You have been accepted to the World Race. You have begun fundraising and are trusting in the Lord to provide like never before. You also have purchased a 60 liter backpack and are trying to figure out how in the world you are going to pack everything you need for 11 months in it. But do not fear. It is not as scary as it seems. I know you probably think I am crazy for saying that, but trust me. If anyone seems the most unlikely to live out of a backpack, it would be me. I have had my fair share of packing meltdowns and have purchased things that I have never needed out of shear worry that I might for some reason suddenly need it in the next 11 months of my life.
So here it is – the packing advice that I would have given myself had I known the ins and outs of the Race. Even if you are not going on the Race and just want to be better at packing or maybe you are about to do a different type of trip abroad, read on because this series of blogs is for you all to learn how to be the best packer/traveler you can be.
Now first (and this pertains specifically to Racers), people are going to try to convince you that you are going to need everything outdoorsy ever invented. DO NOT BELIEVE THEM. Yes, you may be needing things like a tent and sleeping bag, but you are not going to be roughing it or living off the land for 11 months. I know some people have months where they tent and have no electricity or plumbing, but that is just for 4 weeks at the most. And most Racers do not have more than one of these months. In fact, I am in month 7 and have yet to use my tent at all. Other things are a nice idea like a hammock, but you probably won’t get to use them. I sent my hammock home month 5 because I had yet to stay somewhere where I had a place to hang it, and I was tired of it taking up space in my pack.
Ok, now I am about to let you in on a little Race secret. Are you ready? Every team gets a nifty little thing called a supply budget. You know all that money you raised? Well, some of it gets put into this fund that your team gets to use every month. My team has purchased things like dish soap and hand sanitizer. It also is used for necessities like bug spray, sun screen, toilet paper, first aid supplies, water purifiers, and mosquito nets. So my advice: don’t bring any of this stuff. You may want to bring one roll of TP and one tiny bottle of sanitizer to get you started, but other than that, free up space in your pack and leave all these items at home.
Also, you know that prescription you have to buy a year’s worth supply? Well, I say don’t. If you have Thailand or Cambodia on your route, rejoice! You can buy prescriptions drugs in these countries without a prescription and for way less than what you would pay in the States. Our contacts in Cambodia even suggested we buy contact lenses there, but alas, I had already purchased enough for the year for exorbitant prices at home.
Another word of advice: do not believe that you will not be able to find necessities overseas. It is a big fat lie. Now, I’ll be honest. In some places (like China for instance), it is hard to find things in English, and they may have less familiar brands. But for the most part, you can find familiar brands of toiletries and other items everywhere. Drugstores and 7-11 sell all you need. Now prices may vary a little. For example, I went to a Burt’s Bees store in Kuala Lumpur but decided against buying anything because everything was triple the price of that in the States.
In addition to familiar brands, you will find familiar stores. I have been to the mall in nearly every country I have visited and gone to stores such as H&M, Forever 21, and Sephora. If you want to shop in familiar places, you will find them.
Whatever you do, do not pack excessive amounts of things. You will be able to find everything you need no matter where you are. It might be different, but it will be all you need. Plus, you will not want to carry four bottles of contact solution or a year’s worth of tampons in your pack. I am speaking from experience here.
Another good rule to pack by is if you don’t use it at home, you won’t use it on the Race. Keep this in mind when purchasing things! It will save you money and space in the long run.
So there you have it. I know it is hard to believe for some, but the rest of the world does use the same products as America. Just pack enough to get you started, and you will be able to replenish your supply as you go.
Stay tuned for an in depth packing list coming soon!
