Travels with my laptop

Photo by MC MasterChef

What you pack for your trip will depend on where you’re going, the type of places you’ll be staying (hotels/hostels/camping) and the activities you plan on undertaking. A packing list for a trekking trip through the Amazon rain-forest will look very different to a list for a beach holiday in Thailand.

In any case, the most important thing to remember when packing for any trip where you’ll be doing a fair amount of travelling is to keep it light and minimal. You may have heard the rule to lay out everything you plan to take and then ditch half of it - nice idea but I’ve never found this to be possible in reality. Much better to start out realistically, pack light and if you’re not sure whether or not to bring a particular item, it’s probably best to leave it. You can pick most things up on the road anyway.

Write down everything you want to take and then cross it off your list. This stops you from packing unnecessary items that you might unconsciously sneak in at the last minute and prevents you from forgetting anything. I loathe packing and am renowned for leaving it until the very last minute - this has resulted in some rather disappointing oversights, such as forgetting my camera when I went to China. An extra half hour or so making a definitive list is well worth the effort.

Following is a generic packing list for a backpacking trip that you can use to base your own list on. Tailor it to your own requirements and try to resist the temptation to put three times as much clothing in - you’ll only regret it later!

• Backpack - try on several and find the one that is most comfortable for you when it’s full. Decent backpacks are expensive and it’s really not worth skimping here if you want to save your back and your sanity. The smaller the better really (so you’re not tempted to pack more to fill it!) - somewhere in the region of 40 - 60 litres, depending on your personal requirements, is probably about right.
• Clothing - if you can afford it, go for the specialist travel or outdoor activity clothing that is made from tech fabrics. They are quick drying, wick sweat away from your body, wrinkle-resistant and some even provide UV and mosquito protection. In general, stay away from cotton (jeans in particular) as it takes forever to dry and once it gets sweaty it stays sweaty and smells. Not really what you want in a tropical climate. Your clothing list might looks something like this:
  • 2 x t-shirt, or 1 t-shirt and one short sleeved travel shirt
  • 1 x tank/vest top
  • 1 x shorts
  • 1 x long trousers
  • 1 x skirt (for girls)
  • 1 x long-sleeved top
  • 1 x micro-fleece
  • 1 x light waterproof jacket
  • 1 x pair socks
  • underwear
  • swimsuit
  • sarong (can be used as a towel, to sit on, as a skirt, shoulder-wrap and multitude of other uses)
  • 1 x pair walking sandals
  • 1 x hat or bandanna.
• Toiletries - bring small bottles and replace them as you go along. Lush make several varieties of shampoo and shampoo/conditioner bars which are great for travel as they are lighter than bottles and last for ages. Don’t forget sunscreen and use a high factor - don’t underestimate the sun when you’re near the equator. Baby wipes are useful on plane journeys and when you don’t have access to a shower. Don’t bring your entire makeup kit, whatever you do - I guarantee you won’t use it. Put everything in ziploc bags and find a decent toiletries bag with a hook. Bring tweezers and a small pair of scissors. Vaseline works as lip balm and to prevent blisters.
• First aid kit - band-aids, bandage, antiseptic cream, antihistamines, paracetamol, bite-relief cream, diarrhoea medicine, water purification tablets, malaria pills, tiger balm.
• Essential documents - money, tickets, passport! Also visas, insurance information, useful and emergency phone numbers and a copy of your itinerary. Take photocopies of everything and leave them with a friend or relative or keep a virtual copy in your email inbox.
• Daypack - bring a small pack that you can fit a water bottle, guide book and a few other items in and use as hand luggage on planes.
• Travel towel - specialist travel towels are light, fold down small and dry quickly.
• Silk sheet sleeping bag - light, comfortable and protect you from dodgy-looking hotel beds. You can get them cheap on ebay.
• Torch - for finding your way in the dark and reading in hostel dorms.
• Pocket knife - you don’t need one with a million different tools - a small blade, bottle opener, corkscrew and can opener should cover most eventualities.
• Clothes line - you can buy special travel clothes lines with hooks or suckers to attach to the wall and twisted cord so it’ll hold your clothes without pegs. Or just bring a lenght of nylon cord.
• Lighter and candle - for power-cuts and setting fire to things.
• Mosquito net and coils - needed if you’re camping or staying in basic accommodation in rural areas.
• Plug adaptor - essential for items below…
• Gadgets - camera, mp3 player and laptop if you plan to work from one while you’re travelling. You may also want to bring a mobile phone but get a local sim or use it only in emergencies unless you have money to throw away on huge phone bills.
• Books - travel guide for the first country you’re visiting. Ditch it or swap it when you leave. Do the same with a reading book.
• Travel journal - write about your travels, sketch, collect tickets, jot down email addresses of people you meet. Get artistic - a physical journal is much nicer to look back at than a blog. Have a look at the moleskinerie flickr group or read Everyday Matters for some inspiration.
• Miscellaneous items - superglue, duct tape and sewing kit for fixing things, Ziploc and supermarket plastic bags, ear plugs, cheap watch with alarm, money belt.

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