So once upon a time a very dear man (we’ll call him SPAM Man) was concerned for my well-being on the race. He was concerned about the food I would eat so he tried to convince me to bring cans of Spam to eat when times were rough.
I said no.
So instead he got me a Spam flyswatter, Spam poncho, and Spam luggage tag.
And I brought them.
And then my team laughed at me.
Until the first time we were attacked by bugs.
And then I was awesome for having a flyswatter! I was especially awesome last month in Cambodia where we were attacked twice by flying termites (seriously the grossest bugs ever! They have huge, papery wings but slimy bodies. Just thinking about them makes me want to gag!) So first off, THANK YOU SPAM Man for the awesome gifts! Secondly, now that I’m in my FINAL MONTH (!) of the race I figured it’s a good time for the good old what to bring packing list! I’m a girl so if you’re a guy….sorry I’ll probably leave things out you’d like!
CLOTHES
- Bring cute, fun clothes! You’ll probably be doing visitations and such and you don’t want to look like a slob. You also will want to feel pretty so bring things you actually like.
- A pair (or two) of LONG shorts (to the knee) and a tshirt (or two) that you don’t mind getting destroyed when doing manual labor. Lots of countries require women to cover their shoulders and not wear things too high above the knee.
- Close-toed flats. It’s not on the packing list so I didn’t bring them and I’ve regretted it just about every month. This month we have to wear close-toed shoes sometimes and all we have are sneakers so now we are roaming stores to find a pair�"it’s not going well. No one wants to show up to church in a skirt and sneakers. Trust me. Romania.
- A legit towel! I brought a real towel and I’m the only one who doesn’t hate their towel! The quick dry ones don’t make you feel totally dry and they start to smell quick. Some people just buy a new towel in each country but I’ve carried mine the whole way and not regretted a minute of it!
ODDS AND ENDS
- Flyswatter (seriously, it takes up almost no room and there are crazy bugs in the rest of the world!)
- Headphone splitter or mini speakers�"you’ll want movie nights or dance parties and this makes it so much better!
- Extra batteries for your head lamp! Batteries around the world are either SUPER expensive or only last a minute!
- Something that makes you feel like a girl. You will be dirty. You will be smelly. You will forget that you have the ability to be pretty and desirable. This, at some point will probably bring you to tears. I love painting my nails so I brought some nail polish and remover. Totally frivolous, totally kept me sane some days. If you love wearing headbands bring cute ones, or if you love heels, bring a pair. You’ll probably get less than 10 chances to wear them but you’ll love every minute of it.
- A thermometer! We use that thing every month! Sometimes it’s a hassle to get to a clinic so you only want to go if you really need to. Knowing if you actually have a fever or not is key!
- Extra pair of headphones. I’d say probably half the squad had their headphones die and finding a good/cheap pair overseas is sometimes super difficult.
- Lots of your favorite pens/pencils/markers/whatever you like to write with! This was some of the best advice I got pre-race! I’m VERY specific about the pens I use. I love the blue Sharpie pens and back home I use them for everything so I brought 15 on the race. I have 2 left for the next 29 days and I’ve been thrilled not having to use some gimpy pen.
- Pick up your favorite razor and then 11 extra blade heads! It’s like every month you get a brand new razor and it’s not some scary, cheap bic! They don’t take up a lot of room and your legs will love you for it! Nice razors are super pricey overseas!
- S:EEPING BAG LINER!!! Best last minute race purchase ever.
- Crest toothpaste! (it’s the ONLY toothpaste brand you can’t find overseas and it’s the only brand I love.)
- Powered drink packets. I didn't think it was possible but you will start to hate drinking water after a while. The packets make you feel like you're having a special treat.
DON'T BRING
Here are things I packed that I wish I hadn't:
- Mosquito net. If you need one the place will have it or you'll be able to get it super cheap!
- Hiking boats–sneaker/tennis shoes are fine!
- Big bottles of shampoo/conditioner. It adds a TON of weight and you can get super cheap stuff in every country (unless you are super passionate about a brand other than Pantene–Pantene is EVERYWHERE!)
- Mess kit. I used my cup a few times to take coffee to go (no where else do they eat or drink on the go…weird!) but I could have bought a coffee mug for 20 cents. But definitely bring a spork or silverware set! Travel days will be way better with it!
Hope this helps! Also I am super pumped to drop all kinds of stuff at final debrief! My pack is going to way about 10lbs when I come back!
