The long answer to what you should be packing? Not too much, don’t get tempted. Stuff that dries quickly. Maximum 3 pairs of shoes. Ok, if you are a girl you are allowed 4 MAXIMUM. Nothing that has emotional value, chances are that it’s going to get lost, stolen, or forgotten somewhere.
To give you an idea, here are our packing lists respectively – and the beauty of being in two is that you can bring one for two and share the load, so we have added a list of what we share as well. If you are still thinking about whether you should go or not, here are 8 good reasons why you should start packing now!
MATI / Ladies RTW packing list
CLOTHES
I always list them from bottom to top (shoes to hat), which is also a good tip when checking if you forgot anything.
- 4 pairs of shoes (Ok, I cheated a bit)
– One pair of goos walking / hiking shoes. Good enough for hikes, but normal looking when walking around cities. These are mine if you are interested.
– One pair of walking sandals. Necessary if you are going to hot countries. Keen are the best, probably the least fashionable shoe in the world I admit, but super comfortable.
– One pair of flops (easily replaceable, cheap and cheerful). A must for beach and hostel showers.
– One pair of ballerina flat shoes. I couldn’t resist, I know they are not necessary. But just to keep my feminine side happy when going out for dinner! - 7 pairs of socks: I went for variety. 2 easy drying merinos for hiking, 1 for running, 2 cotton normal & colourful and 2 for flying to help the veins.
- 2 pairs of trousers: 1 pair of jeans (ok, they dry slowly and they are heavy, but they’ll make you feel at home anywhere in the world!) and 1 pair of convertible trousers. Touristy, maybe, but a must if you are going to different climates.
- 2 pairs of shorts: one jeans and one Nosilife.
- 2 pairs of leggings. Comfy for long flights, and great for colder climates as an extra layer.
- 1 skirt: very light to carry and worth to remind you you are still a woman!
- 10 pairs of pants: I went for 3 quick dry technical ones, and 7 normal.
- 4 Bikinis. Too many I admit, but I am going mostly to hot countries. That’s my excuse anyway. If you have a reversible (double colour) one it’s a great way of keeping the variety by using the same amount of space.
- 6 bras: 4 sporty, 2 normal.
- 7 Vests
- 4 T-shirts
- 3 Long sleeve shirts
- 2 dresses
- 1 Fleece
- 3 Jumpers
- 1 Water Proof Jacket
- 1 Pijama
- 1 Sarong
- 2 scarves (one cotton one wool)
- 1 Travel towel
- 1 Hat Nosilife
TOILETRIES
1 toothbrush
1 hair brush
1 nail scissors
1 nail file
1 tweezer
1 nail polish
1 package of dental floss
1 Epilator shaver
1 razor (for emergencies 😉
Contact lens (half trip worth)
1 pair of Ear plugs
Some plastic / wood cheap jewellery (helps you “dress up” your casual clothes)
Makeup: 1 Kajal black pencil, 1 rimmel, 1 lipstick (you’ll get a tan, so no need for powder!)
Ensure you get a nice travel beauty case that you can hang anywhere, and with included mirror!
Shared items:
1 tube of toothpaste
1 Unisex Deodorant
1 bottle of travel soap
1 Shampoo / Shower Gel
1 Sun screen 30
1 Aloe After Sun
1 SMALL MEDICAL KIT
Band-Aids
Hydrocortisone cream
Antibacterial cream
Doctor-prescribed antibiotics
Tylenol
Hand sanitizer
Malaria pills
We divided all medicines in half, so if one of the bags gets lost or stolen we have half the supply.
GEAR (for those blogging, taking video, or anything else)
Camera
Tripod
Universal power adapter
1 binoculars (for Safari)
1 Black tape (useful for unknown reasons)
Adapters
MISCELLANEOUS
2 key or combination locks (everyone should have this!)
Zip-top bags are an absolute MUST
Plastic bags
Swiss knife
ROB / Men RTW packing list
CLOTHES
1 dress shirt for when I go out to a respectable place in the evening.
1 pair of jeans (They may be heavy and not easily dried, but I wear them a lot. A good alternative can be khaki pants.)
1 pair of shorts
1 bathing suit
6 T-shirts
1 long-sleeve T-shirt
1 pair of flip-flops
1 pair of sneakers
8 pairs of socks
1 pair of black dress socks
1 pair of dress shoes (Heavy to carry around, but when I visit local friends, we usually go somewhere not sneaker-friendly)
7 pairs of boxer shorts
1 towel
TOILETRIES
1 toothbrush
Buy a small backpack so you won’t be tempted to overpack. We subconsciously like to fill empty space so if you have a big bag, you are going to fill it.
For tips on how to choose the right backpack, click here.
If you are thinking about doing it the hardcore way check out this handy article:The Ultimate List of Healthy Microwave Meals When Traveling
