All my bags are packed I'm ready to go

I can't believe it! Only 10 days until I board my plane for Guatemala to begin this year-long (give or take) journey. I've alerted my credit card companies/bank of my plans, purchased travel insurance, booked my Spanish classes, and made all the other necessary arrangements for my trip. The thing I've been most worried about is the packing situation.

What do you pack for a year on the road? I've been asking myself this since I decided to embark on this adventure. I've read countless packing lists and blogs, and asked anyone I know who has had a similar experience. The tips I got most were this:

1. Buy a smaller pack. If you have something big, you're sure to over pack. And remember, you have to carry it on your back. You'll be sorry if it's too big and heavy.
2. Lay out everything you think you'll need, then cut that in half, and take only those things.
3. Make sure you have room for purchases on the road.
5. Don't pack any clothing you can't layer or mix and match.
6. Whatever you decide to take, it will be enough. Don't stress. Even if you forget things, you can always buy them on the road.

Easy for them to say. I made a packing list about 3 months ago, and have been perfecting it since, adding and deleting as I ponder what I should leave behind. I took a lot of this advice, but made personal adjustments according to my needs.

It turns out that my anal list-making was helpful. The last 5 months since leaving NYC and living out of a suitcase coupled with wearing the same 3 outfits all summer on Bike & Build made the packing fun much easier. Packing was surprisingly simple.

Here's what I decided on:

Clothing:
3 t-shirts
3 tank tops (one dressier)
1 long sleeve light weight shirt
2 pairs of shorts (1 athletic, 1 regular/hiking)
1 pair of long hiking pants
1 pair of jeans
2 travel skirts
1 pair leggings
1 micro fleece
1 rain jacket
5 pairs underwear
3 pairs of socks
2 sports bras
2 regular bras
1 swim suit
1 knit hat
Chaco sandals
Hiking/athletic shoes

Toiletries:
shampoo/conditioner/body wash
sunscreen/moisturizer
toothpaste/toothbrush
comb
deodorant
razor

Miscellaneous:
super glue
duct tape
sewing kit
safety pins
pocket laundry soap
tiger balm
eyeliner
hair ties/bobby pins
nail clippers/tweezers
lip balm
extra zip lock bags (2 sizes)

combo locks

clothes line 

universal sink plug

spoon 

lighter

headband/bandana

silk sleep sack

Pak towel

head lamp

blow-up neck pillow/eye cover/ear plugs

First aid kit:
cold pills
ibuprofen
Cipro
antibiotic cream
benadryl
band aids
pepto
emergency tooth kit
emergen-c
tampons

Electronics pouch:
converter
portable hard drive
alarm clock/calculator
camera cord/charger
thumb drive
extra memory cards

Day bag:
sunglasses
guide book
journal/book to read/pens/glue stick
passport
wallet
camera
hand sanitizer/tissues
computer
ipod

While pack shopping, all of the outfitters tried to sell me a bigger pack, just as the guidebooks promised. But I held my ground, and went with a 50L pack by Gregory. (the book suggested 35-50L, and I couldn't imagine only 35L) It's a top-loader, but has a great side pocket so I can reach anything in the pack at all times. I made sure to go to the store and try it on to make sure it fit right. It is going to be my best friend for the next year, and I want to make sure it's going to be comfortable.

For my day bag, I chose an over the shoulder messenger bag. I got this in hopes of looking less tourist-y and because I feel it's easier to keep track of than a backpack that I can't see when wearing it.

The shirts, pants, and shorts I packed are all quick-dry materials except for my jeans. This was a hard thing to find. I don't want to look like I'm going running every day, but don't want to take cotton clothes because they don't dry as quickly. I found what I like to call "magic shirts" from a New Zealand company called Icebreaker. They were super expensive, but I found them for 50% off, so it was a no-brainer. The guy at the store says you can wear them for a month without them smelling as they are stink-proof. Seems kind of gross, but I'm sold. Plus, they're v-neck, and look totally normal. Many people have warned me against packing jeans because they are heavy and don't dry quickly, but I can't imagine living without them for a year. If they become a pain, I can always leave them or send them home. All my clothes can be mixed and matched and worn together, and it won't always look like I'm heading to the gym.

I chose to pack my computer in order keep track of my photos and for blogging ease. I have accepted the fact that this along with my iPod may make me more of a target for theft, but I have made peace with the fact that both items could be stolen. They are only material things, and I can buy new ones when I'm back to the real world some day. I will back everything up on my portable hard drive, and will upload photos on the road to my MobileMe site. I will keep the hard drive in my pack, separate from my computer, which will be in my day bag. This way if one gets stolen, I still have all my photos.

I had a debate with myself over footwear. A lot of what I read said that one thing people regret packing is too many shoes. My Chaco sandals are an obvious choice. They are supportive enough that I can wear them to walk around all day, on hikes and when it's raining, and can be worn with something dressier if need be. I was going to pack only those, but after a lot of conversations, I decided that closed-toed shoes are good for longer hikes and colder weather. As my cousin Robin said, sometimes your toes just want to be covered. I didn't want to pack my heavy hiking boots because they're too big and bulky, so I went for a smaller pair of lightweight athletic/hiking shoes.

With all this packed, I still have some room leftover. My bag is small enough that I can carry it on planes and compact enough that I can fit up and down plane/bus/train aisles without slamming people in the head. And it's not too heavy.

here's everything all ready to go

I used stuff sacks to better organize everything... one for clothes, socks/bras/underwear in another, toiletries together, fleece/rain jacket, and the last one for electronics (which are now in a water proof bag)...computer/iPod will go in the canvass bag

After 2.5 years of anal money management and saving plus a year of meticulous planning, I'm just about ready to go. All I have left to do is turn off my phone and get travelers checks to pay for my Spanish classes. I've decided that my AT&T plan of $100/month is an expense that will take away from activities on the road. I'll use email, Skype, Facebook, and my blog to communicate with my people along the way. Plus, I'm afraid I'll overuse my phone and forget to immerse myself in this once-in-a-lifetime experience. I'd rather be chatting with locals than getting lost in my phone. If I find I need it, I can get a cheaper prepaid phone on the road.

The art of unplanned planning turns out to be somewhat of a challenge for me. As a project manager by trade, I tend to be pretty organized and a slave to process, schedules and deadlines. It's a big step for me to let go and go with the flow. I've planned a loose itinerary of where I want to go and things I want to see, but know I want to be open to whatever comes my way. Who knows where the next year will take me!