What to Pack?
I like to start these posts with “people keep asking me…” but nobody has asked me this, nobody really needs to know how many pairs of pants I will be taking to Australia and nobody really cares either. It’s not important, but what is important are these two things:
- My passport
- My wallet
I’ve already talked before about the importance of packing light and now I need to start to think about exactly how light I intend to pack. I once read about a guy who took only the clothes he was wearing, a toothbrush, his passport, wallet and a book. Once he’d finished a page of the book he tore it out and threw it away. I don’t think there’s any way I could travel that light but I’d like to think I’d give it a shot one day.
The last two adventures have taught me a lot about the amount of clothes I need, you’d be amazed (actually, you probably wouldn’t) by the amount of costume changes I’ve seen some people go through over the course of a weekend. Come on guys, you’ve got to carry that! There’s also a lot to be said about the philosophy of “I’ll buy it when I get there.” It saves space/weight and you get a usable souvenir from where ever you are when you buy it. I’ve got a pair of red high-tops with Venice Beach sand in the bottom.
Anyway, what I’m really want to talk about are my essentials:
The Tech
I wish it were avoidable but my hobbies and interests are best supported on the road with some helpful electronics.
- Kindle, for painless reading and excruciating web browsing.
- iPod, to live without my music would be impossible to do.
- Netbook, I’ve got a travel blog that I’ll need to update.
- Camera, said travel blog is nothing without my poor photography skills.
The Rest
Clothes, shoes, medicines, toiletries. It’s about taking what you need or less.
- Glasses, visibility is important
I’m a pretty low-maintenance kind of guy and there is nothing that I can’t live without or pick up when I need it. Fortunate enough to be allergy free (occasional hayfever aside) and I’ve got no medical requirements. There’s room for a popular culture reference to a towel but I personally consider duct tape to be more functional.
What about you, what’s are your must packs when on the road?
I Don't Have The Map 
Interesting topic. I am currently on a 3 month travel break so this means i need to be clever with what i pack. I carry a large ruck sack (for clothes and toiletries), a back pack (for important documents and my netbook and kindle) and a camera bag for my dslr, which I use to contain most important things such as passport.
If i stay in cheap dodgy hostels, the camera bag will double off as pockets to leave my valuables in while i shower.
One quirky thing i always pack for long travels is a small bag of washing powder. This allows me to recycle my clothes without bringing many.
I am always intrigued by people who need to pack lots of clothes on travels. It is i imagine for the purpose of looking good in pictures, which is imo pointless and defeating the whole purpose of travelling.
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