Packing List

Just got wifi, so star back at day 31

Since I have the time, I figured I would type up a list of the things I packed and things I wish I had packed.

50 Liter pack:

1 dress shoes
1 no iron button up shirt
1 no iron khakis
---Only for business/meetings while traveling
2 quick dry towels (big and small)
1 swim trunks
1 thin gloves
1 thick gloves
1 homemade med-kit
1 universal drain stop
1 scarf
3 locks (full bag net, long, double)
1 GoPro attachment pack
1 8oz dry bag - essential - 2 would have been better
1 synthetic down jacket
3 long shirts
1 thin liner sleeping bag
1 big folding knife
1 leathermen kit
1 pair of thermal clothes
4 short shirts
1 long ventilated collard shirt
3 travel boxers
2 short pants
6 socks (3 long, 3 short)
2 books (travel book on south east Asia, The Art of Intelligence)
2 outlet converter packs
1 doct kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, fingernail clippers, etc.)

Day pack (school book bag)

1 Camera
1 Waterproof camera
1 iPad
1 iPhone
1 athletic pant
1 homemade day-medkit
1 rain jacket
1 GoPro
1 neck pillow
Random electrical cords (chargers for iPad, iPhone, cameras, etc)
1 book (Smarter by Sunday)
1 flip flops
1 seal skin dry bag for SD cards, extra camera batteries, and passport
1 camera tripod for the solo traveler


When I was in Morocco, I left my host all the clothes I wore over there, and he gave me a pair of sweat pants and a shirt. Perfect for hanging out in the hostels at night.

So nothing that I packed contains cotton, except for the business wear. Everything else is > 80% polyester, allowing for a quick dry and a lighter pack.

Things to change:

Regret bringing the iPad. If you are going to be traveling for a long time, you should bring a laptop, especially if you plan to take a good amount of pictures or get a tablet that has the ability to store stuff on an external hard drive. The storing capacity on the iPad is not good compared to a laptop, and you don't have access to the "real" Internet, but instead the mobile Internet, the same thing you get on your cell phone. This makes things very difficult, like booking flights, hostels, tours, etc. Also, there is no way to store photos on an external device if you run out of memory. I really thought that I would be able to simply upload all my photos to the Internet/cloud while in hostels. The Internet that I have experienced is either comparable to dial up, or nonexistent.

While in hostels, there is a limited supply of electrical outlets and they are usually in the worst locations. Having an extension cord with multiple plugs would make things so much easier, especially since you would only need one outlet converter to charge two or three things.

Also, I underestimated the need for waterproof things. I wore a pair of waterproof shoes over here and I have a rain jacket, but, on this side of the world, when it rains it pours.

Luckily, I am having a friend from the states meet me in Vietnam in late March. He is brining me:
My Google Chromebook laptop
My external hard drive
2 waterproof pack covers
1 misquote net

When I get to Vietnam, I plan to mail home most of my heavy cold gear, saving a few in case I end my journey in northern Europe via the Tran Siberian Rail from Beijing like planned. Also, I plan to wipe my iPad and sell it back to Apple. I can simply mail them the iPad, or trade it in at an Apple store and they hand me a hefty gift card.

Backpacking around the world for more than half a year is a complete change to your lifestyle. Many things must be sacrificed to explore the corners of the world. No amount of research can prepare you for the real thing, only experience.