What to Pack

Deciding what to pack from your mountain of stuff can be a daunting task! Never fear i-to-i is here to help you sort the essentials from the stuff you really should leave at home....

 

One of the biggest worries for travellers is the question of how to carry everything you need for your trip, whether it be for three months, a year or more. How can you physically carry all your stuff from place to place without developing a hernia? Well, that depends on what you're planning to take. If you want to take everything in your wardrobe plus all the usual luxuries then the answer is - you can't! If, however, you're only going to take the essentials, then it'll be pretty easy.

You should leave plenty of time to plan things properly and to give yourself a few trial runs before you go. Try packing the bag you're planning to take and jogging around the block with it, hoisting it up in the air a few times in a ridiculous (but useful) imitation of the run along the platform in Bangalore that you'll be doing four months hence to catch the night train. No, you won't be packing for the first time the night before you leave, will you? That would be the perfect way to raise your stress levels unnecessarily before you head off!

What kind of bag?

You might have been thinking about a smart black suitcase with wheels, but I'd caution against this option for your travels, as you'll start to find it unwieldy whilst still in the airport, never mind when you're trying to get its cute little wheels rolling over the cavernous potholes in the track outside your hostel that "calls itself a road" but doesn’t bear any resemblance. An empty suitcase is surprisingly heavy, whereas a backpack weighs very little without the mountains of stuff you're bound to still want to shove in it.

Hopefully, we've persuaded you that the backpack route is the best option for your trip now... So what kind? You can get three basic types –

• The internal frame rucksack; this is basically has a large cloth section in which a small frame is integrated. This frame generally consists of strips of either metal or plastic that mold to your back to provide a good fit.  

• Backpacks that have an integral, detachable day-sack on the front; the more traditional type of frame pack with a rigid external frame. The frame is strapped on the back and in turn carries and supports a cloth or leather sack, other items can be strapped on too. 
• And the hybrid rucksack, with zipped panels to cover straps and a suitcase-like handle for smarter occasions. A mixture of everything really, enough room for camping and climbing gear but without the fuss of larger frame rucksacks. The smarter hybrid may be more trouble than it's worth, as they can be high maintenance and the back support systems are not as good as other rucksacks.

 

Although it would be great if you could get everything you needed for the whole trip into a 8 kilogram (40 or 50 litre) pack and thus avoid ever having to check it in at airports, this might be pushing it. However, you will probably find anything bigger than 15 kilograms is too awkward and, if full, far too heavy. A compromise somewhere in the middle is the best option, around 14 or 15 kilograms (a 60-65 litre pack) will suit most travellers.

 

The ideal option for an i-to-i trip is the pack with the detachable day-sack, but a separate day-sack with a conventional rucksack will be fine too.

What to take….

So, we've got the bag sorted. Now, what's going to go in it?

What not to take

Well, as we've already said, you need to take a lot less than you think on your trip. One good adage is to put everything you want to take on your bed and halve it. It’s unlikely you’ll need the entire contents of your wardrobe or your favourite scrabble board in the jungle.

The packing process can be tricky; all too often the things we think we need are the things we never use; when was the last time you used the broken umbrella at the bottom of your bag? There are some sure-fire leave-at-home items, so dismiss the following immediately:

• Expensive jewellery and other valuables or sentimental items that you'd hate to lose because they probably will get lost.
• Hair straighteners/ hair dryer; do you really need this in the Amazon?
• Travel iron (your grandmother will tell you its crucial - it's not), who cares if your clothes are creased?
• Perfume and aftershave, you’re a traveller not a tourist!
• Your full make-up collection; monkey’s don’t mind if you’ve not got your full face on!
• Laptops and top-of-the-range mp3 players; not much use in the African bush.
• Designer clothing; it will just make you a target and get ruined!

The basics

Now we've looked at those items to leave at home, we can turn to those things you should definitely have with you. Toiletries and cosmetics are obviously fairly important but do be sensible here. You can buy shampoo, soap and toothpaste just about anywhere, even in the developing world, so you don't need to take a three-litre bottle of your favourite product with you. If you think you'll only need a small amount of a certain product, decant it into a smaller bottle or jar. And avoid taking glass – it weighs more and is more likely to smash, leaving shards of glass all over everything else you own. Not good!

So, let's list the basic hygiene needs:

• Tweezers – not just for making sure your eyebrows remain beautiful, but for splinters and any other little things that require a bit more precision. Bear in mind that these aren’t allowed in hand luggage though.
• Loo roll – this will be a precious commodity at certain times. Be protective of it.
• Shampoo
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrush
• Deodorant
• Liquid soap – maybe get the travel wash that you can wash yourself with as well as your clothes.
• Moisturiser/after sun – you'll need more than you think but you can obtain this anywhere.
• One for the men, shaving kit – but use liquid soap rather than shaving foam/ gel to save space.
• Vaseline – good as lip balm but has a multitude of other uses too (sore or dry skin, and it may not sound pretty but it’s got for stopping scabs catching on things
• Brush/ comb
• One for the ladies, tampons – you may find your preferred brand hard to find locally
• Cosmetic wipes – the travellers' saviour. Who needs water to wash anyway?
• Towel – you may want to consider the micro-fibre towels, which are fabulous because they dry in milliseconds (although drying yourself with them can take a bit of getting used to). Remember to wash them daily though!  

Accidents will happen

Another non-negotiable is that you need to have a first aid kit; not generally allowed in your hand luggage but nonetheless essential. The backpacker/ trekker first aid kits are great and have most of what you'll need in there. But you do need to have actually opened the thing before you head off on your i-to-i trip and you should make sure you know what is in there before too. Otherwise it'll be of little use to you if something does happen.

Another consideration, depending on how far off the beaten track you're going to travel, is a sterile needle kit. This will make you feel really intrepid and, although I know no-one who has actually used theirs, it's good to know you have it. If you get a nasty cut and head to a grubby looking clinic somewhere in Africa, it'll be good to be able to produce an untouched needle, so make sure your travelling companions know it's there too.

In addition to the basics in your kit (plasters, slings, safety pins, scissors, antiseptic wipes, lint, etc.) you should also take the following medications with you:

• Imodium – a life-saver if you've got Delhi Belly or it’s the local equivalent and a 36-hour journey ahead of you. Try not to rely on it for long though because it stops you from letting the nasty bacteria out.
• Dehydration sachets – great for re-balancing your system after stomach problems
• Paracetamol or Ibuprofen
• Your oral contraceptive, if you have a prescription – don't forget to get enough from your doctor for your whole gap-year
• Water purification tablets – for when you can't get or don't want to buy bottled water.
• Eye wash – relief from those dust-in-the-eye moments.

Dressing for the occasion

Some hardened travellers insist that you can do your gap-year trip with two changes of clothing. I'm guessing that you'll not be so convinced of this. However, armed with your travel wash and a good attitude you don't need to load your bag up with all your favourite T-shirts. It is up to you how many pairs of socks and underwear you take but many people are happy with between five and seven pairs. Once you go above a week's supply, you do start to take up a lot of room in your pack.

If you're wearing sandals a lot you won't need that many socks anyway and quickly washing out your smalls at the end of the day won't be too onerous a job. What's more, you can always hang them out to dry on one of those brilliant no-pegs washing lines you can buy from outdoor shops.

When thinking through your clothing, go for the “capsule" mix and match approach. Make sure every item can match with a range of others and then you'll have loads of outfits from a comparatively small selection. Take lightweight, comfortable and loose clothing and consider lighter colours to reflect the sun, although remember that anything white will not stay white for long.

Having at least one set of “smart" clothing is wise, especially if you are going to be working on your travels. You should be able to get by on with no more than three changes of clothes if you can mix and match like this and remember you can always buy clothing locally anyway, should you need to.

If you're going to be doing some serious trekking during your trip, you may want to have your hiking boots with you. You can usually hire boots, as well as the rest of your equipment, but many people find hired boots uncomfortable. Only take yours if you’re definitely planning on trekking though; boots are heavy!

Consider the lighter fabric all-terrain shoes, produced by Merrell, Salomon and Berghaus. They're available in outdoor shops such as Blacks, Nevis Sport and Trail and Trek, and are a great buy. You'll probably want some good sandals as well. If you buy synthetic ones, you can use them everywhere without worrying about getting them wet and having them go mouldy on you. And then you can wear them in the sea or in the shower of a particularly grubby hostel, to avoid standing on anything dodgy.

The really serious bit

OK, so all of the above is the stuff that will keep you comfortable and clothed whilst away on your travels, but this is the list of things you shouldn't, and sometimes can't, leave home without. They are mainly obvious items but worth writing on your check list as it's no fun to get all the way to the airport to realise you have to go home again.

So be wise and make these items your first priority in packing:

• Passport – check it's valid for at least six months after your return home. This is an entry requirement for some countries.
• Visas – they'll generally be glued or stamped into your passport but make sure you get them in enough time, generally one to two months before travel
• Tickets – you'll not get far without them
• Insurance documents – have copies of the important bits in your hand luggage too.
• Travellers' cheques or cash (either dollars, sterling or the local currency, if available outside the country)
• Credit and debit cards – write down the numbers to call if you lose the cards and as an extra precaution program them into your mobile phone contacts list.
• List of emergency contacts/ embassy addresses – very important if you've decided not to travel with a guide book.
• Driver's licence
• Prescriptions for glasses, contact lenses and medication
• Immunisation record card – especially important if you've had to have the Yellow Fever jab
• CV and references – if you are planning on trying to obtain work during your trip
• Spare passport photos – always handy

Ready to go

So, you've got the bag, planned your capsule wardrobe, thrown most of what you were going to take back in the cupboard and it's all spread out on your bed - time for a trial pack.

• Roll things up as much as you can. It makes everything fit in better and stops creasing to a certain extent.
• Take care not to have things sticking out of the back or they will stick into yours as you're walking.
• Spread the load carefully so that you don't end up lop-sided. Use pockets wisely and don't put valuables in them.
• Package things up in little plastic sealed bags or cotton drawstring bags.
• Plan to wear your bulkiest items for travelling, but remember that you may not want to do that when you're travelling around during your travels so check it would all fit in if it needed to.

Then, once you're packed, do your jog around the block again and check you're happy with the weight and comfortable with the backpack itself.

All that remains is to re-pack it all just as well next time round and you're ready to head off on your travels. See that wasn't so hard now was it?

 

Page Comments

Add Your Comment!

Log in to leave a comment or Create an account