On my first trip to the tropics I neatly packed my 60 liter backpack (the same one as below) and stuffed it so full with so many ridiculous things that I’m still laughing of myself when I think of how I was carrying all of that up in the highlands of Lombok. Ah well, we all make rookie mistakes right?
Currently I pack as light as possible. For a regular trip of let’s say two – three weeks no more than 12 kg is allowed (by myself), but for this current one I think I’ve actually packed a little more junk in the trunk. I wasn’t planning on staying abroad so long, so I wasn’t really conscious about what to bring when I stepped into the airplane.
After ten months in both VERY cold and VERY warm climates in Latin America this is whatever’s left when I put my bags upside down. Things have been swapped and there were some unnecessary things that I gave away.. but the essence is still very much the same.
Note that sometimes you have to carry your stuff a long way (like Indonesian highlands), so think twice about every little thing that you’re carrying. It’s called ‘the mountain test’. Is it worthwhile bringing it above when the sun is shining bright and you’re sweating like a sinner in church and feeling like a mule? Yes? Good, then it stays. Aka ‘the sweat’ is what Marie Kondo would replace with ‘happiness’. And I agree with Marie, the lesser you have, the better you’ll feel. You really will.
This list below may just come in handy in a later phase for myself I figured. Or for you for that matter, because where to start when it comes to packing!
Here’s what to bring:
The bags
- Backpack. There’s much to say for a suitcase. My hubby always takes one of those, but if you’re doing a longer trip I’d recommend a backpack. It’s just so much easier if you end up on some godforsaken place without roads and you have to carry your load all the way up to that wooden cabin in the sand.
- A daypack. Some five year ago I went on a 2-day trekking in the jungle of Brazil and I had the brilliant idea of bringing a side bag. Stupid girl. Don’t be like me and invest in a proper rucksack, like the Dakine above. It’s worth it.
- Lastly, a normal bag. Not a fancy one… we don’t wanna get robbed now do we? In general my bags make me look like a big hobo (this one’s relatively new..), but whatever works. I’ve never been robbed while travelling and I like to keep track. So take my advice, no fancy bags with big logos (who are you kidding anyway with that – it’s all one big marketing trick). If you have something really important to carry, put it in a grocery bag instead of your normal one. Just to make sure they won’t get the good stuff if you in fact do get robbed. Just don’t forget it in the train or something…
The take-care-of-yourself-kit-kid
- Contact lenses and fluid. Yes I’m bloody blind without them, so no judgement on the quantity please, even though I pictured this at the end of my trip.
- Ear plugs. Yes, you’ll need them
- Shampoo / conditioner
- Sunscreen and after sun. Or even better; aloe vera for those “I think I got burnt real bad” beach days
- Toothbrush / toothpaste
- Deodorant. I have this very neat small thingy, with salt crystals or something which I bought in Canada. I think it’s awesome, if only because it’s so small.. and it’s organic my fellow millennials!
- Argan oil. Sounds crazy heh, but in case you’re a woman and you go surfing or diving… I always end up with a giant ‘mermaid braid’ and seriously need this stuff.
- I rarely used make-up abroad, but the eyeliner is still left in the bag
- Nail polish. Another sign that there is some vanity left in me after all.
The closet
Now here comes the big chunk. This is what I still have left after 10 months abroad in both VERY cold and VERY warm countries.
- Pants. 1 x normal black pants / 1 x active wear pants / 3 x shorts (two normal ones, one for hiking) / 1 x chill pants (worth it) / 1 x short sleeping pants / 1 x rain pants (I hate these. Bought them for the Salkantay trekking and yet there’re still in my bag. Never used them again, but perhaps it’d work for you)
- 9 x shirt. Now personally I think this is a bit much but this seems to be it, as I don’t want to get rid of them either.
- Tropical dresses. Yasss baby. Still got three of them, wearing one now.
- Winter hiking gear: light ski or outdoor jacket / merino sweater / outer layer sweater / beanie (mine is dipped in Dutch national pride – the logo of a sausage brand, I’m not joking) / gloves (really don’t forget the gloves)
- Other winter gear: one big vest (that one in the right corner, I think it fills half the bag, but alright) / two long-sleeves / a very gorgeous alpaca sweater that I’m loving to death
- Bikini ( I actually got two of them) / underwear
- Towel. Very important
- Scarf. Also very important, I noticed. In buses, churches, airplanes.
- Hat. Mine came just out of the backpack, so it needs a little time to ‘heal’ I think.
- One smashing outfit (or more). Just because you never know.. you might just have an online job interview. Or you’re meeting a friend in a fancy restaurant. Or you run into Tom Hardy and he wants to take you to the movies. *It happens, it really happens*
Shoes
Quite a colourful ensemble I got in here right? I didn’t really start out with that in all honesty. But alright.
- Hiking shoes. The best ones you can get your hands on.
- Normal city shoes / sneakers
- Lightweight fancy shoes (I’m still in need, but for now the blue Guatemalan ones will do)
- Flip flops
Other stuff
Other stuff.. a very important category. The glue that holds that long trip together. The cherries and icing on the cake.
- First aid kit. Filled with whatever pills you may need as well
- Repellent. I wish I could show a natural variant in here, but then again a little bit of deet goes a long way.
- Snorkel set. I’ve bought this one in a supermarket in Mexico and used it tons of time. Looks big, it’s not.
- A book. Usually I’ve got three of them with me, which is a burden, but still I don’t manage otherwise. In an ideal world I’d only carry one with me that I’d would swap in a hostel for another perfect book that was for ages on my wish list.
- Gifts from your home country. I always bring some small stuff, fun to give away whenever the situation is there.
- Lighter. Neat for camping
- Padlock. Yes you’ll need it. Even if you’re not staying in hostel there might be a day you’ll just want to lock it all up with your own gear.
- Headlight. Comes in conveniently for any type of trekking. Camping midnight bathroom “dammit I have to pee” moment.
- Travel pillow. You’ll be thanking yourself later.
- Refillable water bottle.
- Water purifier. Let’s all try to use a little less plastic right.
- Sunglasses.
- Passport.
- Your vaccination record booklet. And yes, I have been asked to show this, believe it or not. A photo would perhaps do as well, but I’d recommend you to bring the real deal.
Things not pictured
- A very old Nature Valley bar
- Camera (would be difficult) and lenses
- Chargers
- Phone
- Laptop
- Dinero (USD always come in useful, just bring some along)
I think that’s it. Let me know in the comments below if I’d missed something of Very Important Value, as I’ll use this list again for my next trip as well :).
Ciao tutti!
