31 May 2010 ~ 15 Comments

Packing List for Indefinite Travel

Trip Preparation

These are my possessions. It’s all I really want or need to live my life of full time travel. I wouldn’t be upset if anything else that I own, which is stored in my father’s basement, was thrown out for me to never see again. As you see I don’t own anything valuable, like a car or a house.  I quite like it this way.

Below is my itemized list which altogether fits in the nice blue backpack I started using in 2005. I could travel much lighter and I could live without most things you will see below but for the time being I am satisfied with my possessions. What you see here has changed very little since I first started traveling in 2007 through Ecuador and Colombia.

11
11
22
22

1. Cheap sunglasses I got for free when I ordered my contact lenses

2. Webcam mostly used for conducting mock interviews with clients

3. USB Cables for cameras, laptops, etc.

4. Glasses

5. Passport and its holder

6. Zune Mp3 Player

7. Iriver Mp3 player and charger that works sometimes which I brought in case I lose #6

8. 2GB Memory stick

9. Cologne to smell nice

10. Universal adaptor

11. Razor for shaving my head – free haircuts!

12. Adaptor to fit more plugs

13. Extra razors for shaving my face

14. Basic unlocked cell phone and charger for local calls

15. Backup digital camera with broken LCD Screen. The primarily camera was used to take these photos of course.

16. Medicine bag with Asprin, chapstick, earplugs, a a few other miscellaneous items. All of this can be bought in pharmacies throughout the world and that is what I do when I need something I don’t have.

33
33
44
44
55
55

17. Raincoat, 2 light sweatshirts, 2 light long sleeve shirts

18. 2 Polo shirts, 3 t-shirts, 2 undershirts

19. 2 pairs of jeans

20. Sweatpants

21. Khaki Shorts

22. Bathing Suit

66
66
77
77

23. Sandals

24. Sneakers

25. Big supply of contact lenses

26. Reversible black/brown belt

27. Wallet

28. $80 in U.S. cash hidden throughout my belongings

29. U.S. Drivers License / expired university student ID

30. 7 ATM bank cards. Better to bring many of them in case I any get lost because otherwise it’s a pain to have a replacement sent abroad.

31. Ukranian phrase book

32. Three books for reading pleasure

33. Landry Bag

34.Toiletry Bag

35. Sleeping Bag Liner (a.k.a. really comfortable sheet sewn together like a sleeping bag)

35. Quick dry towel

37. Bag holding all of my underwear and socks (about 8 underwear and 8 pairs of socks)

38. toiletries (not pictured)

99
99
10
10

39. foldout duffel baf

40. backpack that fits everything shown above

41. laptop

That’s about it. It is inevitable that I forgot a few things so this list is not 100% accurate but if I did it’s nothing major. While I don’t use all of these things regularly the ones I do not do come in handy at some point. At some point in the future I would like to really travel light with just one carry-on bag containing probably half of this list. If any readers have any ideas or critique I am all ears.

Be Sociable, Share!
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
Tags: , , , , ,
  • Locationless Living

    I made the same mistake the first time out. I think we all did.

  • http://www.baconismagic.ca Ayngelina

    Nice list and good point about pharmacies, I have no idea why I thought I'd need 6 months worth of immodium for one year of travel.

  • http://mavericktraveler.com El Guapo

    Is that a Thinkpad?

  • Locationless Living

    Yep, a Thinkpad T400…so plain and ugly that nobody would even think of stealing it!

  • Anonymous

    Oh my – you have just listed all of my belongings I’ve been carrying with me for the last 3 1/2 years…minus the Ukrainian phrase book! substitute glasses for contacts, and tampons for cologne…there you have it…

    I am impressed with your official laundry bag…I still use the ghetto plastic sacks.

  • http://twitter.com/betsytalbot Betsy Talbot

    We just published a packing list on our site for the upcoming trip. Still a few months to make additions/deletions before we leave, so thanks for sharing your list. http://www.marriedwithluggage.com/our-story/packing-list/

    We just sold our house and most of our belongings, and I’m still amazed to think this is what we will live with for the foreseeable future. Liberating, I tell you. (but you already knew that)

  • Locationless Living

    haha I think its a great but basic list. There is nothing too hardcore like special quick dry hiking pants for the hikes I never do. Jeans do just fine for pretty much any activity.

    The laundry bag I am using is actually the shoe sack that came with my mom's latest pair of expensive shoes. The name tag is also from the last hostel who did my laundry which I never bothered removing :)

  • ottsworld

    Oh my – you have just listed all of my belongings I've been carrying with me for the last 3 1/2 years…minus the Ukrainian phrase book! substitute glasses for contacts, and tampons for cologne…there you have it…

    I am impressed with your official laundry bag…I still use the ghetto plastic sacks.

  • http://twitter.com/darrickjlee Darrick J Lee

    i have a hard time finding a good bag that can fit everything. I usually need a separate bag for hte laptop & electronics/cables/books/wutnot.
    you should include photos of everything packed into that bag… :-D or a compressed video of the packing…
    and how do you pack? bundle pack?
    what do you do about contact lens solution? do you just bring a small bottle and buy as needed? what about other liquids? although, w/no hair, means no shampoo, no mouse/hair gel, no comb… :-X

  • Locationless Living

    Thanks for your thoughts Darrick. I did just buy a small backpack meant for carry-on and my laptop. I think I am going to take you up on that video of me packing everything! It's a great idea.

    I throw in the links I use less often at the bottom (books, contact lenses, etc.). Then goes clothing I use less often (bathing suit, shorts, etc.). The toiletry bag, underwear/sock back, and laundry bag are usually the last to go in.

    I use daily contact lenses so no solution is needed. The other liquids are packed in my toiletry bag (shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, etc.

  • http://twitter.com/darrickjlee Darrick J Lee

    i have a hard time finding a good bag that can fit everything. I usually need a separate bag for hte laptop & electronics/cables/books/wutnot.
    you should include photos of everything packed into that bag… :-D or a compressed video of the packing…
    and how do you pack? bundle pack?
    what do you do about contact lens solution? do you just bring a small bottle and buy as needed? what about other liquids? although, w/no hair, means no shampoo, no mouse/hair gel, no comb… :-X

  • Locationless Living

    haha I think its a great but basic list. There is nothing too hardcore like special quick dry hiking pants for the hikes I never do. Jeans do just fine for pretty much any activity.

    The laundry bag I am using is actually the shoe sack that came with my mom’s latest pair of expensive shoes. The name tag is also from the last hostel who did my laundry which I never bothered removing :)

  • Locationless Living

    Thanks for your thoughts Darrick. I did just buy a small backpack meant for carry-on and my laptop. I think I am going to take you up on that video of me packing everything! It’s a great idea.

    I throw in the links I use less often at the bottom (books, contact lenses, etc.). Then goes clothing I use less often (bathing suit, shorts, etc.). The toiletry bag, underwear/sock back, and laundry bag are usually the last to go in.

    I use daily contact lenses so no solution is needed. The other liquids are packed in my toiletry bag (shampoo, body wash, toothpaste, etc.

  • Pingback: Jason Batansky - Founder of Locationless Living

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QVKWKX5LIXPBSKKDDNQTKHACFI venus

    I’m living in Hanoi,Vietnam.Have u ever heard about my country.? When I was a child, I was very curious about the very big bags that foreigners carried along. I wondered how could they carry it and what were in it. Now, after reading ur packing list, I partly understand. Actually, all things on ur bag are evitable for a long trip. But there is one thing I’d like to know is that why do u bring Ukrainaian phrasebook ?

Get Adobe Flash playerPlugin by wpburn.com wordpress themes