DAVE'S
TRAVEL LIST
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The following items are what Dave
takes with him at minimum when he travels. A great deal of thought, travel
and time have been put into this list. It has been created
for people who do not want to be burdened with carrying a
bunch of "stuff" when they travel. The key is to take only
essential items. Pack light, light, light. Backpack in photo
to far left is the size of Dave's pack! |
This is a bare
bones list and as a result Dave always travels Internationally with
merely a small school size back pack. Your list may differ
dramatically from this list depending on the type of activities
you enjoy doing when you travel, the comfort level you want when
traveling, the climate of the country you will be visiting, the
time of year, or any other number of factors.
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Clothing can often take up a lot of space. If you are traveling to
a warm weather climate and you know you will not need much clothing,
and you take what is on this list, your entire small school size
backpack will have LOTS of extra space left in it. For colder climates,
consider thin lightweight thermal underwear for both halves of
your body. A jacket may also be needed; goose down is extremely
light and very warm. Consider using a compression stuff sack if
you bring a down jacket. Much of the clothing you can wear with you when you
travel, and if need be, you can always leave some of your clothing
in your hostel or hotel room. |
Traveling with smaller quantities of clothing will free up space
so that you do not have to bring a large pack or suitcase -
however, this means you will be doing more laundry. Dave uses
sinks or bathtubs in hotel rooms to do his laundry each evening.
Synthetic material or Fleece is key. There is less smell and dries
very fast.
Items crossed off below typically are only allowed
in carry-on baggage in specific quantities -3oz (these items also may not
be allowed in carry on baggage on some airlines) and need to be in a Ziploc bag.
If items are marked as "optional" Dave sometimes brings these items,
but not always. Yes, all of this will fit in a school sized back
pack with room left over!! Its a great feeling when walking by the
Baggage Carousels in airports and hearing security yell out at you
as you walk by with your small carry on bag on your back, "hey, you
need to stop and pick up your checked bags"!!!
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| Travel
Items |
Quantity |
1st
aid kit
Includes: Gauze, Moleskin, 30 Advil,
Pepto-Bismol, Imodium (10), Scalpel,
Winders, Super glue (2), Band aids (5), Alcohol
swabs, (2) Bobby pin,
Cipro pills & a Re-hydration
kit (Cipro is an general antibiotic for severe
diarrhea or vomiting), Nasal Decongestant (Afrin), and IBprofin (10) |
(depends
on item) |
| Backpack
- a school sized pack - one you can carry on to any airplane |
(1) |
| Cash
- usually take several different denominations |
(depends
on stay) |
| Camera
- SLR or Digital, bring 1 extra battery-may be optional for some
people |
(1) |
| Credit
cards - take several types, Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Debit ATM card |
(2-4) |
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Detergent (Laundry) - great for washing
clothing, small amounts work well |
(1 small bag) |
| Electric
Shaver - (small as possible) - or simply a razor to save space &
weight |
(1) |
| Garbage
bag - use this in case of rain |
(1) |
Headlamp
- you can find small 3oz LED models - a good
small lightweight
alternative is simply a single LED light
the size of a coin |
(1) |
Money
Belt - use one that fits around your waist - one that has 2
compartments. This is where you will store your money, credit
cards,
passport, plane tickets or any other important documents
you may be carrying |
(1) |
Pants
- these must be lightweight - and preferably will have at least 4
pockets. Outdoor stores also sell lightweight pants with a zipper
in which you
can remove the lower 2/3 of the pant legs, thus
creating shorts - a space saver |
(1) |
| Passport -
verify your passport's expiration date before leaving |
(1) |
| Pen
- a half size pen that will fit in a pocket |
(1-2) |
| Photocopy
of Passport kept in a different place than the actual
passport |
(1) |
Shampoo
-this is contained in small plastic containers |
(2
or 3) |
Shoes
lightweight - for hiking. Be sure they are well worn in before you
start
your trip |
(1
pair) |
| Shorts
- swimming/regular combo |
(1) |
| Soap
Bar |
(1) |
Socks
- in a warm humid climate you probably won't wear these very much
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regardless of climate. MUST bring synthetic. Less smell, &
dries very quickly. |
(2) |
| Sunglasses
- be sure they are polarized |
(1) |
| T-shirt -
synthetic is less weight, has less smell & dries very fast |
(1
or 2) |
Timepiece
- a watch is preferable - Dave uses one that includes a compass,
altimeter, alarm & a variety of other functions |
(1) |
Toilet
paper roll - take the center out before you travel - a great
addition to put
in one of your pockets when you are traveling in
3rd or 4th world countries |
(1) |
| Toothbrush
- use a 1/2 size one to save space |
(1) |
Toothpaste
- bring the 1/2 sized ones |
(1-2) |
| Underwear
- preferably synthetic - less smell and quick drying. |
(2) |
Ziploc
Bags - bring several sizes, they are good for storing items - the
large
ones can be used to waterproof your clothing when you pack |
(3-5) |
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Cold Weather
Option
Items |
Quantity |
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Balaclava - fleece head covering with slits for
your nose and mouth |
(1) |
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Compression Sack - use for down
jacket as mentioned below |
(1) |
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Down Jacket - 700 fill down Jacket
can be compressed very small - very warm |
(1) |
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Fleece Liner gloves - even thin gloves will
help keep your hands warm |
(1) |
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Fleece Lower Body Liner
(Fleece is warm and dries fast) |
(1) |
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Fleece Upper Body Liner (Fleece is
warm and dries fast) |
(1) |
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Optional
Items (depends on preference
and type of trip) |
Quantity |
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Business Cards - good to hand out
to fellow travelers & locals alike |
(10-50) |
| Calculator
- one that is very small |
(1) |
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Carabineer - small toy locking carabineer can
be used as substitute for locks |
(1-3) |
Chapstick
- depends on climate and your trip |
(1) |
| Comb
- as small as possible. One cut in 1/2 works quite well. |
(1) |
Deodorant
- small |
(1) |
| Flip
flops - optional if you decide to take hiking shoes |
(1
pair) |
| Hat
- floppy hat which covers your entire head recommended |
(1) |
Instant
soap that dries quickly |
(1) |
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Lock/Key - small locks are good for
securing your zippers & bags |
(1-3) |
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Notebook - small notebook
for keeping track of travel items & ideas |
(1) |
Mosquito repellent - depends on trip &
location |
(1) |
| Photocopied
travel info - maps, descriptions etc. |
(1) |
| Rubber
bands |
(4) |
Suntan
lotion - SPF 35+ (depends on country & time of
year) |
(1) |
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Stopper (rubber or cork for putting in sink
drain when doing laundry) |
(1) |
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Vomit Bag - can usually find these in seat
pockets of airlines |
(1) |
| Washcloth
- small synthetic one works well |
(1) |
| Water
bottle wrapped with Medical tape (tape has no residue & is very strong) |
(1) |
