Packing

Some people (me included) find it helpful to know what other people bring along in their suitcases when they travel.  There are websites solely devoted to the topic and most travel blogs address clothing and/or gadgets at some point.  So I’ll do the same here, though I would be lying if I professed to being adept at packing.  I worry over what to bring.  I obsess over the weight of each item.  Next, I fold and refold; organize and reorganize, pack and repack.  My sister Laurie would tell you that, once on the road, I frequently “get lost” in my bag, looking for the one thing I cannot seem to find.  With this confession out of the way, I hope to turn over a new leaf on this trip.  Here’s what I’m packing for 6 months on the road.

• My bags include an Eagle Creek carry-on size roller-bag and a lightweight, high capacity daypack (Agama by Mountain Hardwear), as well as an REI cross body purse.
• Inside my suitcase are 3 Eagle Creek organizers: one for every day (3 cotton tunic-style shirts, 1 silk shirt, 2 long-sleeve t-shirts, 1 pair of white and 1 pair of khaki capri pants, 1 pair blue jeans, 1 Lucy jacket); one organizer for yoga (1 tank and 1 bra-style top,1 pair of pants, yoga socks and eKO’s super light yoga travel mat); and one organizer for sports/trekking/hiking (1  short-sleeve shirt, 1 short-sleeve t-shirt, 1 long-sleeve travel shirt, 1 capilene long sleeve pullover, 1 pair of Prana travel pants with zip-off legs at capri length, 1 bathing suit, mid-weight woolen long underwear bottoms and a zipper front top, plus a featherweight down jacket ).  Packed in a small organizer are underwear and a short red Mexican peasant dress for sleeping and to double as a bathing suit cover up.  Shoes:  light-weight Merrell hiking boots, waterproof sport sandals, flip flops, and purple ballerina-style slippers.  I plan to do some clothes shopping on the road, as that’s part of the fun.  In Mysore, I picked up a light-weight black cotton shirt with bright red embroidery and long brightly patterned caftan.
• Electronics:  11.5″ MacBook Air,  iPad mini, iPod (primarily for trekking) and Canon PowerShot SX260 (20x zoom, 12.1 mp, weight 8 oz), a memory card reader and assorted chargers.  Also, small travel alarm clock, and headlamp.

I’ll report back on how this is working out.  As I left Mumbai, my suitcase weighed in at just over 41 lbs and so far I’m happy with what I’ve brought along for the trip.