The Packing Post

Carrying on my pack, for three weeks in the varied climates I'm traveling to, quickly became one of my goals for this trip. After all the BER experiences, I had to try at least. It really makes a difference in not having to wait for a bag through customs and just generally with making any tight connections that inevitably occur. So here's what I ended up packing:

Shoes:

Light hiking boots are a must for the various treks I'm scheduled for and hoping to join, and Chacos--strong walking shoes while still being sandals for when it's a little warmer--became my immediate "have to haves." Then, of course, I added flip flops for showers and because you always need flip flops. The Nikes are super lightweight, pack down to nothing, work as wandering around the hostel shoes, and with the insoles from the hiking boots they're pretty comfy.

Clothes:

Three bottoms, three long sleeve tops, three tanks, a short sleeve shirt and a dress. Throw in an unphotographed swimsuit and I think I've got my bases covered. There will probably be one laundry stop, but I'm sure I've got plenty (and it conveniently color coordinates pretty well).

Outer Layers:

Puffy stuff for altitudes, rain gear for the inevitable, and the splurge sweatshirt/jacket I got with my REI discount. Throw in headbands/buff/hat to cover the mess that will be my hair on day 3 without a shower.

When it came down to it, packing was a piece of cake until it came to the toiletries. I had shampoo and soap figured out (Dr. Brommer's solid all-in-one soap should work well enough to get me clean), but I need lots of bug spray and sunscreen and didn't want to necessarily leave that up to chance/higher tourist prices. So the liquids were a problem... that was until Dad saved the day.

The Solution:

An actual carryon bag for liquids that is not a flimsy ziplock which my dad has used on a number of flights without incident. It fits more than a normal ziplock too, which was critical because I needed two bottles of contact solution and as much DEET as I could carry. No having to oddly repackage things, no hiding liquids, and it SHOULD work.

But cross your fingers for me just in case...