1 backpack, 2.5 continents and 3+ months – How will it all fit!?!

When we first started talking about our trip we both decided we wanted to pack light and only bring a carry-on each. This would allow us to travel more easily on short notice and is much cheaper for flights. It sounded like a great idea. After packing last night, I now question our sanity.

I made a nice little list of what I planned to bring along a few weeks ago, but when it came down to wire, what sounded nice on paper didn't seem so necessary when the pack started bulging.

We will be visiting some diverse locations at a time of year when the weather will vary drastically - a mix of very hot and dry as well as mildly cold and rainy. Packing the necessities (and some comforts) for Africa plus Northern and Southern Europe; beaches, desert, cities and the bush was a daunting task.

I have never traveled for an extended period of time like this. I have done a 2 week trip to South America and planned a 3 week thru hike of the John Muir Trail, both with a single pack.

But a 3 month trip seems like a different animal. Luckily practicing packing for the JMT trained me to be space and weight conscious.

It was tough with us going to Dubai/Ghana first as the things we need and can't get there are a bit more than a typical euro trip from my understanding.

Keeping in mind we can buy stuff "there" if really needed, I put together this exhaustive(ing) list of what I'm bringing. (This is the cut down version. I was going to bring another shirt, a pair of sweats, toilet paper, another pair of socks, maybe a second pair of shoes, little first aid kit and an extra charger, but I had to cut them. Also packed all medicines into ziplocks to save space.)

Clothes:

Marino wool underwear - 6 pairs

Marino wool socks (long) - 3 pairs

Regular short socks - 4 pairs

2 Pair of jeans (black and blue)

Zip off adventure pants

3 Shorts (swim, athletic and casual)

Rain coat

Puffy

3 t shirts

2 undershirt tanks

2 Dressier long sleeve shirts

Long sleeve Marino shirt

Long sleeve light button down - 2

Walking shoes

Flip flops

Sun glasses

Baseball cap

Tech:

iPad mini

Kindle and charger

iPhone and charger

Universal adapter

Portable charger pack

Toiletries:

Toothbrush / paste

Sun screen

Chap stick

Floss

Tiny bottle of shampoo

Tiny bar of soap

Small pack of tissues

Small pack of personal wipes

Hand sanitizer

Nail clippers

Tweezers

Electric shaver/charger

Bags:

Patagonia MLC - Black hole

Packing cubes - ended up being super helpful when packing and organizing our clothes

Day pack - tiny packable version (Sea to Summit)

Bag for flip flops and laundry bag.

Toiletry bag

Extra gallon sized ziplocks

Other:

Locker lock

Bag locks

Foot massage ball

Captains of crush gripper

Travel towel

Neck pillow

Sleeping mask

Wax putty ear plugs - Alena was skeptical but ended up loving them.

malaria pills

Cipro

headlamp

Printed travel docs

Passport

Clip with ID, Debit and credit card with no international fees. Brought $50 of US cash also. Alena says it's unnecessary but I never doubt the power of US currency in a time of need. Also keeping an Extra credit card and debit card in bag just in case.

Collapsible waterbottle

journal

Pen and pencil

It all fits! Weighs a little more than I'd like but we decided we wanted the iPad and I really wanted the tiny workout items.

We will see how it goes and if I quickly toss something out if it seems like too much. I will update as I find things that were awesome or unneeded or we wished we would have brought along.

Cheers!

Alan