PLEASE READ ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM!
When I talk to my friends, family and supporters about packing for this trip, I always have to kindly explain that I’ll essentially be “backpacking” for a year. I’ve shown many of you my amazing 70L pack and oftentimes, your eyes would widen and you’d say something like “That’s all you get?!” or “I don’t how you’ll get it all in there”. Never fear everyone – I’m here to share with you EXACTLY what made it into my pack and what didn’t for this 11 month journey!
(NOTE to future Racers: this blog isn’t necessarily written for your benefit as I can’t yet tell you if my choices were the “right” or “wrong” ones for me. Who knows – by month 3, maybe I’ll hate the way I’ve packed… and then that wouldn’t be a very beneficial list to you, now would it? Stayed tuned for a future “packing” blog [maybe month 8??] when I’ll try to give a review on how I did on my original packing!)
In the large 70L pack:
GEAR
- 2 person tent with footprint and rainfly (in a compression sack)
- Sleeping pad, sleeping bag and sleeping bag liner (in a compression sack)
- ENO hammock with slap straps and a bug net
- Osprey airporter with travel lock (this is the black bag that my backpack goes into when I’m traveling – to protect the pack)
- Rain cover (in case for some reason we’re caught in a downpour while traveling – I’m thinking if we’re loaded on a bus and our stuff is riding on the roof)
- Headlamp with extra batteries
- Collapsible bowl and spork
CLOTHES
- Teva sandals, Nike tennis shoes, and Croc sexi flip-flops
- 3 pairs of socks
- 8 pairs of underwear
- 3 sports bras, 1 regular bra
- 2 pairs of athletic shorts (basketball and running length)
- 1 skirt
- 5 pairs of pants/capris, 1 pair of black skinny jeans
- 1 pair of leggings
- 4 tank tops, 5 t-shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt
- Swimsuit
- Rain jacket
- Scarf
TOILETRIES
- Hanging toiletry bag
- 2 quick dry towels
- 3 sticks of deodorant
- Travel size shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, body spray, mouthwash, face wash, astringent and face lotion
- Toothbrush, toothpaste (one regular, one extra fluoride) and floss
- Bar of soap, loofa, pumice stone, Q-tips, cotton pads, travel tissues and baby wipes
- Tweezers, nail clippers, razor (with 6 replacement blades), contacts with solution and Diva Cup
- Hair brush, hair ties, bobby pins, headbands and mascara
- Hand sanitizer, bug repellant lotion, sunscreen and chapstick
MEDICINES
- Malaria meds for 11 months
- Cipro and Immodium
- Tums
- Multi-vitamin and probiotic
- Melatonin
- Ibuprofen
- Dayquil/Nyquil
- Anti-itch cream
- Dramamine
MISCELLANEOUS
- Copy of passport
- Pocket knife multi-tool
- Dryer sheets (to keep everything smelling good)
- Mesh laundry bag
- Extra Ziploc bags
- Crystal Light and Starbucks Via packets
In my 22L “daypack” (my carry-on bag for travel days):
- Change of clothes
- Quart bag of travel size toiletries
- Thermarest pillow with homemade pillow case
- Nalgene water bottle
- Wallet (containing money, passport, debit/credit cards, driver’s license, extra passport photos (for visas, if necessary)
- Electronics (including Surface tablet, iPhone with headphones, Nook, camera, external hard drive, flash drive, and chargers for all) with power strip and plug adaptors
- Bible, journal, pens/pencils, playing cards
- Sunglasses and prescription glasses
- Watch
- Baseball cap
- Folding fan
I started writing this blog while on the airplane from New York to Delhi. When our team finally landed in Bangalore the next day, it turns out that the airline had lost my big pack somewhere between Delhi and Bangalore (apparently the tag had fallen off or something so it stayed in Delhi). I was without my big pack for the 11 days that followed (my bag was delivered yesterday to our ministry location). And the Lord really taught me something in that time.
I learned that I honestly didn’t need any of my stuff to be satisfied or joyful. Sure – there were some items that I wished I had (like my Croc sexi flips or the letters written to me by some of my family and friends). Yeah – I had to wash my clothes practically nightly and/or just learned to live with them not 100% clean a little earlier on in the Race than I had hoped. And OK – I was worried about the $100 emergency cash I had stowed away in there and the copy of my passport and credit card information. But through it all, I found myself truly in need of nothing and frankly I consider myself blessed to have learned this lesson early on in the Race.
When my pack arrived yesterday, I was grateful for the answer to all of our prayers and for the knowledge that my stuff was safe. But really – it’s just stuff. If I really needed something, it could be replaced. And if it couldn’t be replaced, I have a community of people around me willing to share (at least in MOST things – haha!). My encouragement to future Racers would be twofold: 1.) when the “lose your bag” scenario happens at Training Camp, please buy into the experience (because lo and behold, it really does happen!) and 2.) don’t freak out over what you’re gonna pack (I know everyone says it, but take it from the girl who lost her pack for the first 11 days of the Race – you’ll find anything and everything you need either at the store or in your teammates’ packs!).
Please start praying now for our squad travel day to Nepal coming up next week. We’re flying the same airline… 😉
For His glory,
Nat
