24 hours to prepare (all the wedding stuff we had to do before hand), and I managed to miss a couple of brain-dead obvious things to take. So, I’m putting up my standard travel/backpacking list up so I can refer to it next time; and maybe others might find it useful.
First of all, let me preface this by saying that you can buy pretty much anything you need on the road, so don’t freak out. Also, don’t worry about carrying enough of X, Y, or Z for your entire trip; you will be able to buy toothpaste on the road. When in doubt, pack lighter than you think you should, especially when it comes to clothes. Again, you can buy those if you need on the road.
This whole list is based on what I’m carrying with me RIGHT NOW.
Travel Gear
There is of course the question of what to pack in, a topic of great interest to me and one which I plan to write on in further detail later.
All of this may seem like a lot of crap, but most everything in this section will easily fit in one small stuff sack and the rest you will carry in your day pack.
swiss army knife - be sure to check this on your flight
compass
ear plugs
playing cards
highlighter/pens - use highlighters for notating your travel books
flashlight - yeah, this is what I forgot on this trip
bandana - useful as sun protection, washcloth, handkerchief, etc
clothes pins
cord - for make-shift clothes drying, bag repair, etc
sewing “kit” - basically a needle and thread (stronger thread better for pack repairs), and maybe a spare button or two
pad lock - combo lock is preferable
small cable chain - useful for locking your bag to a stationary object…not necessarily going to keep anything from getting stolen, but it’s a bit of a deterrent
camp towel - regular towels never get dry
sarong - useful as a beach towel, a robe, and for making bunk beds a little more private
sun glasses
watch
water bottle
sleep sack/bag/pad - take what’s going to suit where you’re travelling
book - note the singular form, buy/sell/trade for others on the road
travel locks - little combo locks to keep probing fingers out of your stuff…again, not going to prevent determined theft, but useful for keeping out the curious
luggage tags - something distinct to identify your bag from the myriad of same same ones you’ll see
luggage straps - you defenitly will end up with something you want to strap to your backpack
money belt - it’s best to get something with a plastic liner inside, otherwise you’re liable to sweat through the pouch and ruin your plane/train/etc tickets
Third World Optionals
water purifier
Clothes
hat
hiking boots
tevas
flip flops - an optional luxury, but suprisingly useful
light rain coat
light fleece - optional
bathing suit
underwear - learn to go multiple days…
socks/liners
shorts
pants - zip-offs are convinient, but not appropriate if you plan on going out much…never take denim, it’s too heavy/dirty/takes forever to dry
shirts - just a few, remember you can buy more as you travel
Consumables
empty zip-lock bags
bug spray
hand sanitizer - useful when you can’t wash your hands before you eat
lip balm
sun screen
aloe vera
bathroom bag - a small bag with some toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and sani-wipes
toiletries kit with soap in a box and shampoo if you need it
Medical Kit
Sometimes it’s useful to start with a commerical kit and add to it, but I’ve just made my own selection by buying everything I need and packing separate small zip-locks with purpose-specific items and shoving those in a small pouch. It’s cheaper and more complete than some of the crappy single-serving items you get in manufactured kits
wound wipes
band aids - flexible fabric, one or two sizes…more than you think you’ll need
antibiotic ointment
hydrocortisone
larger gauze bandage - for wrapping bigger scrapes
medical tape
ace bandage
safety pins
ear plugs
tuks - you will get diaherria, and you will want something to soothe that bum…
advil - small bottle of 25-50 tabs is much more space efficient than those little single-serving packs
thermometer
For all OTC medication I buy blister packs and write the dosage instructions on the back of the big sheets in permanent ink so that I don’t have to try and remember
sudafed
antacid/anti-gas tablets
immodium - use only in case of critical emergency…like a long bus ride
benadryl
pepto tabs
For extended trips, it might be worth talking to your doctor about getting a course of broad-spectrum antibiotics that you can take in case of strep throat or the like. For third-world travellers, Cipro is also sometimes a useful backup (I’ve never had to take either on the road, thankfully). Some people I know also try to get prescription pain pills in case something goes really bad, but I wouldn’t want to have to fight with my doctor for them or deal with customs officials in countries that have much stricter drug laws than the West.
Third World Additions
injection pack - syringes/gloves/alchohol pads…I believe you have to check these as well now
iodine tabs - for emergency water purification
malaria medication
Camera Gear
You want to take pictures/don’t you? I have switched to almost all digital photography, except for some of our really crazy adventures which are either too rough or messy for the digital (with or without waterproof housing). For those times, we bring a “backup” camera which is the great little water-resistant point-and-shoot my sister got me a few years ago and that I used exclusively on my last major Odyssey.
camera
batteries/charger - finding specialized camera batteries on the road can be a challenge
film/mem cards
mem card reader - useful for uploading pictures from internet cafes…also note that you’ll find places that can burn your cards to CD for you when you fill them up
Remember that a large portion of the third world (and now again some industrialized nations) use pretty intense X-ray machines. Better safe than sorry, carry on and have your film/mem cards hand examined.
Personal Items
passport - make sure it’s valid for at least six more months
immunization cards
drivers license - useful if you want to rent a motor-bike or borrow a bicycle…or rent a car even…if you are renting a car, take your AAA card as well
credit card
atm card - check to see what your bank’s international withdrawl fee is…and know that Plus/Interlink are the popular ATM networks through most of the world, but Cirrus pops its head up in the most irritating of places sometimes
travellers checks
cash - there are a number of places which won’t take anything but US dollars…these places are usually at borders before you have a chance to change any TCs or withdraw any money…
Remember to make copies of all the above items and leave one at home and keep one separate from them while you’re travelling…including your flight information!
addresses - people you want to send postcards to
phone numbers/email addresses - people you actually want to communicate with
pictures of home - yeah, I’m sentimental
journal - just take one and write in it…in three years you’ll thank me
