So let’s talk about packing! I’m not the worst packer out there, I am good at making things fit, but I do tend to way over pack. One of the questions you get a lot before heading out on the race is how do you intend to fit everything and my answer was always “You just do” or “What fits fits and what doesn’t doesn’t”. Now that I have actually packed and headed to launch I thought I would write a packing blog.
First, I made a list of everything I may want to bring….better to start out with too many ideas and pare it down I figure. I organized my list with headings such as “Essentials, Meds, Bathroom Stuff, Electronics, Personal Items, Shoes, Clothes, Misc” and so on. I meant to take a picture of my list to show you but then forgot it at home. Let’s just say it was a full to sided paper. I then took the extra step of highlighting/colour coding my list. I did two colours. One for things that would be in my day pack on ministry days and one that would be in my day pack on travel days. No these lists were not the same.
Second, I layed out all my stuff. I put on my clothes organized by what they were; long pants, shorts, skirts, t-shirts, sleeveless, long sleeve. I then also sorted the rest of my stuff by what they were according to the list.
Third, TIME TO PACK! I starting find what packing bags my stuff fit into. I like organization and I am not the kind of person to just through it all in there contrary to some of my friends advice.
Here is everything that is on the inside of my pack! We will start from the top left and work our way down.
In the top of my lid is my PJ pants and shirt.
Let’s start out at the top with the towel. Everything on that towel goes on the inside of my pack’s lid. The towel, razer, blades, soap leaves (literally small pieces of soap paper), and shampoo all go in the mesh towel bag as kind of a shower bag. The electroncs go in a clear bag and include: 2 converters, extra memory card, extra headphones, extra iphone plug and cord, camera charger, and battery booster. crib game, and my fundraising shirt (I wasn’t going to bring this but figured I would since it fit).
Beside my towel is my ‘South America toiletries’. I have one of these for each leg of my journey. It contains: wet wipes, kleenex, gum, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, hand sanitizer, lip balm, deodorant, soap leaves, a makeup sponge, and a nail file.
Sleeping bag inside my stuff sack.
Letters from friends.
In my underwear bag are 2 sports bras, 2 bandeaus, 3 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks.
In my ‘Meds’ bag I have: bandaids, q-tips (took 170), extra razor blades, bug stuff, sunscreen, extra ear plugs, anti-itch cream, aloe gel, thermometer, tenser bandage, medical tape, inhaler, prescription foot cream, sleep pills, stool softener, antihistamine, sinus pills, and then luxury food enhancers lol 22 crystal lights (two a month) and then spices, steak spice, black paper, paprika.
Bathing Suit and Long Sleeve uber thin cardigan go in one outside side pocket. Underneath that is a mosquito net hood, 2 headbands, and 3 months worth of pads which go in the opposite side pack. Underneath that is my keens hiking sandals that go in my front outside pocket.
Beside that stuff is my ‘Utilities’ bag: clothes line, string, Gorilla tape, swiss army knife, needle and thread, safety pins, utensils. Under that is my ‘toiletries/personal’ bag: toothbrush and toothpaste and floss, body guide (chub rub is real!), laundry soap, Makeup bag (foundation with sponge, bronzer with brush, mascara, brow pencil, nail file and polish (kids like their nails painted!), and my sharp things bag (tweezers, nail clippers, scissors, cuticle clippers). All this goes in pack with the collapsible plate and shower flip flops above it.
On to the clothes. I have two packing cubes. One for cold climate and one for warm, which I wont need to touch until I get to Africa in January. Lets start with the cold one which is in the bottom right. Thermal top and bottom, long sleeve warm top, long sleeve shirt, nice church top, 3 tshirts, long skirt with bike shorts for underneath, long pants, running tank bra and pants. In the warm one is two sleeveless tops, one tank top, 3 t-shirts, capris, skort, skirt, shorts, PJ shorts, pairs of socks, and 6 new pairs of underwear. As well as the “Africa Toiletries Bag” which is the same as the South America one listed above. And 6 months of pad. A note about underwear; some might wonder why I have 3 in the underwear bag and 6 in the warm bag. My plan is 3 per leg of the journey so that every continent I also get new underwear. All this means is daily washing the pair you just took off so you always have one on, one drying, and one extra.
This is a picture of all that stuff put into it’s packing bags.
This is the stuff that is hanging on the outside of my pack.
My grey pillow and grey homemade sleeping bag liner go inside the grey waterproof stuff sack, my tent poles and pegs go inside my yoga mat, my yoga strap, extra compression sack (not sure why), travel mug, tent in the blue stuff sack (it has two hard poles sewn into it so I cant put it in a compression sack; this was not going planning), and two pairs of runners.
What’s not pictured is the convertible pants/shorts, socks/underwear, sports bra, t-shirt, watch, and boots I am wearing as my travel outfit. Yes boots, I plan to wear them on my feet and then get rid of them before Africa since we are doing winter where there will be snow.
Wow! It weighed in at 49.06 pounds!!!
Now for the day pack!
We’ll go from the bottom and work our way up. Bottom right is my air pad (training camp taught me that for travel days I will not be without!) Folded up travel pillow, ear plugs, eye patch, summer weight scarf, hat, long sleeve button up, non-liquid toiletries (hair pick, Tylenol, nail file, bobby pins in a tic tac container with hair ties wrapped around it, wet wipes and kleenex. The two black things under my water bottle are my canon rebel and zoom lens in neoprene bags. Above the hat is first aid kit, headlamp, and magnetic chess set with a deck of cards inside. Above the water bottle is my computer accessories bag with three 8gb memory sticks, 500gb hard drive, card reader, and computer charger. Above that in the computer. The blue thing above the chess set it my rain jacket beside that is the rain cover. Above that stuff in my bible, devotional, 2 bible study books, pens and highlighters, and photobook. Prescription meds (Anxiety pills, B12, extra Tylenol, Imodium, malaria pills, altitude pills, acid pills, and altitude sickness pills) and retainer (don’t want to lose this!) I also have a grey hand towel, a purse and a wallet, a mirror, headphones, q-tips and gum. Lastly I have my liquid travel stuff; travel sunscreen, eye drops, travel toothpaste, antibiotic cream, breath spray, lip balm, hand lotion, and hand sanitizer. Weighing in at approximately 18lbs.
The End!
