When I explain to people that I'm leaving with just one piece of luggage for three months, I'm often met with disbelief. There are several reasons why I bring few items with me and why they can end up in a single carry-on bag.
Firstly, every item I put in my bag is practically essential and I'm terrified that my luggage will get lost in one of the two transits and three flights it takes to get to India. Having only one carry-on bag, I can keep it close to me at all times.
Second, I'm going to travel on a motorcycle for three months. I won't have a huge SUV trunk to stack my suitcases, only the "passenger" space of the motorcycle to attach my bag. So, I have to keep it to a minimum.
Third, I have learned that I need very little to meet my needs.
Finally, it's so much easier to choose your clothes in the morning when you only have two shirts and two pants.
So, here is the exhaustive list of my possessions for the next three months. A list that is not very interesting for ordinary people but incomparable for travelers with little experience.
Beauty Bag
Washcloth
Soap
Shaver
Hair elastic
Hair brush
Shampoo
Antiperspirant
Tweezers
Dental floss
Kleenex (3 small packets)
Urinette (for peeing on the road)
Nail clipper
Q-Tips
Water Pike
Mini sewing kit
Drugs
Benadryl (allergy)
Immodium (diarrhea)
Pepto-Bismol tablet
Electrolytes
Azythromycin (broad spectrum antibiotic)
Atovaquone (for the prevention and treatment of malaria)
Antibiotic (urinary tract infection)
Thermometer
Chlorine tablets (to sanitize water)
Katadyn BeFree filter bottle (to be used with chlorine tablets)
Dressings for blisters
Dressings
Ibuprofen (Fever)
Anti-humidity bag (to protect tablets)
Liquids (all together to get out quickly through airport security)
Hydroalcoholic gel
Eye drops
Solar cream
Antifungal cream (mycosis)
Hydrocortisone cream
Anti-inflammatory cream
Melaleuca essential oil (bedbug, antiseptic, etc.)
Mosquito repellent
Antihistamine cream (allergy)
Toothpaste
Clothes
Tilley hat
Waterproof kit (top and bottom)
Boot covers (no question of leaving them at home this time. I missed them too much during my trip to Vietnam)
2 T-shirt
Meat bag (silk sleeping sheet if hotel sheets are dodgy)
Canada pins (to give as gifts to children. The best way to create a bond with parents)
Bag for dirty clothes
1 Pant
1 Skirt panties
1 Long sleeve shirt
Underwear
1 Bra
4 Panties
3 Pairs of merino wool socks
1 Pair of thin stockings
1 Swimsuit
1 Long John
Shoes
Flip-flop (for hotel rooms or walking in the rain)
Light shoes (for walking while protecting your feet)
Water-shoe Keen
Motorcycle helmet
Luggage net
Padlock
Bandana
Motorcycle gloves
Cell phone charging wire (will be linked to the motorcycle battery)
Hose (to give or ask for gasoline)
Net (to attach my bag to the motorcycle)
Electronics box
Computer charger
Phone charger
Anti-humidity bag
Electrical outlet adapter
3 Copy of passport-visa-identity photos (to obtain a SIM card, reserve a room, give it to a police officer, etc.)
Flash light
USB key (documents+photos)
Eraser and paperclip (for removing and cleaning SIM cards)
Cables
Mini headphones
Laptop
All of the above is placed in my waterproof bag which now weighs 9 kilos.
I add...
Chest bag
Toothpaste (ultra mini)
Toothbrush
Rupees
US Dollars
Airline tickets
Visa and passport
Backpacker's Guide
International driving license
Old lady's glasses (what to say, over 40...)
Sunglasses
Pen + notebook
Cell phone
Earplugs
Fake wallet + fake cards (to have fun with pickpockets and crooked police officers)
Business cards from Curvesandcracks.com
ATM card
Credit cards
Quebec driving license
Neck pillow
Starter Kit
Motorcycle boots (too big to fit in my bag)
Mesh coat (to protect my soft skin in the event of a fall on a motorbike and too big to fit in my bag)
Thin stockings
Pants
Shirt
Bra
Panties
Silk scarf
Comments