14 Things You Might Not Think About Packing – But Should
Lori Sussle spent eight weeks backpacking in South America earlier this year. This must-have packing list was created with backpacking in mind, but it’s certainly not mutually exclusive. Here are her 14 Things You Might Not Think About Packing but Should. Share your own must haves in the comments below.
Headlamp When you find yourself without electricity (Cabo Polonio, Uruguay), without street lights (San Pedro de Atacama, Chile) or if you want to be a considerate roommate (someone WILL be sleeping before you set out your toothbrush and pajamas), a headlamp is worth its weight in gold. Mine proved its worth by day three (of 60).
Hooded silk sleep sack Not only did it provide me with a layer away from hostel sheets and pillowcases but in backpacker conditions, the sack (that folded up into itself) felt luxurious…especially when the alternative was a sheet the texture of sandpaper on the other side. Bonus: in altitude, it provided me with extra warmth!
Compression sack Perfect for consolidating less needed items – when I was in warm-weather locales, the sack eliminated the extra space needed by my fleece and jeans.
iPod Anticipate your needs. I used my ‘sleep’ playlist on overnight bus rides and when sharing rooms with snorers.
Toilet paper Go on, laugh. But don’t take TP for granted even when you have to pay to use a toilet. More often than not, you’ll need to provide your own.
Duct tape I was in an area known for mosquitos and I hadn’t taken any malaria meds. Upon checking in, I noticed there was a hole in the window screen. I whipped out the duct tape, covered the holes and hoped for the best. Scarf Or as I call it – a cover up, beach towel, pillow, pillow case, sarong and blanket. Oh, and yes, a scarf.
Quick dry travel towel Not very quick but it was better than using the washcloth sized towels at some hostels. If used the morning of a travel day, sunshine helped the drying process while waiting for the bus.
Biore Cleansing Facial Cloths After an overnight bus ride, or just days sans shower, using one of these made all the difference. I will never travel without facial cloths again.
Whistle Thankfully I never used it. My whistle took up permanent residence in my daypack. It was at the ready if there was an abundance of stray dogs or if I was walking alone in the dark.
Decoy wallet I never had to use it as such. Instead it doubled as a change purse. Had I needed to hand it over, it was heavy enough to be believable, yet not enough to impact my travels.
Plastic bag Again, another multi-purpose item – a laundry bag, wet clothes bag, muddy shoe bag, beach bag, shopping bag, snacks bag, trash bag…
And finally, don’t forget your sense of humor and patience.
Originally published on The Independent Traveler [acquired by TripAdvisor].