I’m frequently asked what I’m going to take on my twelve month sojourn and how I’m going to take it. This is not an easy question to answer, as I’m still trying to figure it out myself. However, after years of honing my packing technique over many varied travel experiences, I offer the below tips.
Gadgets
I used to be very anti-gadget when I travelled. I didn’t even begin taking a phone with me overseas until 2012, I just loved being ‘unplugged’ from technology. It would have come in handy during my 2010 trip to Mexico though, when the airline I was flying with went bankrupt and my flights home were cancelled. Oh the hassle of arranging new flights! Thankfully my travel partner had enough foresight to bring her phone with her, and I haven’t been without one since. A twelve month trip is a very different prospect though when it comes to technology. Things to consider this time are:
Laptop – I need to be able to edit my photos in Lightroom, update my blog, and securely access the internet for my banking. Much easier to have my own (very small and cheap) laptop rather than rely on internet cafes.
Kindle – I admit it, I’m a book snob. You cannot replace the feeling of a real book in your hands, or that musty book smell in 2nd hand bookshops. You also can’t deny the convenience of having hundreds of books at your fingertips with the push of a button. So I have succumbed.
Smart phone – wifi is everywhere. Most hostels offer it free. What better way to keep in touch with loved ones back home than with free facetime/skype.
Clothes
When choosing clothes to pack for a long trip you need to consider the following:
• Do you really need the latest hi-tech, anti wicking, quick dry, zip off trousers? If you’re not comfortable wearing something at home then will you really be comfortable wearing them while away.
• Everything should match. You’ll end up with more choice of outfits if all of your clothes match in similar colours and shades.
• You shouldn’t need to pack any more for a twelve month trip than you would for a one week trip.
• Take no more than two pairs of shoes, plus thongs. And keep the shoes as lightweight as possible.
Top 6 items I never travel without
Earplugs – these are a necessity if you are going to stay in a hostel dorm room. Not only will you be subject to the nocturnal song of the snorer, there’s also the pre-dawn packer (who knew plastic bags could be so loud) and the drunken party-goer who can’t find their bed, amongst others. Dorm rooms aren’t the only place earplugs come in handy though. During my stay in Lhasa, Tibet last year I used them to block out the scratching noises of the rat beneath my roommates bed. I could then blissfully pretend that I hadn’t heard a thing (while also hoping I wouldn’t wake to it gnawing at my face…..ugh!)
Headlamp torch – Don’t be the dick who turns the dorm room light on in the middle of the night. Although most phones have flashlight functions these days, I prefer my headlamp torch so that I always have two hands free, including when I’m reading at night. It would certainly have come in handy while swimming in a cave in Thailand, where I spent the entire time with one arm out of the water so my hand-held torch wouldn’t get wet. (Let’s not go into the lack of safety equipment provided by the guides. The provision of waterproof torches would have been a novel idea!)
Sarong – A staple of any females backpack. Obviously it’s great for the beach, both to wear and to lie on in place of a towel. They can also be used as a light blanket when the aircon is blasting on overnight buses, and for covering your shoulders when entering a temple or church. I wish I had one with me when visiting Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. My friends and I had to enter the cathedral one at a time, as we were all wearing spaghetti strap tops, with one jacket to share between us.
Pillow case – I’ve slept on pillows that caused static in my hair. Not very pleasant. Other pillow cases have just been used so many times that they are worse than threadbare, or covered in little balls. The small luxury of having your own pillow case can make all the difference for a good night’s sleep. I also use it when camping, just stuff it with my fleece and some clean clothes and voila, a pillow. It also doubles as a laundry bag.
Travel umbrella – Have you ever worn a poncho in hot weather with high humidity? You end up wet anyway from the sweatiness of being draped in what is essentially a giant plastic bag. I prefer a small umbrella that fits in any bag and keeps my head dry if I absolutely must head outside during a downpour.
Pumice stone – Days, weeks and months of constant walking will leave your feet in pretty bad shape, particularly if you are in hot climes wearing open shoes or thongs. Peeling skin and cracked heels are not a pleasant sight, so I always use a pumice stone. Alternative measures I’ve taken include heading to one of those ‘foot fish spas’. A great way to pass an afternoon relaxing while the teeny tiny fish nibble at your dead skin (not for the squeamish).
For further packing tips see my Ultimate Packing List.
