The ultimate packing list

Surf Lessons for All

While a good packing checklist is what leads to lesser money spent on the road buying new things you already have at home, the secret ingredient to ultimate packing list is a good backpack. One thing that holds everything together. So let’s start there, at the very beginning and make smart travel a reality.

Backpack:

It cannot be stressed enough that the backpack is the defining item in your shopping for travels.

A good backpack at the very basic should have side mesh pockets (for water bottle, damp items, etc), some loops to hang things (like boots), a top flap with zip if it’s a top load bag to access items quickly.

Bags to carry:

  • Main backpack
  • Day bag
  • A small foldable bag for spontaneous shopping
  • Backpack rain cover

Clothes:

Clothes end up taking more space than anyone would want them to esp. if you’re going to be traveling in different weather conditions on the same trip. Unless you fall in the category of people who can’t repeat clothes in any picture, the following should be good.

  • T-shirts:
    three t-shirts is what is needed to be stress free. If you can do with less, nothing like it but if you need more then be prepared to carry the additional weight around.
  • Pants:
    2 shorts, 2 trousers

Remember to pack a fleece jacket and thermals for colder places, and a bathing suit for beach, but most of all do remember to pack that scarf because that’s going to be your bed sheet, blanket, scarf, sarong, and a towel.

Oh, and do carry a pair of nice clothes like a nice dress for date/club nights.

Footwear:

  • Apair of shoes/sneakers for walking around town
  • Flip flops: I need my flip flops even if it’s freezing.

I generally don’t carry special occasion shoes but a lot of travellers do like a pair of decent sneakers to go clubbing in.

Electronics:

We all crave digital detox, but we all love being connected for that’s our social life now. So might as well live with it. No matter what detox you’re headed on, do remember to carry:
  • Smart phone (even if you don’t intend to buy a local SIM card, a phone comes in handy as a translator, to see time, to checks maps, and of course to use web based messaging applications.
  • Power bank: For all those long bus journeys. I carry one that can fully charge my phone at least twice.
  • International power Adapter
  • Camera: If smartphone photography is not your thing then do remember to carry that camera, tripod, and all your lenses.
  • Extra pen drives/ hard-disk - To save all those lovely photos
  • Headphones: Not everybody is going to have the same taste in music and not everybody wants to listen to songs when you do so do carry your earphones to not compromise on having a good time.
Note: If you’re going to do any water activities and don’t have an underwater camera then maybe invest in a plastic pouch that helps use phone underwater. I would be too terrified but people do use it with no casualties reported.

Applications:

Whether you stay in hotels or hostels, it’s a good idea to carry personal toiletries to reduce the impact on environment. The tiny toiletries given at hotels often have plastic packaging and the remainder of the soaps end up in trash cans after single use.
  • Download maps of the entire country on maps.me application
  • Download the local language on google translator
  • Check the conversion rate online
  • Uber: This application needs phone verification so if you’re not using it in your home country but intend to use in the country you’re visiting then better to download it while you have a functioning number.

Toiletries:

Whether you stay in hotels or hostels, it’s a good idea to carry personal toiletries to reduce the impact on environment. The tiny toiletries given at hotels often have plastic packaging and the remainder of the soaps end up in trash cans after single use.
  • Shower gel/ soap
  • Toothbrush in a case (Remember the first toothbrush that you used is still lying somewhere on the planet, switch to bamboo if you haven’t already)
  • Toothpaste
  • Shampoo and/or Conditioner (Curly hair girls - Prepoo oil and/or ingredients, leave in, gel, satin pillowcase, and headband)

Miscellaneous:

A travel checklist would be incomplete without these additional items that are equally important if not more.
  • A cap
  • Sunglasses : The glare is real concern in some places
  • Sunscreen: Sunburn hurts in the shower.
  • Torch: Whether a sunrise hike is in plans or not, it’s a good idea to have a torch handy
  • A reusable water bottle: Money and environment saver
  • Mosquito repellent: Those little creatures can be quite the party poopers.
  • Padlock
  • Towel: Nothing like a microfibre towel while traveling. It barely weighs anything and dries super fast.
  • Sewing kit: With black and white threads and a few needles in different sized
  • Medical kit: The regular band aid, cramps medicines, migraine medicines are my travel essentials.
Note: Have all your documents (Passport, Visa(s), alternate ID proof, address proof, etc) in soft copy on your mailbox.

Also, among the horde of travel tips this one tip that works like a charm - less is more and if there are people living where you’re going, you would be able to buy anything you forget so don’t stress.

To summarise what to carry when you are traveling - keep it light. Light luggage is not only immensely liberating while traveling but also keeps any stress of losing things at bay.

Travel with Shivoy dmc to get any assistance in choosing a destination and traveling guilt free and stress free.

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