Packed up…
OK, I think it is finally winding down… the bag is nearly packed and only a few odds and ends to pick up here and in Bangkok. One of the sweet buys I made was buying these cool mesh bags that help keep everything organized inside the bag, so I can rip it apart and repack it quickly if need be (airports, etc.).
Here is where the backpack stands now.
In the main compartment…
- Navy Blue low Converse All Stars (picked for their flatness)
- Nike aquasocks (for the beach)
- Tan Old Navy trek pants (lightweight) (in pants mesh bag)
- Cotton reversible knee length Old Navy shorts (in pants mesh bag)
- Green Gap bathing suit (in pants mesh bag)
- Red Counting Crows tour shirt (in shirt mesh bag)
- Purple Kirk Read Snap T-shirt (in shirt mesh bag)
- Two pair boxer briefs (in shirt mesh bag)
- Two pair white ankle-length socks (in shirt mesh bag)
- One black rain poncho
- Four legal yellow pads (200 pages)
In the smaller compartment…
- Firm mesh container holding toothbrush, toothpaste, suntan lotion, first aid kit, deodorant, shaving cream, collapsible brush, echniacea, imodium, tylenol, soap (basically, what i will take to the shower/bathroom, as that may not always be in my room).
- Four black Uniball Gel Impact pens
- Secure belt strap for passport, money, etc.
- Small flashlight
- Small lock and cable
In the upper flap, still in the smaller compartment…
- Mesh bag containing 25 individual packets of Liquid Woollite, a braided clothesline, and a sink stopper.
- Two universal plugs so I can charge my digital camera
- A CompactFlash reader and USB cable (in case the memory cards start filling up, I can go to kiosk and burn my digital camera images to CD)
- In the reader, there is an additional 256MB card for the camera
- Plug and charger for camera
In the (small) outer compartment…
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs (two sets)
- Inflatable neck pillow
- Book light
In the (even smaller) outer outer compartment
- The digital camera, unless I can fit it in the smaller compartment
There is also a lightweight, compact umbrella in a holder just for that purpose outside the backpack.
What I need to get yet in San Francisco…
- One lightweight twin sheet and pillowcase.
- Small cloth bag of some sort (to carry my books, no way they are fitting in the bag)
- Small bungee cords to hold rolled up towel outside backpack
What i need to buy in Bangkok…
- Insect repellant
- Towel, beach size
The bag is surprising not as heavy as you would think, but I guess I’m used to carrying a backpack with a 8 pound laptop in it, CDs, and a lot of other heavy items.
Also, as things stand now, I will be going to an REM concert here Saturday night, all packed and ready to go to Thailand, sleep at a friend’s after the show, and head right to the airport in the morning. So, I also have an orange Chuck Palahniuk shirt, pink Gap Boxer Briefs (yes, pink!), green old Navy cargo shorts, and Teva sandals (which i will wear on the plane). Whatever I wear to REM I will leave at my friends in that bag, and will pick it up at some later date.
I think I’m as prepared as I will ever be…
First off, I am truly amazed that you got everything into that backpack (then again, the books didn’t fit. ) If I may be so bold, let me offer some useful information, and some too late to be useful (let’s call that useless information, then.)
First off, I would recommend (perhaps for the future) that you get a pair of lightweight zip-off pants. That way, you get shorts and long pants in a single packable item. These are pretty neat, as Demetri has a few and I am wildly jealous of them.
I also recommend perhaps 1 more “set” of underwear. While you seem ready to commit the required time to doing hand laundry in your room (every night?!), it may be quite humid in Thailand, and your stuff may not dry overnight. I ran into this problem in Paris.
MOST IMPORTANT!: particularly for the liquid woolite, but I would recommend for ALL liquids that you provide some kind of “secondary containment” should the container burst in transit. This can be as easy as tiny ziploc “snack size” bags. These you will find wildly useful anyway. I would also recommend Woolite *powder* instead of liquid, to reduce your exposure to leaky goo inside your pack.
Spare battery for your camera?
What I would recommend instead of the bulky twin sheet + pillowcase combination is what is called a “hostel sheet” or bivy sheet. This is a lightweight mini sleeping bag kind of thing which serves the purpose you want and weighs nearly nothing.
The bungees and the poncho are both great ideas.
Happy Trails!
Uh, the hostel sheets are available at camping/outdoor type stores (e.g. REI, North Face, etc.)
I sure hope the gesture on the Kirk Read “snap” shirt has no special meaning in Thai culture…