Euros Ate My Dollars

So how did we pack for a long-term trip that spans many countries and climates? Lots of research and even more trial and error. We’ve tried to outline our hits and misses here.

Before You Go…

• You see that pile of stuff sitting on your bed, waiting to be stuffed into your suitcase? Take half of that stuff and put it back in your closet. Seriously. I know you think you’ve already narrowed your pile down from what you really want to bring. I know you don’t see how you’ll ever survive for weeks/months/years on that meager selection. But you will, I promise. And you’ll thank me when you’re dragging/carrying an already heavy suitcase/backpack down a 500-year-old cobblestone road. If you don’t ditch the stuff now, you’ll ditch it on the road. Trust us: unlike most scenarios in life, having too little is far, far better than having too much.
• Weigh your luggage! We wish we’d done this before we left home. Don’t let any one bag exceed 20 kilograms and you’ll be able to fly on low-coast airways with baggage weight limits.
• Make copies of all your important documents: ID, passport, credit cards, tickets, insurance documents, etc. Take one copy with you and keep it separate from the original. Leave another copy at home with someone you trust. If possible, digitally scan your documents so you can access them whenever and wherever. Bring extra copies of your passport photo!

Gear We Love

Pack-It Cubes: We will never travel without these life-savers again. They keep your luggage organized so you don’t have to dig through piles of dirty laundry to reach something at the bottom, and they compress!
Sleeping bag liner: These save us money, since we don’t have to rent sheets from hostels, and make us feel a little cleaner at night (sometimes those hostel beds are not so pleasant). Since a sleeping bag liner from a sporting goods store can cost $30+, we bought two twin bedsheets from Walmart at $1.99, folded them in half and sewed up the seam. Ta da! Actually, Ben’s mom did the folding and sewing for us, because she rules. Thanks Ben’s mom!!
Zippered pillowcase: Keep your valuables (passport, money) under your head at night.
PacTowl UltraLite XL: An essential, as most hostels charge for towels. They are so compact and super absorbent.
Pacsafe: Wrap this cord around your luggage, secure it an immobile piece of furniture in your room, and your bags aren’t going anywhere!
Hidden Travel Wallet. Keep your cash/passport/traveler’s checks where no one’s getting their hands on ‘em. We like this variety from Lewis N. Clark that ties to your belt and hangs down your pants leg, because it’s much more comfortable than wearing a money belt around your waist.
Universal sink stopper: For doing laundry in sinks. Too bad we left ours in a hotel room. A dirty sock also works.
Sewing kit: A few buttons, a needle and thread.
Ziploc bags: The many and varied uses you’ll find for these are never-ending.
Portable clothes line: We like the one by Lewis N. Clark with the removable suction cups at each end.
First-aid kit: Brittany went through our supply of band aids during week one.
Febreze: Unless you want your clothes to smell like smoke all the time.
Earplugs: Vital for getting any sleep in many hostels.
Cheap digital watches (sub $10). Also serves as our alarm clock. Make sure they look cheap, so you won’t tempt potential thieves!

Technology/Gear We Love That’s Really Expensive

Canon SD800 IS: Love this camera! If you’re going to go with a point-and-shoot over a digital SLR, Canon is the answer.
Dell Inspiron 6000: Is it a pain to lug this laptop around everywhere we go? Yes. It is worth it? Definitely — it’s our source of income and communication.
Nintendo DS: Ben would’ve gone insane by now if we hadn’t snuck this luxury item onto the list. It’s small and invaluable for those long train rides.
Portable hard drive: For transferring files to other computers, storing lots of pictures, etc. This one can take a beating.
iPods: duh. We’re totally still rockin’ the minis, old-school style.

And if you have electronics…
you must bring the appropriate voltage converters and plug adapters.
Don’t let the annoying guys at specialty travel stores convince you that you need a fancy $90 converter. Our Target kit is great (although bring an extra adapter for each country you’re visiting. We’ve lost a million of those things). Remember: only for certain appliances (for instance, those generating heat, some chargers), do you need to use the voltage converter. Read the instructions! Inappropriate use can result in frying your appliance and/or fires.

Gear We Wish We Had

• Flashlight.
• Mess kit: So often we found ourselves without bowl or without fork. A small, versatile mess kit would’ve been nice.
• Quick Dry Socks: Ben thought these were an unnecessary expense when planning for this trip, but quickly changed his tune after getting sick of waiting FOREVER for sink-washed socks to dry on the line.

Stuff We Should’ve Left at Home

• Half our clothes.

Our Wardrobes

GENERAL TIPS

• Roll your clothes! They stay wrinkle free and compact.
• Bring clothes than can be LAYERED, and that match the rest of your travel wardrobe. The idea is to get as many possible outfit combinations out of as few pieces of clothing as possible.
• When in doubt, go with black (you’ll blend in with the Europeans and won’t show filth).

HIS

• 2-3 each of short-sleeved tees, long-sleeved tees, sweaters to layer.
• 3 button-down collared shirts (aka “oxfords”). These have proven super versatile, and take up so little space.
• 2 polo shirts. Yes, I’m American.
• pajama pants, for walking around hostels.
• Pants: 1 pair jeans, 1 pair brown pants, 1 pair khakis. Should have ditched the khakis in favor of something darker.
• 1 week’s worth of underwear and socks. If I could do it over, I’d buy QUICK DRY socks to make laundry less of a hassle.
• Shoes: 1 pair Nike running shoes, 1 pair black casual shoes, 1 pair Reef flip flops (WITH built-in bottle opener woohoo!)
• North Face soft shell Jacket: Apex Bionic. When the weather got cold in France, I bought a hoodie and layered the two with much success.
• Toiletry bag from Target. Manly colors.
• Electric razor.

HERS

• 2-3 each of tanks, tees, long-sleeved shirts, sweaters to layer
• athletic wear: moisture-wicking shorts, top
• comfies: PJ pants
• 2 cardigans (great for summer, winter, going into churches, etc.
• SHOES:
  • 1 athletic/running/hiking shoe
  • 1 black city-walking shoe to (Pumas are great, if not the most comfortable)
  • Reef flip-flops (Great shoe. I’ve taken these flip-flops where no flip-flops should tread [up a volcano!] and they’ve not only lasted, but are extremely comfortable.)
  • 1 ballet flat (for the rare occasions I decide to look presentable)
• North Face fleece jacket. Made the mistake of buying light blue. Buy black!
• water-proof anorak
• winter gear: scarf, gloves, hat
• Jeans (heartily recommend despite what some backpackers argue. Versatile, tough and don’t show dirt); 1 pair khakis; 1 pair of shorts
• 1 jersey-knit black skirt; 1 jersey-knit casual dress
• week’s worth of underthings, socks
• compact, folding toiletry bag
• belts, a few small pieces of jewelry just to spice things up

Our Luggage

We brought two rolling suitcases (which we check when flying), two backpacks (one fitted for a laptop) for day trips and additional space, and two collapsible day packs (which we stuff into our suitcases when in transit) for city walking.

• Targus laptop backpack: Perfect laptop backpack. Keeps your equipment snug but leaves plenty of room for other gear. Vote: thumbs up!
• High Sierra backpack: This backpack can hold a lot of stuff and the shoulder straps are comfortable. But the zipper sticks enough to drive you insane and there are many extraneous straps. Vote: meh.
• Brittany: LeSportSac “Alex” bag (an awesome find at TJ Maxx). Can be worn as a shoulder bag or slung across the body. Zips up to keep thieves out!
• Ben: Eagle Creek messenger bag. Almost 100% thief proof: getting inside requires opening two latches, undoing a loud velcro closure, and then unzipping the interior pocket. Pickpockets don’t even bother.

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