Luke Geldmacher of 2013 W Squad learned a lot about traveling when he went on the World Race. Now he wants to share some of those tips with you.
When I went on the World Race, I had a lot of questions about what and how to pack. The information ranged from incredibly detailed to fairly useless or too gender specific.
So, based on my experiences, here are 11 general rules to follow when you’re packing for a trip around the world:
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Leave Your Home at Home.
You don’t need to take 11 months’ worth of stuff with you. I often saw Racers with all the shampoo, toothpaste, vitamins, feminine hygiene products, etc. to keep them stocked for an entire year. The truth is, you will be able to replace these items as you travel. The more you bring, the more likely that it will get lost, stolen, broken, or ruined and it makes your bag way too heavy. On that note…
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Don’t Overload Yourself.
Be able to carry your fully packed backpack and daypack for at least an hour. There will be generous and helpful people on your squad who will offer to help carry your things, but after a few months of you consistently not being able to carry your own stuff, they will get upset. Pack your bag, put it on your back, and walk for an hour. If you don’t like the way it feels or how tired you are, get rid of some non-essentials.
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Hips Don’t Lie.
Buy a bag that fits your body. I know we’re all missionaries and we typically don’t have a lot of money, but buying the wrong backpack is a huge mistake. Go to a store that sells a high quality bag. Take the time to try a few on with an associate to make sure it fits properly, and invest into a quality product.
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Every Hero Needs a Sidekick.
Your daypack is almost as important as your backpack. Too small and you constantly struggle to fit everything you need inside. Too big and you struggle with trying to fill it up so it doesn’t flop around on your back. Figure out what you want to carry and find a bag that you can fit it all in with a little extra room. Remember, there will be times you have to carry both at the same time. Be sure you can do that without overburdening yourself.
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It’s Not the Apocalypse.
Don’t bring all your survival gear. I made this mistake myself, and I’m not the only one. Some people pack like they’re going to be hacking down trees for firewood and hunting for food on a regular basis. This is not the case. The contacts provide most of the things we need to have and the rest is usually obtainable from a local market. It’s not necessary to have your hatchet multi-tool and a supply of MRE’s in your bag. You won’t need them, and it’ll just make your bag heavier.
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No Need to Dress to Impress.
Don’t pack your entire product kit. This applies to guys and girls. Try not to bring two types of shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, relaxer, straightener, beard trimmer, curling iron, blow dryer, etc. This stuff gets really heavy really fast and can also get damaged very easily when traveling due to the higher voltages around the world – that is, when you have electricity at all
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Don’t Be Shocked.
Bring a surge protector and a voltage adaptor. Trust me, these are needed. You’re going to want to charge your devices around the world and if you keeping unplugging the devices of the one person on your team that actually brought it they will be very unhappy.
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Get Connected.
Bring a laptop. You’re going to be blogging while you’re traveling, so bring a real computer. Blogging on your phone is annoying and if you have to constantly borrow other people’s tech it’s going to be aggravating for both of you. Invest in a sturdy laptop and take care of it.
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Do Your Research.
Bring the right clothes for the right time of year. Do some research ahead of time and find out what the weather is going to be like where you’re going. Nothing sucks more than having nothing but cold weather gear in hot countries and hot weather gear in cold countries.
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It Snows in Africa?
Forget the stereotypes of countries as well. Nepal was my hottest country and Botswana was my coldest. Do the research and figure out exactly what you need. Along those lines, If you’re going to all hot countries for the first eight months and your last three countries are cold, leave money in your budget and buy clothes before getting there. Your pack will be lighter and you’re less likely to lose or discard those clothes along the way.
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It’s Dangerous to Go Alone.
Talk to your team. Work with your teammates to figure out what everyone already owns and is willing to share with you. If you spread gear out among the team everyone carries a little less and you all get to use the things you really want. This will help all of you out in the long run.
Hopefully these tips will help you pack more efficiently and make your life a lot easier while you are out on the Race. If you have any packing tips you’d like to share or questions, please leave a comment below.
Do you want to put your packing skills to the test? Click here to see how you could go to 11 countries in 11 months.
