Packing for this trip took almost four months and a lot of trial and error via Amazon Prime. In the dead of New York winter it wasn't easy to find linen and swim suits, but luckily one of our weddings took us to Hawaii in November where we went buck wild in an Oahu Old Navy. If you live in a place with seasons, plan early, or be prepared to try on a lot of weird items from Amazon's travel section.
After looking at multiple backpacks, I decided that I wanted wheels. We’re traveling for ten months and I didn't want the responsibility of carrying the accumulation on my back—so while Read opted for straps, I’ll be pulling my stuff. We’re both using the brand ebags, which was the best combination of affordability and sturdiness we found.
Luckily, with the exception of our first week in Morocco,
the weather will almost always be hot so I only needed to pack for variations of
one season with regular clothes, modest clothes, and dress up clothes.
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| Suitcase, Purse & Itinerary Book |
Here's the breakdown:
Pants: Two pairs of linen pants (Old Navy, cheap), pair of light
jeans (old), pair of “nice gauchos” (oxymoron?), one pair of athletic leggings
(Gap Body) for layering underneath if it gets chilly at night.
Shirts: One long sleeved, two short sleeved, two tank tops.
(cotton, Old Navy or otherwise cheap).
Dresses & Skirts: Two tunics that can be worn over pants
for modesty, one black cotton maxi for “formal occasions”, a skirt for going
out in more western settings. These
things were mostly light and small, so I was able to bring something for every
occasion.
Shoes: One pair of tevas, one pair of dressier sandals, one
pair of sneakers (old). The plan is to
pick up a pair of leather walking shoes in Morocco or India.
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| Shoes like these! Hand crafted Moroccan leather, $20 |
Light raincoat (Gap Body), swimsuit (durable),
nightgown.
Two scarves to use as sarongs, as head coverings, as shawls,
as means of looking more dressed up.
LAYERING is key. In
conservative countries, t-shirts and scarves can be worn over sleeveless tunics
and pants can be worn under short dresses.
In beach communities and less modest locales, the summer clothes can be
worn alone.
Tools: A blow dryer for both hair and clothing, a flat iron
for hair and Read’s shirt collars. Laptop and iphone.
Purse: “Leather” across the shoulder bag from Target, easily
traded for something more fun along the way but sturdy and inconspicuous enough
for daily use.
Anything we’re missing, we should be able to pick up along
the way. I was warned that decent bras
are difficult to find in Asia so I've brought a supply of those as well as
quick dry underwear.
A huge part of planning for this trip was parting with a ton
of material possessions. After purging
so much of what we own, I don’t feel particularly attached to anything in my
suitcase so Read and I have decided that for every clothing item we buy, we
need to shed something we came with.
The objective of this trip is to experience, not to acquire,
but I wouldn't be surprised if we both return with a suitcase full of
replacements. We’ll see how well we
fair!
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| Phillipe, our French guide, pulling my suitcase in Marrakech. So chic. |
Great job packing! Layering is a brilliant way to not pack a coat. I can't wait to see what you pick up along the way.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Mommy
Sweet.
ReplyDelete