My most general advice is to pack what you think you'll need, lay that out on the floor & cut out half of what you've got. ...then repeat. What is left is about all you really need.
Shampoo, soap, & other little items can be & SHOULD BE purchased when you arrive. Not because of the hassle with TSA & Airport security, but it forces you into a grocery in the first days of your trip. Shopping for daily essentials in a foreign grocery store is a memorable & enlightening experience in itself. Take your time, take chances, & talk to people about what they prefer; your mind will be blown.
A word of warning though, pack your own deodorant...European Deodorant takes a few weeks to get used to (different formula??) & the results will require more clothes-washing than you are prepared for.
But what do you get rid of? Well, make sure everything you pack, well, works with everything else in your travel wardrobe. Pack for four or five days & keep your bag under 22 pounds (comfortable weight & not too heavy for impromptu flights on cheap European airlines like RyanAir or EasyJet).
Anyhow, here is my packing list for our upcoming trip to Germany, Czech, Austria, & Tirol. I'll try and get Niki to post her's tonight.
- Socks (4) - Smartwool socks dry quickly & are worth the investment)
- Underwear (5) - Comfort trumps everything here
- Shoes (2) - Need to be versatile for impromptu plan changes. I am bringing a pair of Adidas Sambas (sturdy) & a pair of Vans Dockside Shoes (comfy)
- Jacket (1) - Something light & relatively waterproof
- Pants (1) - Jeans can be worn for days at a time between washing
- Belt (1) - should match shoes, no?
- Shorts (3) - Cargo-type shorts, Athletic (doubles as sleepwear), & Swimtrunks
- Long-sleeve Shirts (3) - Two thin long-sleeve shirts for evenings & a dress shirt
- T-Shirts (4) - Dri-Fit shirts dry quickly, but tend to stink-up quickly, go with light t-shirts that you typically wear at home, should go well with both your jeans & a variety of your shorts
- Toothbrush (1) - leave your Sonicare at home & pack a cheap travel toothbrush
- Toothpaste (1)
- Deodorant (1) - essential; allows you to air out your shirts & rewear without washing
- Razor (1) - Disposable Razors are allowed in carry-on luggage
- Q-Tips (Several dozen) - I dispise the feeling of wax buildup in my ears
- Travel Ibuprofen (1) - For those early mornings after a late night in town
- Sunblock (1) - Yes, UV Rays hit Europe just like they do here
- Tide-to-Go (1) - essential for those hostel sink clothing washes
- Water Bottle (1) - Collapsible Platypus Waterbottles are AMAZING (& super easy to pack)
- Smartphone & Charger (1) - This is an essential tool for packing light. Travel Guide, Itinerary, Camera, Video Recorder, & oh yeah, you can communicate with it as well. Just make sure it is on WiFi only (or you will rack up the phone bill)
- Socket Adapters (several) - make sure your charging cords are rated for 100-240V or you'll kill your expensive electronics
- CPAP, mask, tubing, & charger (1) - If you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea like I do, your travel buddies will thank you for this
- Scarf (1) - I will be going to some Austria-Salzburg matches & need proper color
- Tablet & Charger (1) - Bigger screen for movies & music & saves your phone's battery life.
- Headphones (1) - train rides are long, train rides with music/movies are shorter
- Audio Splitter (1) - because sharing is caring
- Travel Journal (1) - Important Itinerary information with Addresses/Phone Numbers for when the power goes out on your SmartPhone
- Passport & Travel Document Paper Copies
- Pens (4) - Pens tend to disappear
- MicroSD Adaptor (1) - for non-internet/bluetooth file sharing
- Toy Frog (2) - more on these later
- Passport (1) - DO NOT FORGET
- Debit Card (1) - Mastercard (w/Maestro logo on back) is accepted all across Europe
- Credit Card (1) - Visa is accepted all across Europe
- Insurance Card (1) - just in case you get a boo boo
- Auto-Insurance Card (1) - just in case
- Ziplock Bag (2) - 1 Quart Sized for your TSA liquids & 1 Gallon Sized for your underwear/socks
- Electronics Bag (1) - Keep your cords & chargers in one dry, safe spot.
- Shoe Bag (1) - keep dirty shoes off your clean clothes
- Backpack (2) - 1 Carry-on sized bag, mine is an old Eureka Getaway 2500, it only holds 30 Liters & that's plenty. If you can't fit it in there, you are bringing too much any how. Also bring a day-pack, one of those drawstring packs will hold your touristy purchases, electronics/travel books/journal, groceries, & even enough for a park picnic for two.
There are 3 areas to consider. Your big pack (stored away in the overhead compartments on the plane), your day pack (both women & men are allowed one carry-on & a personal bag - think purse - use this to its full advantage), & what you wear on your person.
ON YOUR PERSON
Layer & wear your jeans. I like to wear bulkier shoes (Sambas), socks/underwear, jeans, a tshirt & a long-sleeve shirt. I carry my phone, wallet (coin purse style), & passport & that is all. I leave my belt in my day pack until I get through security (makes life simpler).
DAY PACK (5.0 pounds)
This is a versatile bag for flights. I carry electronics & my journal in here. After a 12 hour flight to Europe from Seattle, you'll want a change of underwear, socks, & maybe even shirt. I wrap them up & put them in the bottom of the drawstring bag. I choose to put my "wallet" (coin purse with my cards in it) in here because I don't want to sit on it for 12 hours. Lastly, pack your toothbrush & toothpaste in here...for obvious reasons. You will NOT feel fresh at the end of this flight.
BIG PACK (18.4 pounds)
Pack everything else in here. ROLL EVERYTHING (rolling compacts the clothing well & minimizes wrinkles...and things will wrinkle regardless of what you do). I place my CPAP on top, in case TSA wants to look at it, with the tubing in the head compartment of the bag. There is a lot of worth in packing cubes, but I'm comfortable with my rolling method & the underwear/sock ziplock bag. Bring a travel sewing kit & buy cheap patches along your travels & hand sew them on during the train rides. Small buttons are fun too. It fills the downtime & provides for great memories & conversation starters. Put some on from home too.
*Also in my Big Pack, I like to include small gifts for those who are hosting me in their homes. This year, I have chosen to bring a rather large gift for a friend who has gone above & beyond for me and have packed around it.
No comments:
Post a Comment