loveliness.

Since I started telling people we were leaving, one of the questions I get asked most often (I’ve definitely asked myself a few times) is how we’re going to pack everything we’re going to need in just a little backpack.

We ordered these backpacks from Amazon, and they are pretty great, they completely zip open so you aren’t futilely fishing around in a tiny backpack opening trying to find the thing you want, and they have lots of different compartments. The zippers also have a spot to put locks on them, so if you’re going to be in an area where pick pocketing is a concern, it’s pretty handy.

Here are a few shots of everything I’m bringing:

I’m bringing 3 dresses, 2 pairs of shorts, one pair of pants, 5 shirts, and a light kimono-sweater, a pair of converse, and pair of flip flops. I bought some packing cubes to keep things organized, I fit all of my clothes in ONE cube. It’s a miracle.

For practical things, we  brought laundry detergent sheets, a clothes line and plug so we can do laundry at the hostels, baby wipes, silk sleep sheet in case some of the beds aren’t very clean, combination lock so we can lock up our backpacks in lockers, a flash light, and some carabiners for keeping random things attached to our bags, or attaching our bags to bunks or seats, and a money belt.

For unpractical things, I brought a very paired down make up bag, including BB cream, bronzer, blush, eyeliner and roll on perfume. For my hair, I bought Wen, even though I’m not positive I like it, but it takes up a lot less space than bringing both shampoo and conditioner, and Morrocan Oil, because it is a non-negotiable necessity for my when it’s humid, unless I want to spend the whole trip looking like Howard Stern.

We brought tons of sun screen, hand sanitizer, a first aid kit with Advil, bandaids and anti-nausea meds, anti-malaria pills, insect repellent, a travel towel (they dry super quickly so other stuff in your bag doesn’t get wet), and inflatable neck pillow, and all our documents, including copies of our passports.

And that’s it. I’m sure there will be things I didn’t bring that I should have, and things I brought that I’ll never use, but this is our first time doing something like this, so we’re definitely learning as we go.

I also got this camera for the trip, I love my DSLR, but it would have taken up the whole bag pretty much, I’m really excited to try it out.