Bursting At The Seams

We put our packing list together last weekend. We’ve decided on and purchased our backpacks so it was time to decide what to put in them.

We’ve been thinking about the packing list almost since we decided to go on a year long jaunt around the world. As soon as we decided to sell or store everything and put the rest on our backs, we’ve wondered what exactly would be in those packs.

I have checked out the packing lists of every travel blog that I come across (and, believe me, I read a good many!) and have read about the virtues of not packing too much but have also worried that I won’t have enough. The classic adage is ‘pack half what you think you need and twice as much money’. I’m sure this is true but, when trying to decide what to put in that pack, I have a hard time leaving stuff out (and the budget isn’t growing either).

So…here is our packing list.

For the first 6 months or so we won’t exactly be in tropical heaven so the list has lots of wool layering items to ensure that I won’t be cold (although I’m still not convinced). Once we hit India and start to warm up we’ll either ditch the cold weather clothing or send it home (I’m guessing I’ll have worn it every other day for 6 months and will be done with it!). Then we’ll purchase more warm weather clothing there – it’ll be nice to have some new clothes!

Personal care items like shampoo, deodorant and razors can take up a lot of space and weight so we’ll share where we can and try to distribute the weight between us. Maybe we’ll become patchouli smelling hippies and dispense with the whole washing idea…that would decrease the weight!

Our electronic list isn’t too bad – we’re not heavily into photography so our little point-and-shoot will do fine, and the little EEE PC doesn’t take up too much space either. Toting around a year’s worth of prescription medication will also take some room – but that will lessen as time goes by.

Then there’s just ‘stuff’. Self-catering dishes and utensils, binoculars, cribbage board, juggling balls etc. Things that will make life on the road a little easier, even if we do have to cart it around the world.

I don’t know if it’s too much or not enough. All I know is that it seems right, right now. I’ll try to keep the list updated and let you know what worked, what didn’t and what we wish we had packed.

In the end, wherever we go, they have these things called ‘stores’ where, I’m sure, we can find whatever we need.