Adventures WorldRace SethBarnes Sponsorship Giving

| by archiveworldraceblogs

To all the future gap year racers preparing for their race, and to all the people back home wandering what all I packed on my back for 9 months- KEEP READING! I tried to write this blog as in depth as possible, but if you have any questions at all just drop them in the comments below and I will answer them as soon as possible.

I am halfway through my race and have enjoyed the way I packed. Remember that this is still a learning process for me, but I want to help you as much as possible. I tried to find links to everything I purchased, so I hope that helps!

My route is Swaziland (3 months), Nepal (1 month), India (2 months), and Guatemala (3 months). My route is a fairly hot one, so also take that into consideration.  

*** means you can purchase the item in country. 

Gear:

Small Gear Items:

  • Packing cubes
  • Towel 
    • https://www.rei.com/product/127504/rei-co-op-multi-towel-lite I purchased 2 XL (to switch out halfway) and 1 XS for my face. There are tons of people on my squad who have reverted to a real towel over their microfiber towel. So far I have not experienced any issues with mine, and am enjoying it just fine! It’s honestly just a personal preference. 
  • Spork and bowl: It doesn’t matter what you get, just make sure you pack one. 
  • Toiletry bag
  • Toiletries 
    • It is 100% true that you can purchase toiletries in other countries, but I highly recommend bringing you tried and true items from home. If you use it at home, bring it! I definitely overpacked on the toiletries, but I am grateful I brought all of my favorites! Here is what I brought: 
      • *Toothbrush* (2, to switch out half way)
      • *Floss*
      • *Toothpaste* (3 tubes)
      • *Deodorant* (3 sticks) If you prefer to use stick deodorant, bring your own! Other countries only have the spray.
      • Face wash and face exfoliator (If you are a skin care freak like me, bring it!)
      • *Lotion* (This is something that you can buy in country) 
      • *Q-tips* 
      • Lufa: DO NOT LEAVE AMERICA WITHOUT ONE
      • *Baby wipes*
      • *Shampoo* 
        • … The lush shampoo bar works wanders! I highly recommend. 
      • *Conditioner*
        • I did bring the lush conditioner bar but I do not recommend it. Because we take cold showers, the conditioner bar isn’t able to warm up and actually condition your hair. 
  • Crossbody bag

Electronics 

Clothes

  • Tops
    • 2 comfort color tees
    • 3 old navy tees that can be dressed up or dressed down 
    • 1 long sleeve shirt (I didn’t bring one, and every ounce of me regrets it)
    • 1 flannel
  • Bottoms 
    • 3 skirts (My first country is Swaziland for 3 months and we have to wear skirts everyday to ministry) I did end up dropping two of them after Swaziland
    • 3 pairs of long pants (one pair of jeans, 2 loose/casual pants)
    • 1 pair of leggings
    • 1 pair of athletic short
  • Underwear 
    • I invested in 4 pairs of the exoficcio underwear and they are amazing! You can wash them in the sink at night and they are dry by morning. 
  • Socks 
    • I packed 3 pairs of athletic socks, but I do recommend bringing 1 pair of thicker socks. 
  • Bras
    • 1 regular bra
    • 2 sports bra
    • 1 Calvin Klein trainer bra
  • Rain jacket 
  • I highly recommend bringing one thing from home that makes you feel like you! For me it was my denim jacket and even though it is a little bulky, it’s my favorite clothing item to spice up any outfit!
  • I also recommend bring more tee shirts. Pack ones you aren’t afraid to get dirty, and take thrift shopping serious!

Shoes

  • Birkenstocks
  • Chacos
  • Close toed shoes of your preference. I highly recommend bringing running shoes if you run at home and plan to run on the race. I did not bring mine and regret it SO much. 
  • Shower shoes 

ECT.

  • Bible
  • Journal 
    • I recommend bringing 2 to start off with. You can always try to buy something in country. 
  • Pens
    • Bring your favorite pens! Good pens are hard to find. I love to do hand-lettering so I brought my pens, pencils, brush pens, and all! I know theres a few of my squadmates that even brought water color supplies. 
  • Watch
  • Hydroflask 
  • Essential oils 
  • Tea tree oil 
  • Chapstick- Lots of it!
  • Dirty clothes bag
  • Rope and clothes pins for laundry 
  • Pocket knife 
  • Hand sanitizer 
    • PACK IT! Lots of it! It’s much appreciated during lunch time at ministry. For some reason we can’t find it anywhere in Swaziland. 
  • Sunscreen 
  • Tampons 
    • Pack however many you will need for the full 9 months. You won’t find plastic applicator tampons overseas.
  • Hair brush, a small mirror, nail clippers, tweezers, razor, and hair ties (lots of them!)
  • Hair masks/face masks
  • Makeup
    • I’ve worn makeup once since being in Swaziland. Mostly because it will melt off of my face if I put it on, but it is nice to throw on some mascara every now and then.
  • Jewelry 
    • I don’t recommend packing your absolute favorites. This helps avoid losing anything you hold close to your heart. Pack your everyday basics, and try to pick up some along the way! 
  • Important documents
    • Make copies of your ID, social security card, passport, insurance, vaccination record, and yellow fever card. 

Medications

I personally did not pack much medicine. If you get sick, you will be taken to a clinic where they will provide the proper medications! 

  • Probiotics
  • Malaria medicine
  • 9 months of birth control 
  • Emergen-c packets: I take one once a week. 
  • Advil 
  • Essential oils 
  • Melatonin 

Somehow this all fit into my pack! It’s kinda crazy, I know. Don’t let packing for The World Race overwhelm you though. I promise if you forget anything important, there will be possibilities to buy it along your race. 

Thanks for checking out my packing list sweet friends! Please don’t hesitate to ask any questions. 

Much love from India,

Jordan