When preparing for a trip, it is often the case that one finds themselves pouring over all the possible day to day items that could be used and ends up justifying reasons for carrying all sorts of crap along with them. The train of thought goes something like this:
Well, I could do some scuba diving there … so why not throw in my own snorkle, googles & flippers! I mean, I have them – and they certainly don’t get used here at home! How perfect!
Surprise, surprise: if you don’t use it at home, chances are it will just be some more dead weight in your bag. (By the way – they’ll give you those free if you rent the rest of the scuba gear…) Even knowing this, however, it can be quite hard to narrow down the packing list. Sometimes this is because one’s bag can hold more than you need – and if it fits in, why not bring it along? Here’s why not: because it isn’t necessary.
Packing rule of thumb: the longer the trip, the less you should take. For my 4 months around the world I’ve got about a weeks worth of daily clothing, shoes & flip-flops, pack towel (left in Rabat, Morocco), 4 pens (left all over the place), camera + accessories, sleeping bag, sarong (multi purpose towel/blanket), a handful of guidebooks, pullover rain jacket with liner, cheap sun glasses, toiletries, and a small first aid kit. I still lay out clothing and toss half of it back, figuring out how much weight I want to carry, if I have clothes appropriate for all the various climates I may encounter. Lots of things that you may need can be purchased on your trip (foreign power adapters are always cheaper in the country of visit), and it’s key to have extra room in the bag to anticipate these possibilities.
I’ve done very well on this trip, and before this morning I had used every item but one: the first aid kit… Read the rest of this entry ?
