Half of the fun of independent travel is in deciding what to pack. The engineer in me insists on optimizing every last ounce that I’ll be carrying. I’m constantly looking for high utility, versatile items.

First, lets go through my requirements. The entire package needs to be compact enough to fit easily under a bus seat and light enough to carry on my back all day. I’ll need to have clothing suitable for fairly extreme climates ranging from northern China and Tibet during the winter, to Israel during the summer. Finally, I want a significant amount of space left over for souvenirs or clothing that I pick up along the way.

Having said that, here’s what I’ll be taking:

Packing List

  • 44 liter backpack
  • footwear: sandals, shoes, 3 pairs light socks, 1 pair thick socks
  • jackets: soft shell, fleece
  • clothing: long sleeve shirt, 2 t-shirts, 2 pants, long underwear, 3 boxers, board shorts
  • toiletries: glasses, contacts, toothbrush/paste, soap/shampoo, razor, sink plug
  • laundry kit: detergent, elastic clothes line, Febreze, stain pen
  • repair kit: duct tape, scissors, tape, needle/thread, twisty ties
  • first aid kit, including prescription medication for altitude sickness, malaria and diarrhea
  • other necessities: cord lock, journal, headlamp, sunblock, insect repellent, seat belt, towel, umbrella, sleep sack, bandanna
  • electronics: hacked iPhone with global sim card, digital camera with 2 GB memory card, chargers & plug converter

Everything fits easily in the bag with 20% extra storage capacity and weighs under 20 lbs. I’m pretty pleased with the results, as well I should - I’ll be living with nothing but the above until November.