The ultimate packing list

What to pack when you have no idea where you’re going or when you’ll be back…

Honestly – this can be really tough! How do you fit your entire life into a backpack? And how can you make sure you have everything you need for all those unknown experiences you’re so excited to have? News flash. You can’t. You will actually have to get comfortable with the fact that you cannot be prepared for every eventuality. But that’s ok, because you don’t need to be and with the list below, you’ll have all the important bases covered and perhaps even some room to spare for a few purchases along the way.

The essentials..

First things first – comfortable shoes!
This is a no brainer for any kind of travel, but if you think you might do some hiking as well as pounding the pavement, then you really will need to think about this. In my opinion, there are 3 pairs of shoes that you need.

1. For me, I couldn’t be without these trail runners from Salomon. They are designed for trail running, so while they don’t have ankle support, they are super light and have epic grip on all kinds of terrain. Truly they are perfect for every outdoor adventure! I wore this for the whole 900kilometers of the Camino de Santiago and they never let me down. They are definitely not a guarantee against blisters, but honestly nothing is when you’re hiking that far!
2. I also have a pair of not exactly sexy, but couldn’t-live-without-them hiking sandals from Ecco. I actually bought these while I was walking the Camino de Santiago so I could give my feet a little breathing space for the last 10-15 kilometers each day and they were a game changer for me. Plus if you ever do any waterfall hikes, these are great because you can just walk right through the water and move on to the next adventure! I wore these a lot in Minca and they were perfect.
3. Thongs / flip flops / jandals – whatever you call them where you come from, my Havaianas are a must for me. They will get you through the worst scungy shower situations without worry and of course if you plan to hit the beach at all, then you will definitely want these with you!

Next up – swimwear!
Yep, for me that is the next on the list. The beach is never far from my agenda, so in my opinion you definitely need at least one, maybe two if you’re feeling generous with your pack space, fabulous pair of swimmers to have you water ready wherever you are.

Third on the list – a sarong.
Again, with the beach never far from my mind, a sarong is a must for me. But even outside it’s obvious uses at the beach this item just does so many things! It is a beach towel; a dress; a skirt; a blanket; a pillow and even a handbag. Yep – this tiny item packs a punch for usefulness per square inch!

Who could resist that crystal clear water?!
Just one of the reasons why you always need to be prepared with swimwear and a sarong!

Final and maybe most important item – a great back pack!
There are countless great options out there, but I really love mine from HyperLite Mountain Gear. They have a few to choose from, and they are not cheap, but if you’re planning on doing any trekking then I definitely recommend checking them out. I got the 3400 Windrider – it is super light (just 851grams!) and I was the envy of many with this one as I walked the Camino de Santiago. The genius is in the simplicity of the design. There are no flashy zips, pockets and gadgets, just a really light and functional backpack. Spend the extra to get the packing cells as well and you will be almost 100% waterproof, and you will also be able to access the things you need without spilling out the entire contents of your pack onto your hostel bed. Truly – I still really love this backpack!

A few other key items

• Thermals – truly bring these!
• Rain jacket (light weight and waterproof)
• Leggings – I love mine from Lululemon
• Shorts
• T-shirts (obviously)
• Sundress
• A lightweight long-sleeve layer (quick drying is key here!)
• A scarf. I bought mine in India and it’s so big it doubles as a blanket – annoying to carry but so amazing on long overnight bus trips!
• Beanie – such a tiny item but a real life saver if you decide to do any overnight or sunrise hikes.
• Kaftan. Perhaps a hangover from my days in the fashion industry, but every girl likes to be able to look nice! I have a kaftan like these ones by Australian designer Camilla and I absolutely love it! It can be worn 5 different ways and it takes me from scummy backpacker to glam in 2 seconds. Brilliant!
• A bum bag! I bought mine in India and have used it literaly every day since. Wear as a bum bag, a hand bag or cross body..this will be your best friend.
• A kindle. If you like to read, then this is the perfect way to carry your library around with you, and with thousands of books available online at the kindle store, you will never run out of things to read.
• A travel towel. Not the most exciting of things, but definitely necessary..they take up much less space and hours less time to dry than a regular towel. Really any like this will do, but please learn from my mistake and buy a full size one! I started out with one the size of a tea towel to save space and instantly regretted it!
• Sleeping bag. These have been fantastic! I love this ultracompact sleeping bag by Roman because it’s so compact and light. It’s not great at night in the desert (yep I tried and was cold despite wearing all my clothes!) but for cold nights indoors in the north-Indian winter it was perfect.
• Inner Sheet. Even if you think you can skip the sleeping bag…make sure you pack an inner sheet! This is a lifesaver when faced with questionable hostel sheets and on the Camino de Santiago when you just don’t always get given sheets. Don’t leave home without this one.
• A tiny, compact backpack. Tuck it away in the tiniest of spaces when you don’t need it and bust it out for a day trip or overnight hike.. This little beauty from Quecha has been so handy that I actually also have the smaller 10L as well!

Some practical things

So no-one really likes to think about laundry…but this is a reality you need to face when you’re back-packing and with just a few handy tricks you can be out exploring in no time without worrying that you’ve run out of undies!

• Scrubba. This is basically a washing machine that you can carry with you. No need to spend endless cash at public laundromats and a much better clean than the hand wash you can do in the dirty hostel sink.. Truly, everyone I have met on my travels has had serious envy when I’ve shown them this. It’s basically a dry bag with little bumps on the inside so once you fill with dirty clothes, soap and water you just move it around on the floor for a few minutes and you’re done. Just rinse and hang up to dry – easy!
• Portable clothes line. This might not sound like something to get excited about, but the 2-elastic setup here is genius and the hooks each end mean you can attach it to almost anything. Just hook up each end (or wrap around and hook on itself) and wedge your clothes between the elastics. No pegs needed and your clothes will still be there when you comeback for them. Also, super handy if you need to attach something to your backpack (even your almost-dry-laundry!). You can get these almost anywhere, but make sure they have the 2 elastics and hooks each end like these.

Just a little wine while I do the laundry….don’t mind if I do!

What about toiletries?

This can be a tough one for many women who are used to having detailed skin care regimes, but if you can, it pays to simplify here.
For me, these are the basics:

• Sunscreen. This is the most important! I know many people travel with a sparate one for face although personally I don’t think it’s necessary. I buy this as I go but be warned this can be really expensive in some places! Check prices once you’re starting to run low and stock up before heading somewhere more touristy.
• Face wash – I like simplicity here – Cetaphil face cleansing bar is gentle, inexpensive and lasts absolutely forever! Just keep it in a zip lock back to avoid any mess.
• Moisturiser – I’ve actually started making my own moisturiser after spending some time teaching yoga on an eco farm in Colombia so stay tuned, I’ll write a separate post on this but coconut oil is a fabulous product to travel with, working as a cleanser and moisturiser.
• Bar of soap – I prefer bars personally because it’s easier to avoid liquids if you plan to be flying at all, and you get a lot more washes per square cm
• Shampoo and Conditioner – no need to bring fancy stuff with you, I just buy thee as I go. Hot tip – if you’re spending a lot of time in the sun and the sea, then carry a conditioner with you. I apply it at the beach straight after swimming like a mask – it works like a charm.

Travel containers? Is it worth bothering?
For me yes, but no need to go overboard. I love these GoToobs because they suction onto shower walls which is superhandy. I fill these up with liquid soaps whenever hostels have it available for free – great to have a stash for laundry etc. Also good for taking a little hair conditioner to the beach as I mentioned above or for smaller amounts of sunscreen so you’re not lugging a bit tub around with you as you explore.

What about makeup?? Well, personally I think ditch this! Obviously this is a very personal choice, but I love the sense of freedom not taking those few minutes each morning to find things wrong with my face! I have a mascara with me which I whip out occasionally and for me that’s enough but each to their own.

What about hydration?

• Invest in a HydraPak water bottle. This 2L water bottle is fantastic! I’ve used it everyday for the last 15 months and it’s never let me down. Brilliant because it weighs almost nothing so you are really just carrying the water inside, and because it isn’t rigid, it moulds to any shape squashing down to nothing when you’re not using it and always just the right size for the amount of water inside. Plus with the handy hooks on the side you can attach a handle and sling it over your shoulder – genius.
• While we’re on the topic of water – the next must have item is a LifeStraw. With the ability to filter 5 years worth of water through one straw weighing less than 10ounces, this little baby will make sure you always have drinking water when you need it. And with 22 billion plastic bottles going into landfill last year, you’re helping to save the planet too.

It’s all about the little things

• Swiss Army knife. What a brilliant gadget! Essential because you just never know when you might need to open a beer or a bottle of wine! And of course for an impromptu picnic with the incredible local ingredients you are bound to find.
• Spoon-Fork-Knife 3-in-1. I bought mine when I began the Camino and honestly it would blow your mind how often this has been so handy! For when you want a yogurt or to spread some peanut butter on a wrap for an on the go lunch.
• Mini bottle of betadine. A tiny 15ml bottle will take up almost zero room, but perfect if you get a /scrape/graze or for any blister care needed during/after long hikes. Believe me, this will come in way more handy than you’d expect.
• Carabiners. Honestly I don’t know what I did without these in my life before! I don’t think I can even list all the times when they have been so handy but suffice it to say that just make sure you pack a couple and you will be surprised just how soon you find countless uses for them that you never could have expected. Just do yourself a favour and buy sturdy ones like these so you can count on them to do their job for the whole duration of your trip.
• Zip lock bags! This is such a simple thing but like the carribeners..so incredibly handy! Whether it’s spill proofing some moisturiser, water proofing tissues or toilet paper, holding supplies like teabags or chilli flakes or just your snack pack of muesli bars for the day – you will never regret having a stash of these on you! Get good quality ones that you can wash and re-use for the whole trip.
• A dry bag. I brought a bag like this when I did a sail trip through the Palawan a couple of years ago and it has doubled as my handbag for most of my trip! Heavy rain, big waves, even would-be pick pocketers – none of them are getting inside this bag!

Moments after this photo was taken it pelted down rain. It rained so heavily it looked like I jumped in the river with my clothes on. Thankfully my drybag/handbag meant all my stuff stayed dry even if I didn’t!

And now for some things you don’t need

• Beach towel. I’ve seen a few people travelling with these (although not many I should add) and it blows my mind. Do yourself a favour, save the space and the drying time and let a sarong do the work instead.
• Heavy jumpers. If you are going to cooler climates or think you might do some overnight hikes etc, opt for lightweight thermal layers instead. They’ll keep you warmer and take up much less space.
• White clothes! If you love a nice crisp white tee like I do, this might be tempting…but don’t do it. After a month or two they will be looking grey and tired and personally I think you’re better off just leaving them at home.
• Duplicates..believe me when I tell you, you don’t need as many as you think! Three t-shirts is actually enough. Undies might be the exception here, but again they are easy to wash on the go and quick to dry so a 3-4 pairs should really be enough. With all packing needs, remember that you really do need so much less than you think. Worst case scenario, you can buy yourself whatever you need and it doubles as a souvenir.

Last but not least…Travel Insurance!

No-one likes to think about these things, but travel insurance is truly essential. I know first hand after finding myself in Guatemala needing surgery! More on that later..but for any Aussies reading this, I cannot recommend CoverMore enough. The support they offered my both before and after my surgery was second to none. Of course there was a lot of paperwork to do to get the money back, but I did get the money back. I’ve heard nightmare stories of people who never managed to get their money back due to various loop holes and fine print, but CoverMore was fantastic. After years of paying for insurance and never needing it, I was really grateful to have CoverMore on my side. Thanks to them, I am still travelling with my health and my hard earned savings! (And for what it’s worth, they are not paying me to write this!)

So there you have it – my ultimate guide to packing when you have no idea where you’re going or when you’ll be back! I hope this helps you get out there exploring the world..and don’t hesitate to contact me or comment below if you have any questions at all.