Never in my life could I have known how much (seemingly endless) enjoyment I get out of packing lists. And luckily for me, many people feel the same, as they are a very popular and recurring theme on many travel blogs.
Not only are other travellers’ packing lists a great resource, they are also pretty essential in deciding up front what, and more importantly what not to bring. I already know that I plan to pack light. Very light. I will mostly be in warm regions during the first part of my travels, and it won’t be until I hit the higher altitudes of Sichuan, China and Nepal that I may stock up on a bunch of warmer items. But I’ll deal with that when I get to it there. I can get extras that I need on the road and dispose of them when no longer needed.
Still, I realise my list is long, and several things can be omitted if I realise they don’t fit in my bag. I am happy not to bring a Scrubba bag to do my own laundry, or conditioner, or whatever else that needs to be left behind to stick to a small backpack. I haven’t decided on a backpack yet, but anything over 45L just gets big, and I know myself. I’d rather just not.
So here it is, my preliminary packing list. I will do another post when I have made my final choices before I leave.
Electronics:
• Laptop Asus T100
I haven’t purchased this yet, but it seems like the best travel laptop for a small price that’s out there. I was considering a tablet, and friends of mine just managed to travel for a year with only a Hudl tablet from Tesco for entertainment, Skype calls and blog updates, but I know I will just feel too limited and get annoyed, so laptop it is for me.
• GoPro Hero4 Silver + Selfie stick
I distinctly dislike selfie sticks, but I am going travelling solo, so I can’t really get around it. My iPhone will be my main camera, but the GoPro seems like an amazing second camera. Moreover, it’s small and light and would fit in my backpack.
• iPhone
Functioning as phone (if I am able to unlock it, since I will still be tied to a contract in the UK) and camera.
• Old unlocked phone if required
• Kindle
I have never wanted an e-reader, but I won’t be able to travel with the amount of books that I want to bring with me. So Kindle it is.
• Travel alarm / Digital watch
• Earphones
• Torch
• Battery Power Bank
• Required chargers + Universal travel adapter
• USB stick + SD card
Bags + Accessories:
• 40-45L Backpack
• Waterproof cover
• Daypack (for trekking)
• Longchamps shoulder bag or other lightweight bag (for daily use)
The daypack and day bag should be light and foldable so I can put them in my backpack without taking up any space when I don’t use them.
• Wallet + something to hold important documents
• Lock / Mesh backpack protector
• Packing cubes / Compression cube
Clothes:
• Sarong (buy there)
• Long skirt
• Dress
• Thin trousers
• Shorts
• Several tops
• Long sleeved top
• Pair of thick tights / Leggings
• Bikini + One-piece
• 10 x underwear + 5 x socks
Socks and underwear are kind of like my comfort wear, so I want to make sure I have enough clean ones. I also have something against wearing shoes without socks, so I may be wearing them quite a bit.
• Quickdry microfiber towel
• Satin bag liner
• Baseball cap
• Shoes: Lightweight mesh hiking shoes + Plimsolls + Flip flops
I will need some proper hiking shoes when I get to Nepal, but I will purchase those there. Lugging around heavy shoes in hot weather without using them much, is just not going to work out for me.
Toiletries:
• Toothbrush + toothpaste
• Shampoo + conditioner (Lush bars)
• Cleanser + moisturiser
• Shower gel
• Body lotion
• Benzoyl peroxide
• Deodorant
• Nail clippers + tweezers
• Ladyshave
• Diva Cup
Never used and eeek. But they will be a good backup for long bus journeys and in case I cannot find any tampons.
• Earplugs
• Retainer
• Deet + Tiger balm + Sunscreen
• Basic First Aid Kit + Clean syringes
Clean syringes courtesy of a friend’s horror story, being almost injected with dirty needles in Cuba.
• Travel sickness tablets
• Hand wipes + toilet paper
• Make-up: eyebrow pencil, eyeliner, mascara, concealer
Miscellaneous:
• Buddhist practice copies + Mala
• Inflatable pillow (to use in transit but moreover as cushion for practice)
• Safety whistle
• Compass
• Steripen + Chlorine tablets for water purification
• Scrubba wash bag + Laundry soap
• Moleskin small agenda + Pen
• Copy of passport + Passport pictures
When it gets colder / rainy I can purchase on the road:
• Jumper / Coat as required
• Hiking shoes
• Waterproof trousers
• Waterproof jacket
How does that sound?
