What to pack depends on the type of trip. You may need to take special equipment and the type of clothes is dependent on climate. Nepal will be warm when I go, I may do some small treks, so my plan is to pack as lightly as possible. I have started planning on what I’m taking, so any missing items I can purchase before I leave. I will update this list over the next few weeks.
Clothes
Be respectful of the countries you going to. I was visiting Hampi in India a few years ago and I remember seeing a Westerner in tight denim hot pants and the shortest t-shirt. This is a religious place and she subsequently got told off by a policewoman. I know I sound like a boring fart, but I personally plan to dress quite conservatively (well for the Nepalese part of my trip anyway). It certainly stops unwanted attention.
| Sturdy Plastic Bags | I like to separate items out in my backpack, so they are easier to find. Also an extra layer of waterproofing cannot hurt. |
| 1 Lightweight fleece | For cold evenings and in case I go trekking |
| 1 lightweight waterproof jacket | |
| 1 pair of light walking trouser | Got a pair that also converts to shorts. They are very light and fast drying, which can be handy if you are travelling light. |
| 1 lightweight walking shirt | These are also very light and fast drying. |
| 2 skirts | |
| 1 pair of knee length shorts | |
| 4 t-shirts | |
| 1 top | |
| 2 light cardigans | To cover up shoulders and also to feel a bit girlie. |
| Swim suit | |
| 7 pair of undies | |
| A few pair of socks | |
| Black sandals | My sandals are Tevas and I find them great for warm countries. |
| Walking shoes | I have a comfy pair of shoes for walking. Still debating whether to take my hiking boots, but they are pretty heavy. |
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Medical Kit
You never know when you are going to get sick; you could be in a remote village or in a hotel on your own in the middle of the night. I always carry a basic medical kit since it is best to be prepared.
| A container | I have a waterproof container to keep my medical kit in. |
| All different sizes of plasters | |
| Paracetamol | |
| Instant hand sanitizer | This is a must in my luggage. Sometimes you can’t always wash your hand, so this kills those unwanted germs. Also if you cut yourself this gets wounds nice and clean. |
| Sore throat lozenges | |
| Dehydration tablets | Unfortunately I have got pretty sick on two previous trips, so these are a must for me. |
| Diarrhoea Relief | |
| Lip guard | |
| Antihistamine | |
| Eye drops | |
| Water purifying tablets | |
| Migraine tablets | If you take any medication make sure you have plenty of supplies whilst you are away. |
| Tweezers |
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Toiletries
These should be kept to the minimum, otherwise your luggage could get very heavy. You can live without masses of hair products, perfumes, etc.
| Toothbrush | |
| Toothpaste | |
| Shampoo + Conditioner | I buy small bottles to keep the weight of my luggage down. Generally, you can always stock up on route. |
| Razor | |
| Moisturiser | |
| Makeup | I generally don’t wear much make up when I’m travelling. Sometimes though I want to feel feminine, so I will take a few items: mascara, eyeliner and some eye shadow. |
| Deodorant | |
| Hair brush | |
| Hair toggles | |
| Sanitary Towels | I plan to take a few packets since they are light to carry and they might not be quite the same in Nepal. If you use tampons, be warned they may be hard to purchase in some countries so you might want to stock up for your trip. |
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Paperwork
I always scan important documents, such as passports and keep a copy in my hotmail account in case they get lost/stolen. If need be I can always find an internet cafe to print them out in emergencies.
| Passport | Ensure your passport is valid for your entire trip and you have plenty of free pages. |
| Visas | For more info on visas please read my Travel Visa post. |
| Spare passport photos | If you are planning on getting visas on route make sure you have plenty of passport photos. I am hoping to visit Tibet on this trip, but not quite sure how easy it will be to get a visa. |
| Flight Tickets | |
| Money \ Debit Card \ Credit Card |
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Miscellaneous
| Sleeping bag liner | This is a luxury item. I don’t need to take a sleeping bag on this trip since I will be sleeping in hotels. However, if the bed is not the cleanest I can sleep in a sleeping bag liner. |
| Water bottle | I hate plastic bottles, in some developing countries they just end up littering the countryside and rivers. I will inevitably consume a number of plastic bottles, but to try and minimise my footprint I will sterilise some water too. |
| Pen knife | A tip I learned the hard way, if you fly make sure your pen knife is packed in your main luggage otherwise it will get confiscated. |
| Lonely Planet for Nepal | Travel guide books are great to give you tips on what to see, where to stay, where to eat, etc. I hope to pick a European Lonely Plant on route, since they can be pretty heavy. |
| Nepali phrase book | This is not necessary for Joe Blogs since most travel books have a few useful phrases to get by. I plan on trying to learn Nepali on this trip, so it will be very helpful for me. |
| Reading books | I am a bit of a bookworm, so I always have a book on the go. They can be pretty heavy, so I will keep this to a maximum of two and exchange them when on the road. |
| Puzzle book | To keep me entertained on long bus/train journeys. This I will pick up at the airport. |
| Sun cream | |
| Sun glasses | |
| Mobile phone | My phone is not tied to a phone provider, so I am planning on buying a pre-paid Nepal SIM Card. This will be cheaper than using my current provider overseas. |
| Torch + spare batteries | This is very handy. Some countries have regular power cuts. Nepal has scheduled power cuts nearly every day. |
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TEFL
| English Dictionary / Thesaurus | |
| Pens | |
| Stickers |
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