I'm sure your forgetting something... and taking some other stuff that you will eventually decide that you don't need :roll: (isn't this always the case?) But you seem amazingly organized!!!
Dave
· 2 years ago
Good points Skip - the cell phone and flash drive were truly last minute ideas. My pack feels fairly light, and compact, though I know that'll start to change immediately. I'm going to weigh it this morning.
Stu
· 2 years ago
Id ditch the flipflops for a pair of crocs or walmart waldie knockoffs. and ditch one pair of shoes. keep the trailrunners and let the others go.
ditch the daypack. you can use a belt like as sling and hitch it to the backpack lid thats removable :) or turn the lid into a bumbag.
ditch the cargo pants and shorts and get some zipoff ones (north face make some nice zipoff hiking trousers).
liner socks are a mmm choice. some people love liners some dont. unless your gonna REALLY were every day some bigass hiking boots liner socks are futile.
I hope all your electronics your taking dont distract you from the travelling + view etc ;) imo too much electronics but its a personal thing eh.
only thing I would add is a couple of travellers cheques as some emergency money.
Dave
· 2 years ago
Yea - I realize the utility of sport sandals, and already have an Ocean Pacific pair I got in Costa Rica I could bring, however I find flip flops to be more comfortable and a tad more stylish (though I'm all for function over form!). Maybe I'll bring them instead and pick up cheap flip flops on the road.
Gotta keep the daypack - carrying water bottles, journal, camera are all part of my modus operandi, which has suited me well so far!
I considered the zip off pants/shorts, however I figured I could save the money and just use the pants/shorts I've already got (plus I know how they perform, and they're already worn/dirtied).
The "liner socks" aren't real liners, however they're thinner that normal socks so I referred to them as such.
I definitely think I've stuffed a bit too much electronic gear, though I will leave myself open to shipping or dropping some along the way (Yea, I know every backpacker says that!!)
Traveler's checks and money - getting that from the bank today!!! :)
Alan
· 2 years ago
Did you take something like ibuprofen? Nothing's more annoying than an headache and nothing on hand to kill it!!!!
Yep - I packed Motrin (also a suggestion by my mom)!
I've gone back and forth on the lock thing. I mean people can easily slice the pack or strap and take your bag anyways, so I normally forego it. It can also make people more curious about what you've got in the pack. I do have a little combo lock on the top pouch so I have some small sense of security when I want to put away my camera or mp3 player.
Alan
· 2 years ago
you've got a point, that sounds fine!
Alan
· 2 years ago
oh and I remember actually I originally bought the lock not for thieves in the countries, but for people from the air companies!!!
It happened that I was in a plane where many people's bags were not put in time during a connection. The air company told me I would receive my bag the following day at home. Indeed, I got it by a special delivery, and when I opened it, I found out I was missing stuffs!!!!
Jonathan
· 2 years ago
Dave, you boot. Any Marine worth his salt would recognize a Junk on Bunk inspection. Next time I better see Grunt Rolls made out of your socks and underwear or there'll be hell to pay. Oh, we'll play games.
Is that the same backpack I took with me? That's bonkos! How old is that thing?
Dave
· 2 years ago
Jon - I have no clue as to what you just said (your Marine speak bewilders me). Are you suggesting I remove something from the list?
Yes, it's the same pack you took to Europe - I like it that way - plenty of history and dirt gathered upon it. Just goes to show if you make a good investment from the start, travel equipment (and clothes in the case of my North Face pants/shorts) can last decades!
Mike
· 2 years ago
Dave, you should send this over to Justin Glow at Gadling for their "What's in Your Pack?" feature. I think he's still looking for submissions.
Dave
· 2 years ago
Great suggestion! I e-mailed him and he's already working on posting my packing list (for next week)! :)
Phil
· 2 years ago
What about a pair of tweezers? For ticks and splinters and such?
Dave
· 2 years ago
Got 'em!
Justin
· 2 years ago
You're not missing anything I wish I'd brought. Since you're going to modern countries early on your trip, you can get anything else you might need there. But clean underwear and a debit card can get you a long way.
Darek
· 2 years ago
I recognized Your blog as a wonderfull. I’m traing to travel. Here you can see some of my trip. www.lifegallery.blog.pl
Dave
· 2 years ago
Glad I double-checked with Sprint - turns out my whole conversation last night was about international rates when calling from the USA, not what I could pay if I used my phone in those other countries! And my model phone is not GSM-compatible. So, that's one thing I'm actually dropping from my packing list (I edited my entry above).
Karl
· 2 years ago
Dave - it's Karl again from Dewey Beach! Your blog is so detailed, I feel like I'm heading around the world with you!!!!! :grin: Keep up the awesome work on the blog, and have a blast out there! Take care......
crambox
· 2 years ago
Looks good to me, as for the electronic stuff most of it is small and packs well the weight is minimal music and pictures a must.. Have a Safe Trip Dave, Enjoy the Experience!!!!!
Rentals 365
· 2 years ago
Hi Dave.. You have a big Packing list.
I really love your blog. Great design and i really the title.
Ames
· 2 years ago
Looks great.... just wish I was going with ya!! Your preparation is amazing. I'm very excited to read about your upcoming adventures!!! Please keep us posted!!
Dave
· 2 years ago
Hi Amy - nice to see you on here. :)
I'll be sure to live it up in New Zealand for the both of us!
Shane
· 1 year ago
Dave I noticed that you packed smartwool socks that are great for wicking moisture. Did you also pack something like ex officio synthetic boxers, or just some cotton ones? I am getting ready for a backpacking trip to Thailand this summer and have hear suggestions for synthetic boxers as well mainly for the quick drying. What do you suggest?
Dave
· 1 year ago
Shane -
I just brought 3 pairs of my normal cotton boxers which have been just fine. In tropical weather like northern Australia and Indonesia, it was more comfortable to wear board shorts without underwear at all. Much more comfortable. I'm guessing I'll be doing the same in Thailand at the beaches and islands as well. Plus, it's harder to have your pocket picked from a boardshort pocket as they're usually small and oddly placed on the legs.
gina
· 1 year ago
I am going to costa rica for 2 weeks with my nephew 21 . He has me set up to go in hostels Well I am 41 and really want to find out if I am going to end up being a dorm mother. Dont get me wrong I like to have a good time. Just wanted to know will there be anyone my age?
Dave
· 1 year ago
In Costa Rica, probably not. I did find in South Africa there were some older folks using the same hostels, which were some of the nicest I've seen in all my travels. Don't worry though, you'd only become a dorm mother if you let things get to you - messy people, people returning late drunk, etc. Usually, people (or you) pass on in a day or two so it's never too unbearable.
Niru
· 9 months ago
Hello Dave,
I always admired the way you meticulously update your blog with details of your wonderful trip. In particular, all the posts related to planning et al are very useful.
Since you are more than a year into your trip, what do you think of your packing list now? What are the items you barely touched and those that you needed, but failed to bring? It would be really great if you would consider writing a retrospective post about your packing list.
Thanks so much & happy travels.
Dave
· 9 months ago
Thanks Niru! I will be answering your question in the next week or two, as I switch from reporting on my travels to summing them up. The contents of my backpack have changed quite a bit over the last 15 months. :)
Debo Hobo
· 8 months ago
Did you bring any light weight long pants?
Dave
· 8 months ago
Hi Deb - yes, I brought my trusty lightweight, quick-drying North Face khaki cargo pants! Not the most form-fitting, fashionable attire for globetrotting, but they're comfortable and damn durable (have them 11 years now)!!
quqabita
· 1 month ago
What do you think about Cash cards.They are touted as good options to western union and credit card.
Dave
· 1 month ago
If you mean debit cards, then yes, I think they're a great idea (and what I used for most of my trip).
All Comments
ditch the daypack. you can use a belt like as sling and hitch it to the backpack lid thats removable :) or turn the lid into a bumbag.
ditch the cargo pants and shorts and get some zipoff ones (north face make some nice zipoff hiking trousers).
liner socks are a mmm choice. some people love liners some dont. unless your gonna REALLY were every day some bigass hiking boots liner socks are futile.
I hope all your electronics your taking dont distract you from the travelling + view etc ;) imo too much electronics but its a personal thing eh.
only thing I would add is a couple of travellers cheques as some emergency money.
Gotta keep the daypack - carrying water bottles, journal, camera are all part of my modus operandi, which has suited me well so far!
I considered the zip off pants/shorts, however I figured I could save the money and just use the pants/shorts I've already got (plus I know how they perform, and they're already worn/dirtied).
The "liner socks" aren't real liners, however they're thinner that normal socks so I referred to them as such.
I definitely think I've stuffed a bit too much electronic gear, though I will leave myself open to shipping or dropping some along the way (Yea, I know every backpacker says that!!)
Traveler's checks and money - getting that from the bank today!!! :)
I also always bring a retractable backpack cable lock. Helped me feel safer about my stuff during my travels.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Lock-24-Inch-Retra...
I've gone back and forth on the lock thing. I mean people can easily slice the pack or strap and take your bag anyways, so I normally forego it. It can also make people more curious about what you've got in the pack. I do have a little combo lock on the top pouch so I have some small sense of security when I want to put away my camera or mp3 player.
It happened that I was in a plane where many people's bags were not put in time during a connection. The air company told me I would receive my bag the following day at home. Indeed, I got it by a special delivery, and when I opened it, I found out I was missing stuffs!!!!
Is that the same backpack I took with me? That's bonkos! How old is that thing?
Yes, it's the same pack you took to Europe - I like it that way - plenty of history and dirt gathered upon it. Just goes to show if you make a good investment from the start, travel equipment (and clothes in the case of my North Face pants/shorts) can last decades!
Here you can see some of my trip.
www.lifegallery.blog.pl
I really love your blog. Great design and i really the title.
I'll be sure to live it up in New Zealand for the both of us!
I just brought 3 pairs of my normal cotton boxers which have been just fine. In tropical weather like northern Australia and Indonesia, it was more comfortable to wear board shorts without underwear at all. Much more comfortable. I'm guessing I'll be doing the same in Thailand at the beaches and islands as well. Plus, it's harder to have your pocket picked from a boardshort pocket as they're usually small and oddly placed on the legs.
I always admired the way you meticulously update your blog with details of your wonderful trip. In particular, all the posts related to planning et al are very useful.
Since you are more than a year into your trip, what do you think of your packing list now? What are the items you barely touched and those that you needed, but failed to bring? It would be really great if you would consider writing a retrospective post about your packing list.
Thanks so much & happy travels.