This is a long compiled list of advice, mixed with tips/wish I would have’s, and portions of it give my opinion about what kind of gear to but for the race….
Don’t buy a pillow if you are going to use a travel pillow, use the first airplane pillow and switch them out whenever you get on the next flight. AND ‘borrow’ the blanket : ) they are wonderful. BUT do bring a blow up neck pillow, I got one halfway in the race and it changed my life. I also would use it inside my other pillow for extra lift if I needed it. BUT if you are pillow picky, get a memory foam pillow, whether a real one or Thermarest makes nice ones that rolls up.
Use a sarong for a towel, it packs up really small and dries fast, and don’t kid yourself with a small towel… I am so so glad I brought something that wrapped completely around me! If you really don’t want to bring a sarong then-
This material is the best to get..http://www.rei.com/product/832935/rei-multitowel-lite-x-large-towel-54-x-25 There is this other kind I got and it did not dry like it said at training camp so I switched to this one and it's great! I think my old one was kinda like Shamwow material?
Bring dyer sheets to keep your clothes fresh when you are in a month that you will not use ‘winter’ or ‘summer’ clothes, plus nice to pack with clothes when in Africa.
Use a program on Mac called, Journaler. I used it and had a section for normal journaling, one for culture notes in each month, one for a brief ministry summary and one for people I met in each place.
I brought a travel fan, it didn’t take that much space but I didn’t use it much, except in Swaziland, and then it was fun to give it as a gift to a lady there, and she used it is church every week… so this is about personal preference.
Don’t bring a bunch of laundry soap, you can buy is anywhere, but you can bring a few packets from the travel section at a grocery store just in case.
Don’t pack a surge protector, we bought one for our whole team to use in Mozambique at the market and it was one of them that is universal…worked perfectly!
Don’t pack an umbrella, if you get somewhere and need one you can buy one.
Bring an itouch, it is amazingly convenient for skype, and you never know when you will get free wifi and an itouch will be with you all the time.
BRING plenty of Deodorant, however, in Swaziland, at the mall in Manzini there were some drug stores that carried ‘western’ deodorant and we stocked up. -look for ‘clickes’.
Don’t drink caffeine on travel days, I learned that my feel swelled much more when I had… it was awful, especially on the plane.
Bring one pair or Smart Wool socks for China… OR anywhere else you go that might be cold, they are wonderful.
Body Exfoliation gloves, and a foot stone, you have no idea the kind of junk that gets caked on your body for 11 months.
Bring febreez, no matter how big it is.
In your journal, keep track of every city you were in, even on travel days, and tally the beds you slept in.
I wish I would have taken pictures of every bed I slept in for a fun slideshow at the end of my race.
Take pictures of the common food in each country and start a folder for them and make a slideshow at the end of your race, people are always curious about it.
I wish I would have brought a 1000g hard drive and not just a 500g, but bring it in a hard case.
I wish I would have bought a protective case and keyboard cover for my mac.
I wish I would have brought a day pack that has a waist band, or at least padded straps.
Bring good pens they are hard to find sometimes.
Bring spray to kill bed bugs, there is a special spray.
Ok, so this happened many times at ministry sites… we didn’t see a chair for a month and to be quite honest with you my tail bone was sore from the concrete so bring a fold up butterfly chair.
Wrap Duct Tape around your Nalgene and then whenever you need it during the race you can pull some off… genius.
Bring a pair of good flip flops. example: Rainbows.
I wish I would have bought 11 sheet protectors because I found them later and used them or organize notes from each country and anything else I wanted to keep.
I got a small Moleskin journal, one that fit in my purse and I always used it, and it had a handy pocket in the back for any cards or tickets.
DO NOT FORGET luggage locks, but be sure they are the ones approved. Also bring a few lockable caribieners for your daypack.
I chose not to bring a mess kit and I don’t regret it at all. Those things are annoying and chances are you have a teammate that brought one and they will share : )
I might have even brought a one person tent even though they say two person because I only used it once and had to haul it around for 11 months, or just get a really light weight one.
I wish I would have packed enough razor replacements for my Venus even though I thought it was ridiculous at first but they are expensive over seas.
If you have a Study Bible bring it, because three people on our squad had them and everyone wanted to use them all the time. (OR you can just hope to borrow other people’s)
I did videography all month and I wish I would have brought a nicer camera, even though I still hate the idea of luging around a huge camera but I would make a little bit of an upgrade at least. And a teammate brought a battery powered small recorder to record voices better. I only suggest doing that if you think you will do videos during the year.
If you do need to bring camera equipment- http://www.rei.com/product/800125/mountainsmith-borealis-at-camera-pack
This is what my friend uses, and if I had equipment I would too. The whole bottom part is made to safely carry camera equipment, it adds some serious weight which is another reason to make sure your pack is not too heavy. If you have a heavy pack you want a light day pack and vise versa, unless you will not be doing much walking, but in africa…. you will be. And don't forget to get locks for day pack. I keep all my electrical stuff in mine. Your locks need to be certified for travel btw otherwise. You can also check out the other camera backpacks at REI maybe some other ones are better.
A neat idea is getting Bibles in every language on the race, but you have to be willing to send boxes home.
In a document on your computer (Journaler if you have that program) do a section for Cultural Notes in each country, people you met, how your heart changed that month, and also a ministry summary. It helps A LOT A LOT, especially when you get home and are sharing with people or churches.
Bring light weight tennis shoes, you wont need hiking shoes.
You don’t need at much medicine as people say you do, I packed a full case and rarely touched any of it. In fact, just bring one big bottle and pack everything in it- Impodium, cypro, z-packs(3), Excedrin Migraine, Nausea meds (or sleeping pills), and maybe a laxatives if you have a need for it. But if you have medicine you use at home, like skin cream or certain vitamins you use consistently, maybe iron pills if you are anemic, then bring enough for the year. When you are with your team you will have a team first aid kit from AIM.
Some people brought Steri Pens, and in Africa they were helpful. AIM gives you a water pump but the pen is much smaller and easier to use.
Don’t pack food when you leave for the race, you can buy snacks anywhere.
Bring an extra set of headphone, people always loose them, and also bring an extra ipod chord, and WRITE your name on them.
Bring a splitter, everyone always wanted to use mine, I bought a Belkin multi plug-in splitter and it was a good choice.
I bought a toothbrush cover called ‘steri pot’ and it sterilizes the toothbrush. It small too. I didn’t care so much about germs but your toothbrush can start to smell like water mold over time and it keeps it from doing that.
GIRLS: BRING A GOOD SPRAY IN CONDITIONER. I am a cosmetologist and midway through, I regretting not having good shampoo. The race tore my hair up. I suggest you get Keratin Spray by ‘It’s a 10’. It’s expensive but worth it.
BEST APP EVERRRRRRRRR- get a app called ‘Postagram’ on your itouch or iphone. You can send postcards with pictures you took home from that app for .99cents. It’s amazing for keeping up with Birthdays and Holidays, or even supporters.
Also, I got the ‘Kindle’ app asap when I got on the race because I realized how convenient it was. Many people had a Kindle but I didn’t but my app was just nice for the most part, despite that 3G that Kindle’s have. You can buy books on amazon and they will download through internet on your itouch/iphone and you can read them later electronically.
I know people like those mouth guards on Nalgene’s but they get moldy fast, and the other thing with Nalgene’s is sometimes you get a plastic taste with your drinks so many people brought metal water bottles which has it’s plus and minus’. I would have stuck with my Nalgene but I would have gotten the ones with the smaller opening. I got the bigger opening for cleaning sake, but I could just shake up soap in it. And I thought for the sake of fitting ice into it, but we never has ice so it didn’t matter.
Coffee drinkers- bring a few VIA instant coffee packets from Starbucks, they are amazing. You probably wont have real coffee for over half of the time and VIA tastes like the real stuff because it is not freeze dried and 100% natural Arabica coffee beans, AND it dissolves in cold or hot water/milk. (Can you tell I used to work for Starbucks…haha)
THESE bags are a life saver… http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-wpf-compression-sack-3pk
I kid you not, whoever came up with these… wow. I actually kept all my clothing in the larger orange one and it compresses down to half the size. I used the red one for my tent and bug net and it compressed way way way down. (i can't express enough how great they are). The blue one I use for dirty clothes so smells don't get on my clean ones seeing as washing machines are limited… or if you ever need a dry sack. So my technique of putting all my clothes in one compression sack is good unless…. you are moving a lot. One month, I don't mind but it is annoying to have to take everything out to find something but if you are in one place for awhile no biggy. You could get a few of the smaller sacks and do shorts in one and shirts in the other and sooooo on! : ).
Packing cubes are surprisingly compress-able and convenient… http://www.backcountry.com/eagle-creek-pack-it-quarter-cube
This sleeping bag is amazing. I like down but I don't like mummy bags because I feel trapped and this bag is ubbber light and warm. http://www.sunnysports.com/prod/KLTBG30RN.html?ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=KLTBG30RN
This compression bag is the best I have ever seen and often get compliments on how small it goes down… smaller than a soccer ball. It is waterproof which is great for down sleeping bags. It is kinda tricky at first because you need to keep the opening at the top sticking out so when you so when you compress it air comes out still. I forgave that poor design ha.
http://www.rei.com/product/730882/sea-to-summit-event-compression-dry-sack
This rain jacket is great because it is light but it seems to not compress as small as some however… this baby has crazy ventilation, like you know…. HOW some rain jackets make you sweat and you feel sticky, not this one.
http://o2rainwear.com/category/products/
I just got the original because I was getting low on funds.
I think my pack all together was one of the lightest when packed and I am convinced that a lot of that has to do with the fact that it was only a 65 liters. During the winter months it was hard to fit everything but in the end I don’t think I would have changed my pack to a bigger one.
The guys on our squad are obsessed with ICE BREAKER clothing…. and I gotta say, they are pretty impressive. Check them out.
Exofficio carries awesome stuff, the guys brag about their 'underwear' ha because of how light, breathable and fast drying they are. (Yes we have these conversations after 11 months together haha)
Cotton shirts get real nasty and keep smells in. But I would still bring one and not use it on the days you work but for comfort… IF cotton shirts are your comfort.
One thing they tell us all the time on the Race is to pack like what you wear at home (with discernment for girls on skirts/shorts/shirts) and that is so true! if you enjoy sundresses, bring some, if you wear make up bring it, don't just bring all quick dry, unless you like that kind of clothing. But don’t pack too much clothing, it’s not worth the weight. You can buy and trade out clothing during the race, but start out packing light, in amount and weight. Don’t pack winter clothes, if you are going to go somewhere cold, you all can find a secondhand store. But do bring a light-weight Columbia fleece or something like it.
Pack Ziplock bags, just a few but you never realize how much you need them until you are without them.
My sleeping bag liner has been my saving grace and worth every extra penny I spent. I got a silk Rab one. I got silk because that baby gets SMALL! I pack it on my daypack every travel day and use it a lot, because I get so cold on planes.
Airporters, I got the Osprey one and it is pretty large but it was nice to have extra room for my teammates if their packs were too heavy and I had room to spare so they would not get charged extra weight. Plus it is nice to have on the way home to stuff extras in it. Some of my teammates got the airporters that can be like a back pack and sometimes I wish I had, the Osprey one is hard to carry so I have to take is off to go anywhere.
