Some of my most frequently asked questions are to do with the contents of my backpack — what do you pack when you’re travelling forever? How do you fit all of that stuff into a bag so small? Do you ever get bored of wearing the same clothes? Should I be carrying a mattress around Southeast Asia (yes, I was actually asked this once!)?
I try to update my packing list every year, partly because I know that you find it useful to see what I’m travelling with, and partly because I find it fascinating to see how my packing style has evolved over the years. Each year has had a theme.
The theme for my first year was newbie traveller who didn’t have a clue.
Before I set off I sat and devoured hundreds of packing lists online, making notes of all the key points. I’d need to pack light, I’d need to make sure that all of my clothes went with each other, I’d need a money belt, duct tape, a year’s worth of anti-malarial tablets, dozens of padlocks and even an umbrella.
I decided what to take based on what had worked for other people, without giving any thought as to what I’d actually like to bring.
The theme for my second year was backpacking cliche who’s grown a little more sensible.
After travelling for a year, I had a much better idea of what worked for me. I threw out the ugly khaki clothes and replaced them with colourful clothes I’d actually enjoy wearing. The amount of clothes I was carrying doubled in size, even as I threw out everything I mentioned above.
A year in and I had never worn a money belt, never found a use for duct tape. I’d yet to take a single anti-malarial tablet, never used a padlock and obviously the umbrella had to go.
In my second year of travel, I also was hippie-fied in Southeast Asia and ended up with a wardrobe of hippie pants and singlets and all kinds of backpacking cliches.
And now, for my third year, I denote the theme to be comfort.
After two years of travel, I’m leaning towards comfort and I now carry many things I’ve missed from home. I have even more clothes, I bought a phone. I carry both books and a Kindle. I’m even carrying two dresses and two pairs of jeans. There is less hippie cliche clothing items in my backpack and I mostly carry similar clothing to what I used to wear back home.
And now, time for something new! Rather than just write out out a long list of everything I carry, I decided to record my very first video for Never Ending Footsteps so that I could show you the contents of my backpack.
I’m hoping you’ll find this a helpful resource if you’re planning on long-term travel in the future. I mention every single item I travel with, the pros and cons, what I threw out and what I’ll be keeping forever.
Here’s the list of every item mentioned in the video.
Clothing
- Five short-sleeved t-shirts
- Three vest tops
- Three strap tops
- One hiking top
- One long-sleeved top
- One hoodie
- Two dresses
- One pair of jeans
- Denim 3/4 lengths
- Two pairs of hippie pants
- Two pairs of shorts
- One pair of denim shorts
- One rain jacket
- One scarf/shawl/sarong
- Three bikinis
- One pair of flip-flops
- One pair of hiking boots
- One pair of Vibrams
Beauty/Toiletries
- Six month supply of contact lenses
- Hair straighteners
- One comb
- Eyeshadow palette
- Eyelash curlers
- Mascara
- Tweezers
- A bazillion hair ties
- Shower gel
- Dry shampoo
- Solid shampoo bar
- Deodorant
- Razor blades
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
Medicines
- Painkillers
- Anti-histamines
- Plasters/band-aids
- Antibiotics (Amoxicillin/Cipro)
- Motion sickness pills from all over the place
- Imodium
- Rehydration sachets
- Birth control pills
Travel Technology
- 13″ Macbook Pro
- Two Macbook chargers
- Kindle Keyboard 3G
- 1TB external hard drive
- iPhone 5
- TakTik Strike case
- Nexus 7
- Monster Inspiration headphones
- Canon 550D
- 18-55mm lens
- 50mm f/1.8 lens
- 55-250mm lens
- Case to keep SD cards in
- Various different cables and chargers
Miscellaneous
- Water bottle
- Journal
- A book
- A jar of Vegemite
And that’s everything!
This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you buy anything I recommend through Never Ending Footsteps, I receive a small amount of money, at no extra cost to you. It’s a discreet way of helping me fund my travels. Thank you for your support!
Great video! Really interesting as I constantly struggle with packing – you have convinced me that packing cubes are a good idea. Also amazed you fit everything into a 46l backpack!
Thanks, Greg! Packing cubes are great for keeping everything organised :-). I bought a 46l backpack for that exact reason — I’d have to make everything fit or I’d be forced to throw something out. I’m so weak that I really need to keep the amount of stuff I carry to a minimum or I end up toppling over!
Love the video! I totally agree that it’s all about finding what works for you. I’ve been travelling Central Asia so tied a bit by cultural restrictions but now I’m moving towards China and SE Asia I’m looking forward to being more ‘me’!
Thank you, Della! I know I struggled when I travelled through Morocco and needed to be completely covered up in 40 degree heat! All of those long clothes really added to the weight of my backpack too :-)
Nice list! However there is a Swiss army knife missing. It is not all that compatible with airline security restrictions these days, but as long it is stored safely in your hold luggage it shouldn’t present a threat to anyone.
Given that I’ve never once felt I needed a Swiss army knife in my bag, I don’t see much reason for me getting one now.
Awesome post Lauren! I love that you carry such a variety of clothing – my kind of packing :) What size/brand packing cubes are you using?
I’m also curious whether there was any contributing factors to you getting a macbook? I’m almost at the point of needing a new computer for travelling and I can’t help but think that a mac might actually be a good idea lately…
Thanks, Lindsay! I picked up just some random packing cubes that were on sale while I was in Australia. I don’t even think they’re a brand to be honest. In my post I linked to some which a friend of mine uses and recommends, but really you’d be fine picking up pretty much anything — they’re all very similar :-)
The main factor was that I was already using a Macbook before I started travelling — and because I find them really hard to break, which is important for me. When I used Windows laptops, I was replacing them every six months because they kept breaking, so it was worth getting a Macbook Pro, as they last me years instead of months. I love mine :-)
Haha, yeah, durability is a huge point of consideration since I also tend to be a little … harsh … on my tech. Or use it far past when it’s started to fall apart! My partner has an old Macbook Pro and I’ve been playing with it a little to get a feel for the OS. It’s definitely different (and to be frank anything’s a step up from my underpowered netbook :P)
I definitely do the same! I change devices when one breaks, rather than anything else!
This is brilliant! I’m starting to get some stuff collected together for some long term travel, but I’m CLUELESS. The video was awesome to see, rather than just read about items on a page. Now I just actually have to find clothes I like enough to spend a whole year with!
I’m so glad you found the video helpful, Amanda! Clothes are always cheap to replace around the world so don’t think that you need to keep the same outfits for an entire year :-)
Yeah I try and pack my house in my bag….Getting there though!
Haha, it’s really tempting to try and pack as much as possible but as soon as you start carrying your backpack you start realising how much unnecessary weight you’re carrying!
I’m a packing cube girl! I do the exact same thing – one for bottoms and one for tops! Makes life so much easier and you know where to find things. It’s a matter of time, as you say. I’ve always been one to pack colour but have fallen foul to the khaki loving too. But I constantly chuck things out and buy new items just to feel refreshed and like I have a wardrobe of some kind. Great video, which will be super helpful to first time packers about to embark on a big trip!
Thanks, Becki! Packing cubes are so fantastic and I wish I’d given them a chance when I first left. I change at least one item of clothing a month just to keep things fresh otherwise I get so fed up wearing the same clothes that are mostly falling to pieces! :-)
This was very helpful! I never realized how much you can really fit into those backpacks!
You can usually squidge most items down the side and into small gaps, mine ends up very tightly packed!
strange questions but how much do you take in terms of underwear? bras, panties, socks? And how do you do your laundry? Do you carry around any detergent with you or get sample/travel sized detergents on the road?
I travel with four bras, seven panties, one pair of hiking socks. I don’t need to wear socks for my flip flops or Vibrams so I only ever wear them with my hiking boots. Which is rare.
I actually found a bar of solid laundry soap that I travel with. Travel sized detergents last me about two washes so are super inconvenient. The bar of soap lasts around a year though, so I can highly recommend getting that. I will usually go to a laundrette if I’m in a cheap part of the world though, probably around 80% of the time.
Great video! absolutley loved the idea of packing cubes
Thanks, Craig! They really do make a difference :-)
Trying to decide what to take with me is always my biggest travel chore, and I usually throw most things out along the way. Quite a few of the hostels in South America had donation bins for things travellers wanted to leave behind – I thought that was a great idea!
I remember the days of carrying contact lenses around, it was one of the main incentives in getting laser eye surgery, maybe you should consider it??!
Loved the video.
That is a fantastic idea! I usually end up throwing things in the bin if I can’t find anywhere to donate them and it always feels like such a waste! Laser eye surgery sounds… scary!
LOVE the video Lauren, definitely think it’s something you should do more of. This post is going to be super helpful for people who’ve not travelled before who aren’t sure what to take. I’ve always travelled with a suitcase, purely because I was doing more of the expat thing rather than travelling constantly, but it’s actually really nice to know that you’re able to fit quite a bit of stuff in your backpack because in the future I want to do some travel through South East Asia and Europe with a backpack instead of a suitcase :-)
Thank you so much, Beverley! You’ll definitely need a backpack for Southeast Asia — sometimes a boat will just drop you off on a beach and you have to walk up and down the sand trying to find a guesthouse, and even in the cities the streets are so uneven that a suitcase would be ridiculous. Though, you’re right, you don’t need a backpack for Australia or New Zealand :-)
It can be so frustrating having to live with what you’ve packed in your backpack if you made the wrong choices! Great post so other people don’t have to live with those unnecessary items for so long.
For me, I wanted to throw things out and buy new things every few weeks. It was so unproductive, but at least I felt cute every so often, and my back wasn’t killing me for keeping everything in my pack!
Absolutely. My first few months were so irritating because of all the ridiculous things I’d packed. I think that when you’re travelling with so few clothes anyway it’s important to treat yourself and replace a few items every now and then to keep things fresh :-)
Love the video! Great to see everything that goes into a backpack; can’t believe you get all of that in!
Even though I’m not currently travelling with a backpack I may buy some packing cubes for my suitcase…
Packing cubes really help to keep everything organised and separated, even in a suitcase :-)
I loved the video, so helpful! I just had one question- I wanted to buy the same packing cubes that you had in the same size, could you send a link of where you bought them? Thanks!
Hi Ashley,
I actually bought mine from a cheap outdoor store in Australia for around $10 or so as they were on sale. To be honest, they’re all much of a muchness and there isn’t really too much difference between different brands. I linked to a pack of three in the article that my friend uses and recommends, but otherwise just pop into any outdoor store and pick up a couple there.
As long as it works for you, that’s really all that matters! I mean, this is YOUR travel life, after all.
I’m totally with you on carrying a bit more, lots of color, and things that you actually want to wear. My RTW packing list is quite similar to yours – mostly stuff I’d be wearing if I was still at home!
(Also, I think this is the first time I’ve ever actually heard your voice! Love the video!)
Exactly! I don’t know why I believed that as soon as I started travelling I’d want to wear all of this crazy travel-specific gear. I’m much more comfortable just wearing the usual stuff I’d wear at home.
The video is great! I think I would need too many takes to do a respectable video like this, but you seem to be a very talented presenter! :-) Love my packing cubes. Got them one year into my travels and they make life sooo much easier. I can’t believe you can fit all those clothes and your technology in your backpack. Amazing!
Thank you so much, Tammy! I guess I’ll need to do some more videos then! :-). Packing cubes make such a difference and I can’t believe I didn’t pick mine up sooner!
Great post and video – I’m obsessed with packing lists! I use a packing cube for toiletries and compression sacs for my clothes which really condenses them and you can mold them into different shapes according to the space in your pack. I also wear contact lenses and it’s such a pain (and expense) having to carry them around and buy more; I’m thinking of perhaps getting eye surgery at some point if I can get over the fear of having someone meddle with my eyeballs.
Thank you, Amy! I want to try compression sacks at some point, I think I’d like them. Contact lenses are annoying but I’m kind of terrified of the thought of laser eye surgery. Maybe one day in the future but for now I’m happy to lug around a load of boxes to keep my eyes laser-free! :-)
By reading your travel stories I can see that you have built up a lot of experience.
This blog will be very helpful for a lot of new backpackers!
I was wondering, are you traveling alone or do you have a travel buddy that travels with you?
I love to see your new travel stories :)
Greetings Roy
Hi Roy,
I originally started travelling alone but I’ve been travelling with my boyfriend for around 18 months now :-)
Totally relate to a lot of this…I especially struggle on the clothes front – the outdoor gear dries quickly and doesn’t need ironing but I’ve yet to find any bottoms that actually fit properly or that I like! Even the tops can be soooo boring and dowdy. What do you do regards ironing? I always find that, aside from lycra vest tops, all the stuff I tend to wear at home looks creased once it’s been washed. Also glad I’m not the only person who takes hair straighteners the road (my boyfriend rips me for that!) and I will never travel without my jar of Marmite either :-)
That was the problem I had. The gear was super-helpful but also incredibly ugly — after a couple of months of wearing it I was desperate for some colour!
If I pay for laundry then I’ll usually get my clothes tumble dried too which helps to remove the creases, but in general I’ll wear something that’s creased and hope nobody notices. It’s never been too bad though, perhaps because I roll my clothes?
I can’t begin to describe how surprised I was to hear that all that gear fit into a 46 liter pack. And now that I know that, I wonder what on earth all those people with 90 liter packs are doing. I mean, I always wondered that, but now I know it’s exactly 2 of everything on your list, and your list seems thoroughly comprehensive to me.
Hahaha! I love this comment. I just turned to Dave, who used to carry a 90 litre pack, and asked what he carried in his.
“Well, I had two pairs of jeans…”
It’s true!
Awesome post! I am striving to travel only by backpack now and this was a big help.
Glad it could help, Angie! Travelling with just a backpack is extremely liberating :-)
Wait…Vegemite?!!! Didn’t expect that to be on there haha! After going abroad my first time I have a WAY better understanding of what I need to take with me, and most of it isn’t what other people recommended. When I first went abroad in 2011 I packed so much…umbrellas, hoodies, 4 pairs of shoes, and a ton of other things I rarely used. Turns out I lost the umbrella and just bought a $5 one when it actually rained. Next trip my pack will be super toned down.
I know… so embarrassed by my huge jar of Vegemite! Yeah, so many of the packing lists I read through before I left were horrible for me — I don’t know why I thought my style would change just because I was travelling. It didn’t.
This was a great post Lauren! I have been following your blog for a while so hearing your voice was a surprise! I always think that taking travel specific clothes makes you stand out even more in a local crowd – I would much prefer not being targeted as ‘tourist!’. That jar of vegemite cracked me up because I know how heavy they are! I always travel with the tube of vegemite… Creature comforts! :)
Glad you enjoyed the video, Maddie! I thought it was about time I let my readers hear my accent ;-). That’s definitely true about the travel-specific clothes — you definitely stand out as a tourist.
The jar of Vegemite is ridiculously heavy. So worth it though :-)
Loved the video.
Totally random, but that’s not at all what I thought your voice sounded like!
Heh, thanks Melissa! I know a lot of people who read my site are always shocked to hear a British accent when they meet me! :-)
Love the video! You seem like a natural in front of the camera :) I was kinda surprised by the Vegemite, but I forget that other countries aren’t as strict as Aus and NZ when if comes to food quarantine! This has made me want to travel so much! Too bad I’m stuck at home for the next four months :(
Hope you continue the good work! Will enjoy reading the rest of your blog :)
Thank you so much, Sarah! Australia and New Zealand were super strict but most other places just have limits on fresh fruit and meat. I’ve never had any trouble though I know my boyfriend once couldn’t take Vegemite into Ireland because he had it in his hand luggage!
Any travel plans after the four months? :-)
It’s so lovely to see you in a video Lauren! I think that you now have the perfect packing list, I’m very envious because my 68l backpack is full of clothes :( When I first started travelling I took a lot of travel clothes like you did and a lot of VERY dressy dresses that are only suitable to wear once in a blue moon.
I find that I get very attached to my travel clothes though and I find it hard parting with them! I’m going to get a snazzy new (small!) wardrobe in Singapore all ready for Australia and New Zealand!
Thanks, Steph! I know, I always want to buy pretty dresses but end up never wearing them, especially in humid Southeast Asia where I never have the energy to dress up!
Hi Lauren,
thanks for sharing this with us!
i am travelling aus in November and i was so scared not everything i wanted to bring would fit in a backpack (of which i havnt bought yet) but you showed me that so much fits in such a small space! feel much better.
you say that you work while you travel, have you got any tips on what kind of online work there is out there? as i would love to do that too!
Krystal
Hi Krystal,
I’m a freelance writer and editor so am able to work from anywhere. I’d recommend coming up with a list of things you feel you’re good at, and then finding a way to do them remotely. Take a look at a site like Elance to see what people are willing to pay for too.
Hi Lauren, great post and such inspiration! :)
I was just wondering, as a fellow female traveller, what you do with tampons or sanitary pads? I have a favourite brand which I use and they take up space too! Should I just get over it and carry a 1-2 month supply and pop into a drug store when I use them up? What do you do?
/Gracie
Hi Gracie!
I use a diva cup and love it! Here’s a link: My friends that use tampons and pads don’t usually have any problems stocking up abroad unless they’re going somewhere really remote :-)
Lauren
I travel a lot on both business and pleasure and have been following both yours and the BF’s websites for a good few months now I find them really good for so many reasons….
As for the packing (cubes) are the way forward without a doubt make life so easy…. I have also found Tom Bihn luggage really good, a bit expensive but worth it in the long run!
Keep put great work and I for one will keep reading :)
Enjoy your travels
Sean/UK
Thanks for the recommendation, and for your kind words, Sean!
Great tips! Packing cubes are the bomb. :)
They definitely are :-)
My backpack looks vastly different from when I packed it 8 months ago. I’ve more or less chucked all my vests and tees away and replaced them with collared shirts, because I just prefer wearing them. Everyone thinks I’m a proper loon when I’m asking for an ironing board in a hostel. And I now carry something I told myself I’d never wear… flip flops. Not cool.
Haha! I hated flip-flops before I left to travel as they always gave me blisters between my toes. I then carried nothing but flip-flops for 18 months. Funny how things change :-)
What is your dry shampoo called?
I love your blog btw :)
Thanks, Helga! The dry shampoo is from Lush :-)
Hi Lauren,
This post is so helpful, thank you! I was wondering what you carry with you daypack or handbag wise?
Thanks :)
Hi Sophie,
I travel with an Osprey Stratos 24l daypack:
Hi lauren,
I think your packing list is great!. Me and my boyfriend leave on the 2nd of jan to travel S.E.A for a year. My boyfriend has the same backpack as you and i am soo shocked how you fit all your stuff in there. How much does your backpack weigh once everything is in? Do you take it on the plane as hand luggage or check it in? Btw the vegimite made me laff but i am a marmite lover so i understand lol!
Maria nesmith
Hi Maria,
It weighs between 9-11kg depending on how much stuff I’m carrying. At the moment, it’s 11kg. I check it in, the bag is slightly too big for hand luggage and I carry a daypack to take on the plane with me.
Thanks for your reply, also feedback from your video i think it is great but id like to see in the video how you manage to pack all your stuff into your backpack as there is a lot of stuff, i’d like to see the best way to pack everything
Maria
Hi Maria, it’s as simple as putting the packing cubes in and then shoving everything in around them. I usually find myself packing my bag 10 minutes before I have to leave so everything gets thrown in haphazardly in thrownticular order. I roll my clothes up tightly but no tricks other than that. The backpack has extra storage areas at the front and top.
Ah i will try that then lol. Also what razor do you take travelling? What is popular to buy in S.E.A once you have ran out?
I just pick up a Gillette something-or-other :-)
:) okay.. Sorry to keep asking lots of questions but what bank should i go with to avoid atm charges when travelling S.E.A?
Hi Maria,
Are you from the UK? If so, I couldn’t find a single bank that does’t charge you for international withdrawals. I use Natwest for no other reason than the fact my dad works there so if anything goes wrong he can sort it out for me :-)
We are so opposite … awesome! I carry just an airline carry-on and love the freedom it gives me. I rely on all that high-tech travel gear for minimal weight and maximum flexibility. Vive la différence!
I’ve only been out six months so, like you, it will be interesting to check back in in 18 months.
Yep, for sure! While I was super lightweight and minimalist for the first year or so, eventually I started craving more things. I think as my travels have slowed down, and I stay in Airbnb apartments, I start to think of my travels more as me living around the world than travelling full-time.
I’m thinking about getting a base in the future, though, so that I can travel carry-on only for small trips.
Fantastic, this is really helpful thank you for doing this! I’ll be leaving England at the end of March, travelling the world for 5 months so it’s really nice to read and see someone completely at ease with what’s in their bag.
For 22 years I’ve had a privileged life and have travelled a lot, but never on a big long trip like the one I’m planning. My one worry – and I apologise if you’ve touched on it on your blog somewhere else… I’ve only just discovered you! – is about security. How have you found, carrying your worldly possessions around with you? In what situations would you feel comfortable just carrying a day bag on your back, and where do you leave the rest of your stuff?
OH! And also… contact lenses… do you pick those up along your way, whenever you’re in a built up place you check in with your prescription? How does that work?
Thank you! I look forward to reading your adventures :)
PS – I love Vegemite too.
Thanks, Paul! I’m glad it could help :-)
I haven’t had many problems with security, to be honest. If I stay in hostels I make sure to use the lockers to keep my laptop, camera, passport and money safe when I go outside. I usually take my daypack if I’m going to be out all day exploring, with just my camera and a small amount of money in it. I’ve never not felt safe carrying my daypack. I do make sure to keep it on me at all times if I’m going to be taking a long bus or train journey — I keep it at my feet where I can see it at all times. I’ve never had anything stolen.
I buy my contact lenses online from DaySoft, and order a new ~6 month supply whenever I find myself in a Western country with an address.
Hi Lauren,
Did you ever do large amounts of walking in Vibrams before you got your boots? I’m considering buying Vibrams but i’m aware there are probably a few places I’ll be going where I should really have a sturdy shoe instead of a flip flop and I’d like to stick to only taking 2 items of footwear… And have heard only good things about Vibrams!
Hope you’re well!
Laura x
Hey Laura,
Yep, I actually got rid of my hiking boots recently and now just wear Vibrams. I’ve been on 10 hour hikes with them on unpaved trails and been absolutely fine. They’re super-comfortable, even after hours of wearing them — I love them!
When you say “Vibrams” I assume you are talking about the shoes they call FiveFingers? They are awesome! I love mine. But be aware that they use a different set of muscles than the ones we’ve spent our whole lives using. There was for me a difficult / hurtful period of breaking in my legs.
Yep, FiveFingers. I actually found them to be more comfortable than normal shoes (maybe something to do with having flat feet? Or loving toe socks?!) and experienced no pain at all, even on the first few days of wearing them.
Wow that is quite a long and comprehensive list of must have items. I do fully understand though. I’ve been packing suitcases nearly every month for the last dozen + years and still haven’t got it off to a fine art!
I must say though the kindle is a definite travel essential for me.
Thank you! I always kind of assumed I’d just carry the same things year after year, so it’s been interesting to see how what I pack has evolved. My Kindle is one of my favourites :-)
Hello.
Interesting video, thanks for sharing your info.
But, I am a bit curious about 2 things;
1. Is that really truly EVERYTHING you own? I noticed you don’t have any underwear??
and
2. Do you carry all that stuff as carry-on (will the planes let you?) or, do you have to check it in.. or do you split it up and carry on some, then check in some? (in which case, I’d love to know exactly what you carry on)
Thanks for your time, I look forward to hearing your replies :)
Hey JJ,
Yep, that’s everything I own. I have underwear, yes, I just didn’t want to show it off to the Internet. I mentioned it on my first packing list post I did and had all sorts of creeps contact me :-)
That backpack is about one inch too large for carry on so I have a small carry on bag for valuables. It contains my passport, money, laptop and camera.
What about all the important papers/documents, etc..
paper clutter can be so prominent and hard to get rid of as so much of it is “necessary” (tax info, receipts to big ticket items, certificates, passport and id info, etc)
Where’s all your paper documents n things? Or what do you do with all that?
Also, do you have things like that stored at home with your parents or something?
thanks for the video!
would be great to see a packing vid, how you actually fit it all in for the plane (splitting it between carry-on and check-in for instance)
but, just a suggestion..
thanks again!
Hmmm, I don’t really have any paper documents, Shay, everything’s online for me. I’m not sure what tax information I’d be carrying, or why I’d need to carry it? I have access to all my tax information online, but nothing on paper. All of my big purchases (accommodation, flights, laptops…) are bought online so the receipts are stored on my email. Any other receipts I get in person that I can claim as a business expense I take a photo of and save on my laptop. No certificates. I have a passport and driving license that I carry with me, but no paper counterparts to those.
Thanks for the packing video idea — I’ll see what I can do :-)
p.s.
what size are your packing bags??
I don’t have a ruler to measure them, I’m afraid! They were a medium, if that helps?
do you carry your day pack inside your large backpack? or do you carry it on the front of your body?
On the front of my body.
Super helpful post! I’m getting ready for a month-long trip now and a girls’ perspective on packing was great. Have you had any issues with the straps of your backpack being loose when you check it? I’ve heard that if the straps get stuck as the airline’s handling your bag, they can cut them off.
I haven’t! But I do try to tie them together before I check my bag in.
Wow…that is a lot of stuff. I am totally with you on carrying more clothes (which is something I didn’t do for my first trip) but I don’t know how you carry so many electronics! Maybe I have a weak back, but the thought of carrying a laptop, kindle, camera, etc. on my back for years almost brings me to tears haha. Great video!
Thanks, Tiana! Because I work online, I have to travel with a laptop and a camera. A Kindle is much lighter than carrying books :-)
Helpful list thanks, and love the point about ‘liking’ what you wear especially as a girl. I noticed there’s no conditioner listed, is this because shampoo bars don’t dry your hair out, or due to tropical climates? Dont want my hair to get dry, but am trying to minimise toiletries as much as poss so would be great if i didn’t have to bring it.
Thanks
Sophie
It’s mostly due to the humidity — my hair would get really greasy in tropical places around the world. Cutting out the conditioner helped a lot!
Oh, and you can also get combined shampoo/conditioner solid bars.
Great post!, I love your blog.
As a guy there are quite a few items you packed that I wouldnt need… ahem… bikinis, birth control pills, dresses etc… but still It was great to get an idea of the backpack size, number of items you travel with, I was amazed that you travel with 3 camera lenses though.
Anyways, I hope to be able to get out of debt in this next few months and finally take the plunge and start traveling the world. If and when I get to do so it would be great to know you better.
Take care and safe travels.
Glad you found it helpful, Jesus! I actually travel with one camera lens these days :-)
Wow you pack a lot! I’m surprised you’re able to fit that all in your pack :P
Fortunately, all of my clothes are tiny, so I can throw them into corners and stuff.
I’m looking at doing 6 months and aiming to do a full 360 around the world so I’ve been looking for ideas on what to pack as I’ll be in pretty much every climate going!
Usually I pack way to much when I travel and end up bringing home clean clothes that I have never worn! I was tending towards more your year one packing list but since watching this I think I need to review my plans. I have found your updates really usefully and it is interesting to see how you have changed. I was wondering if you have you got a more recent update on your packing? Maybe I just can’t find the link?
Also I’m torn about whether to bring my DSLR or not. I notice that you carry one as well as a point and shoot, have you found you use it a lot? Do you have any advice?
You have an amazing inspirational blog and I looking forward to reading about your next travels :)
Hi Tory! I haven’t updated my packing list post yet, but I hope to get around to it sometime over the next few months. I love my DSLR and don’t carry the P&S any more. It takes much higher quality photos, and when I’m doing something so exciting, I want to capture it in the best way possible :-)
Hello,
I know this post is old but your video is the only video I’ve been able to find in which someone demonstrates using packing cubes with a top-loading backpack. I know you said you got some off brand cubes but I was wondering what size they were. Looking online there are so many sizes and I don’t know which would fit better in a top-loading backpack. (ie X-Large 17.5×12.75×4, Large 13.75×12.75×4, Medium 13.75×9.75×3). I live abroad at the moment and so I would need to order cubes online, otherwise I would bring my bag in to check.
Help!
Great video… thanks for all the advice, really helpful as we are going RTW soon!! I need a new day rucksack – just wondering what brand yours is and if you would recommend it?
Thanks :)