The Gear

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Packing for a 6 month trip, which I had never done before, was challenging to say the least. I must have packed 5 different times and ultimately settled on what you see in the picture above. However, while traveling I realized I had STILL managed to overpack 🤦🏻‍♀️. Below is a list of all the things I took and what, in hindsight, I should have left behind.

  1. Gregory 15L backpack - TAKE - I LOVE this backpack. It fits great and can store a TON of stuff. Totally worth investing in a good backpack given its 1) going to be on your back for extended periods of time and 2) its your only big traveling pack

  2. Journal - DEPENDS - I thought I would enjoy writing in a journal but not too long into the trip I enjoyed writing on our mini laptop over writing in the journal. It was faster and easier for me to get my thoughts down and we were going to carry the laptop anyway. 

  3. Vapur Bottle - TAKE - This was so handy to have!

  4. Sunglasses - TAKE - Obvi.

  5. Nalgene bottles - TAKE - really useful for shampoo, lotion, and any other liquids you want to keep handy on your travels.

  6. Packing cubes - TAKE - So incredibly useful in keeping things organized and easy to access. We're fans for REI branded cubes - great quality and reasonably priced! 

  7. Three shirts - TAKE - I took one long sleeve linen shirt that could double up as a nice night out shirt, one short sleeve, and one Icebreaker long sleeve shirt. While my pictures may look like the same outfit every three days, this was the right amount in terms of clothes needed on the trip.

  8. One warm jacket - TAKE - I took my Patagonia jacket which was the perfect travel companion. Easy to layer up and stay warm without feeling weighed down!

  9. One rain jacket - TAKE - I took my Patagonia rain jacket which was super handy as we went through different weather.

  10. Two pants - TAKE - I took one pair of Prana yoga pants and one pair of Hard Wear pants that worked ok as a nice pair of pants for nights out. So comfortable, lightweight and compact!

  11. Four shoes - TAKE - but not four (the one not pictured were my Brooks running shoes). I should have taken just three pairs of footwear. The Teva's are a must have - versatile, compact, and SO comfortable. The Brooks were also a must have. The brown sandals I could have done without and ended up discarding along the way. The brown flats were nice to have - classed up my otherwise laid back outfits.

  12. Laundry line - DEPENDS - based on the type of travel you are doing this could be really helpful or not at all. We stayed mostly in Airbnb's so we didn't have a great need for this but it did come handy occasionally. Ours was a bit bulky, so I'd recommend finding something a lot more compact.

  13. One Brooks running hat - TAKE - a hat is a must have on travels! Protect your skin!

  14. Passport carrying case - DON'T TAKE - This was pretty useless on the trip so I don't recommend it.

  15. Dry bag - TAKE - if you're going to do any water adventures like we did then I highly recommend taking it. Super handy for your cell phone, wallet, etc or your wet clothes.

  16. Pack down tote bag - TAKE - this was really handy to have when we'd go out to a farmers market or do some shopping. Really convenient, washable, and dries quickly!

  17. One beanie - TAKE - climate change.

  18. Five underwear - TAKE - five might seem overkill but I'm glad I took these. Even on days where you have to skip a shower a clean pair of underwear can make you feel like a new human.

  19. Three pairs of socks - TAKE - one pair of thick wool socks, one pair of Icebreaker sports wool socks, and one pair of Balega socks.

  20. One wallet waistband - TAKE - this was handy to keep under my shirt when I work my tights and didn't have a place to keep my wallet.

  21. One essentials pouch - TAKE - this was great to keep some female essentials handy for restroom runs. 

  22. One toiletry bag - TAKE - I love this toiletry bag! Super malleable, dries quickly and easy to hang.

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