It is now only 11 days ’til we leave – unable to contain the butterflies in my belly any longer, I decide to attempt the trial pack.
We drag the suitcases out of storage; a ripe, stacked babushka for those more inclined to airplanes than dolls. I open the suitcases after too many (long) years of hibernation… and it hits me. The heady musk of travel. I reel at that familiar, favourite scent, the unzippered bag grinning at me as the memories flood back; one whiff and I’m back in Oslo, hauling the stuffed red cases onto a jolting tram and trying to no avail to keep them upright; in Chiba, unpacking them on tatami mats at a Ryokan near the black shores of the North Pacific; and in Koh Yao Noi, desperately rummaging through them for mosquito repellant in the tropical Thai heat.
Apart from nostalgia, the inner, smallest bag is packed with the random paraphernalia every department store claims you will need to survive overseas – and the only things that will remain at the bottom of your luggage, fresh in it’s plastic packaging:
- U-shaped neck pillow for the plane
- Space bags
- Ultra absorbent mini travel towels
- Sewing kit
- First aid kit
- Rain ponchos
- Under-clothing travel pouch (the kind you hang around your neck, apparently the next incarnation of the travel belt, sure to fool those pickpockets!)
Of the above, the only accessory I’ve found helpful was the travel towel – when hiking to a waterfall and lagoon in the middle of a Thai island wilderness (where the usual quick-drying sun couldn’t reach us through the rainforest canopy). The space bag is useful too, but note that it doesn’t reduce the weight of your bag, it just makes extra space so you can keep shopping – not necessarily a good thing when it comes to getting all that heavy luggage back home!
Meanwhile, I’ve got the bare necessities laid out (and some handy tips for you as well):
- Toiletries (miniature or half empty containers are better, so you can throw them out without wastage before you board the plane – this gives you more space and/or less weight!)
- Makeup, jewellery, and accessories (keep it minimal – remember, instead of taking up precious space with your makeup bag, there is always photoshop for those small blemishes and tired eyes)
- Medicines (don’t forget to pre-purchase any long-term scripts that you’ll need, and take a signed letter from your doctor as well, in case you get stopped at customs)
- Travel documents: tickets, insurance, itinerary (remember to register for an international drivers permit if you’ll be hiring a car, and in some instances you may need to validate your train passes before you leave as well – read the fine print before you board that plane!)
- Fun stuff to pass the travel time (a good book, photocopies of relevant pages from your guidebook/phrasebook so again, you can throw them out before you board the return flight, travel journal, phone/ipod/camera, power chargers and the correct adapters for the countries you are visiting)
- Clothes (use layers to combat colder weather, instead of packing bulky, space-hogging items)
- Shoes: sandals, walking shoes, heels (alternating your shoes every other day will be easier on your feet, plus having sandals/thongs, walking shoes, and heels will ensure you’re covered for all weather conditions, and day/night time wear)
Wait… ever get that feeling you’ve forgotten something?
Along with the afore-mentioned, there are a few things passed onto me by my parents that I always pack:
- Portable luggage scales (so you know when it’s time to ship all that shopping back home, instead of paying excess baggage fees at the check-in counter)
- Certified photocopies of your travel documents (in case of theft or loss – also leave a set at home with relatives/friends)
- Washing powder (as long as you have a sink and a solid few days at one hotel to allow for hang-drying, this is a great way to save precious dollars on laundry. Bring a small plastic bag of it, but make sure you label it as washing powder, or you may get held up by customs!)
- Envelopes to separate your cash (a fantastic, albeit simple, budgeting tool for those who tend to over-spend – you should have one envelope per destination)
- A spare set of undies, toothbrush/toothpaste, and moist towelettes in your hand-luggage (so you can still freshen up if your luggage is lost in transit)
My parents are seasoned jet-setters, so I trust their advice above and beyond all others.
…It’s obviously a hereditary trait. 🙂
