Packing was one
of the aspects of my trip with which I was most concerned.
What if what I
brought wasn't enough?
What if I bought
a bunch of stuff and couldn’t fit it into my suitcase?
What is I get
sick of wearing the same clothes for six months?
Well, now that
my trip is complete, I have answered to all these questions, and more!
I am proud to
say that, thanks to my meticulous research, my packing list was damn near
perfect. I had everything I needed for the entire trip. That being said, I
absolutely did get sick of wearing the same clothes everyday for 6 months. I
was thrilled to be able to throw my ratty tanks tops and shirts into a trash
can when departing from Chiang Mai with only the clothes on my body, and return
to my home in Portland where a treasure trove of clothing awaited me.
I am also proud
to say that I did not buy that much. I mean…compared to hauling an extra
suitcase home from Dubai, what’s a couple magazines and fisherman pants? I sent
one box of stuff home, and carried the rest with me. I do wish I had been able
to buy more, but in retrospect, I didn’t really need anything. Having to travel
light kept me from making unnecessary purchases.
Although I had
everything I needed, there were a few things
I did not use, and therefore would not bring on my next trip:
- contact lenses (wore glasses every day)
- goggles (didn’t swim much)
- money wallet (not needed)
- business cards (gave out, like, 2)
- sun visor (used twice)
- portable charger (everywhere had outlets)
- Sseko sandals (wore tennis shoes the whole time)
- Rain jacket (didn’t rain much)
There were also
some things I am really, really glad I
brought:
- an entire roll of hair ties (because I wore my long hair up every day, and I lose hair ties all the time)
- acne cream (because sure enough, my skin broke out all the freakin' time)
- twist ties for my electronics cords (they really kept cords from getting tangled)
- advil (for period cramps)
- tampons (they are really hard to find in Asia!)
- my small black pouch (used almost everyday)
- long sleeve shirt and hoodie (it got cold!)
If I could do it
all over again, these are the things I wish
I brought:
- cold and cough medicine (I got sick twice)
- more T-shirts and less tank tops (for modesty and sun protection)
- more socks (three pairs was the bare minimum)
There were a few
things I got along the way, but I
would bring them next time:
- plastic bags (for shoes and dirty laundry)
- a tote bag from freshness in Myanmar (used as a gym bag)
- face wash (my sensitive skin broke out a lot on this trip)
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