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the packing list
Here is a list of the gear that I currently have with me in my backpack as I travel around the world. Yes, I know this is a lot of stuff, and I certainly could have done the trip with less gear. But for me this was the right balance to let me go hiking, scuba diving, get into nightclubs with a dress code, listen to my favorite music (and just kill time) on long train rides, and whathaveyou. I've had a few chances now to add some items and remove others, items i've removed from my pack are indicated by being crossed out. Props to REI and Amazon for being the major outfitters for this trip.
- Passport
- Plane Tickets (either printed receipts for e-tickets [airports sometime demand these!] or paper tickets)
- International Vaccination Certificate Required for showing proof of your yellow fever vaccination to countries that require this.
- Travel Health Insurance Card (I like Seven Corners)
- ATM Card
- Credit Card
- US Driver's License
- International Driving Permit
- Credit Card
- $300 in $100 bills
- $50 bill
- $100 in $20 bills
- $30 in $10 bills
- $10 in $1 bills
- Xerox copies of all documents and cards above stored in a safe place, and an extra copy left at home.
- Arc'Teryx Bora 80 backpack (Buy It!)
- JanSport Vertigo daypack (Buy It!)
- Eagle Creek Pack-It Quarter Cube x 2 (Buy It!)
- Eagle Creek Pack-It Half Cube x 2 (Buy It!)
- Eagle Creek Compression Bag (Large) (added after departure) (Buy It!)
- Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder 15 (added after departure) (Buy It!)
- Eagle Creek Money Belt (Buy It!)
- Outdoor Research HydroLite Pack Sack #1 handy waterproof sack! (Buy It!)
- Plenty of Ziploc bags
- Outdoor Research Mesh Storage Bags x 3 (the ones i have are discontinued, but this one is similar)
- Apple iPod Video, 60gb (Buy It!)
- Shure E5c Sound Isolating Earphones (Buy It!)
- Zelco TriPod iPod Speakers (Buy It!) or JBL On Tour Portable Speakers (Buy It!) depending on my total pack weight.
- Apple iPod Radio Remote (Buy It!)
- Apple iPod Audio/Video Cable (Buy It!)
- Apple iPod USB Power Adapter (Buy It!)
- Sony S2 Sports headphones (Buy It!) Cheap and great for working out.
- Sony CPA-9C Cassette Adapter (Buy It!)
- iPod Car Lighter Charger (Buy It!)
- iPod Camera Connector (Buy It!) Note: I purchased this in a duty-free store about 3 months into my trip.
- Lewis N Clark Adapter Travel Plug Kit (Buy It!)
- AA and AAA batteries for those gadgets!
- Canon PowerShot SD800 IS (Buy It!)
- Canon Digital Elph Accessory Kit SD800 (Buy It!) Great for the extra battery!
- 2gb SD Memory Card by Transcend (Buy It!)
- REI UltraPod II Tripod (Buy It!)
Canon PowerShot SD550(Buy It!) Retired this camera in December 2006 after it was being barely held together with duct tape. Got new camera as per above.Canon Digital Elph Camera Accessory Kit 2 for SD550(Buy It!) Great for the extra battery! Retired with SD550 camera as per above.Canon WP-DC80 Underwater Case for PowerShot SD550(Buy It!) Sent home to save pack weight/spaceMotorola V551 cellphone (Buy It!) quad-band for world coverage, unlocked after i called cingular and asked them to unlock itMotorola V551 car charger (Buy It!) I don't actually use the "official" version -- i use a cheap generic one like the one i've linked to here!".HTC TyTN smartphone Quadband 3.5G GSM phone running Windows Mobile with Wi-Fi and Skype support. Sweet!This phone broke when I was home, so I replaced it with my trusty tri-band Nokia for South/Central America.Nokia 6682 Tri-band CellphoneOnly tri-band, but thats fine for most of South and Central America.- Motorola Razr Quad-band Cellphone The perfect backpackers phone. Cheap to buy, easy world roaming, small size, and not as tempting a target for thieves as a newer phone.
- Motorola Razr AC Adapter
- Books See my reading list for details.
- Bicycle Playing Cards
Zulex DVD/VCD/MPEG4/DiVX playerHandy toy for playing the many DVDs of SE Asia in off moments.Nintendo Game Boy Micro(Buy It!) This was a great gadget to have to burn time when I needed to, but I ditched the whole Game Boy setup at home once the iPod Video started supporting pretty decent games. Why carry two devices when you only need one?Universal Voltage Adapter I wish i didn't need this, but the Game Boy Micro's AC Adapter is US voltage only.The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA)(Buy It!)Namco Museum 50th Anniversary (GBA)(Buy It!)The Sims 2 (GBA)(Buy It!)- Moleskine plain notebook (Large) (Buy It!)
- Moleskine plain notebook (Pocket) (Buy It!)
- Moleskine plain cahiers (Large) (Buy It!)
- Many cheap black ballpoint pens
- TUSA Splendive II Diving Mask (with custom prescription lenses) (Buy It!)
- TUSA SP-130QB Platina Hyperdry Snorkel (Buy It!)
- Billabong Microfiber Beach Towel
Rip C url Beach TowelSent this home in favor of the smaller/lighter Billabong microfiber beach towel.- The North Face Paramount Cargo Shorts (Buy It!)
- Columbia Sportswear Venture Convertible Cargo Pants (Buy It!)
- Columbia Sportswear Roc Pants (Buy It!)
- Billabong "Occy's New Life" Board Shorts (Buy It!)
- Mountain Hardwear Wicked Tee (Short Sleeve) x 2 (Buy It!)
- Huffer T-shirt from NZ (added after departure)
- Quiksilver Short-sleeved Buttondown Shirt (added post-departure)
- Quiksilver camoflague baseball cap added after departure
- The North Face Syncline Long-sleeved Buttdown Shirt (Buy It!)
- REI Ultra Light Waterproof Jacket (Buy It!)
- Cheap T-shirts found in Thailand x 2 No-name t-shirts found in thailand
- WESC Jeans Bought in New Zealand after trip began.
- Adidas Response Running Shorts (Buy It!)
- Ex Oficio Boxer Shorts (Black) x 5 (Buy It!)
- Banana Republic Short-Sleeved Linen Shirt (Blue) No longer available for sale from Banana Republic.
- Bandanas x 2 (Buy It!)
- Bison Designs 30mm T-Lock Belt x 2 (Buy It!)
- Givenchy Polo Shirt (Black and Gray, Striped) Bought in Hong Kong during a wicked sale.
Royal Robbins Pembroke Plaid Shirt (Blue) (Buy It!)The most uncomfortable shirt i've ever worn. Breathes terribly in heat, and becomes a sweaty mess instantly.- Moonstone fleece vest (Black) discontinued
- Patagonia Boilerplate Jacket (Buy It!) great soft shell, discontinued product.
- Wool Cap (Black)
- Puma Sneakers (Gray)
- Reef Sandals Gray market sandals from Bali
- Garmont Flash XCR Hiking Boots (Buy It!)
- Smartwool Hiking Socks x 3 (Buy It!)
- Short Socks (White) x 5 pairs added after departure
- Chaco Z-1 Unaweep Sandals (Buy It!)
- Flight 001 Laundry Bag (Buy It!)
- Lewis N Clark clothesline (Buy It!)
- Lewis N Clark universal drain plug (Buy It!)
- Evernew Titanium Mug (Buy It!)
- Evernew Titainum Spoon and Fork Set (Buy It!)
- REI Polycarbonate Knife (Buy It!)
- GSI Lexan Cereal Bowl (Buy It!)
- Mesh Storage Sack (Buy It!)
- Katadyn Micropur water filtration tablets (Buy It!)
- Platypus 1 Liter Water Bottle x 2 (Buy It!)
- Outdoor Research "Toilet Kit" Bag My model is discontinued, but these are similar.
- Savvy Traveller Medical Kit (Coppertone Sport Sunlock Lotion SPF 15 x 4 (Buy It!)
- Cutter Skinsations Insect Repellent x 3 (Buy It!)
- Shaving Items (Gillette Shaving Cream, Copelands Shaving Oil)
- Sickness Help: Advil, Tylenol PM, Neosporin, Bactine, Strepsils Cough Lozenges, Ricola.
- Cottonelle Wet Wipes (Buy It!)
- Kleenex Pocket Packs (Buy It!)
- Toilet Paper Roll For those long train journeys which don't supply their own!
- Eagle Creek Combination TSA Padlocks x 4 (Buy It!) These are my usual security -- they keep the zippers on my bags locked together in order to discourage people from digging through them.
- Kryptonite KryptoFlex Cable (2.5') (Buy It!)
- Master Lock Large Combination Padlock (Brass) Useful for securing doors when you habve to provide your own lock, or for locking my big backpack to something using the Kryptonite cable.
- Timbuk2 Bifold Wallet (Blue) (Buy It!)
- Calvin Klein Eyeglasses
- IC! Berlin Sunglasses (Prescription Lenses)
- Eyeglasses (Backup Pair)
- Givenchy Sunglasses (Prescription Lenses, Backup Pair)
- Contact Lenses x 6
- EK Ekcessories Micro Three-Way Eyewear Retainer (Buy It!)
- Princeton Tec Impact II LED Flashlight (Buy It!)
- Photon Micro-Light II LED Light (Blue) (Buy It!)
- Suunto "Clipper" Compass x 2 (Buy It!)
- Silva "Forecaster" Compass (Buy It!)
- leatherman squirt s4 (Buy It!)
- Victorinox "Rucksack" Swiss Army knife (Buy It!)
- Victorinox Tacking ID Luggage Tags (Buy It!)
- Flight 001 Earplugs A godsend in any hostel dorm.
- Flents Ear Stopples Earplugs x 6 (Buy It!) Cheaper earplugs. Good to give out to friends or in case I lose the other ones
- Cocoon Silk Sleep Sack (Green) (Buy It!)
- Therm-a-Rest Travel Pillow Case (Buy It!)
- Black Diamond Micron Carabiners x 4 (Buy It!)
- Assorted "Twist Ties"
- Roll of Electrical Tape (Small)
- Roll of Duct Tape (Small)
The Essentials
Backpacks
Storage Bags
Audio
Camera
Communications
Fun
Writing
Diving
Clothing
Cold Weather Gear
Footwear
Laundry
Mess Kit
For What Ails Ya
Security
Vision
Light, Navigation, and Sharp Things
Misc
Search
The Countries
- Antarctica
- Argentina
- Australia
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Chile
- China
- Czech Republic
- Egypt
- Fiji
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Guatemala
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- India
- Indonesia
- International Waters
- Japan
- Jordan
- Macau
- Malaysia
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- New Zealand
- Oman
- Peru
- Russia
- Singapore
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- The Netherlands
- Turkey
- UAE
- United States
- Vietnam
- Website Updates
Archives
Recent Posts
- how to use a GSM phone to make and receive calls while travelling internationally around the world
- the best place to buy a global roaming cellphone: united states, singapore, thailand, or india?
- anti-malarial and mosquito precautions i took when traveling
- what should i pack when going to india?
- getting to antarctica from ushuaia, argentina, and how much it costs
- a new tack
- what's it like to be back?
- the last day of my trip
- surviving the drake passage
- leaving for antarctica
