Category Archives: England 2017

So much to do, So little time

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In just a month’s time I’m heading out for my first overseas trip!

Today, I spent about an hour getting all of my gear together and packing my day bag and backpack. While I still have a few items to procure, a few I can’t pack until the day before and some items I need to print, I was able to get a clear idea of how much weight I can expect to carry and how to organize my things.

Baggage Requirements

The last time I embarked on a month-long trip I over-packed; and that is a massive understatement. Luckily, I had a car to pack everything in and I didn’t have to lug anything around. This time I’m on my own two feet, using public transit and have to adhere to strict airline baggage guidelines:

1 personal item: 17x13x10in, max.: 22 lbs
1 carry-on item: 22x18x10in, max: 26 lbs (Which is costing me $100 round trip in baggage fees!)

While the total allowance is up to 48 lbs, I want to keep my baggage under 30 lbs. There are 6 days where I must carry ALL of my items for an extended distance. On two occasions I must carry it for up to 9 miles. On most days I will leave my backpack in a locker at my accommodation or in my room.

The Backpack

I have a REI Trail 40 Women’s pack I purchased two years ago. I really love this pack! It is well padded, has several external pockets and plenty of straps for gear. Most importantly, it is very comfortable to wear on extended hikes.

After packing, the backpack weighed in at 14 lbs. Honestly, I was a little surprised as I expected it to be heavier. The items I have left to pack will probably add another 3-4 lbs. And I’ll have plenty of space here with the help of a compression sack.

When it is all packed, everything I intend to put in my pack is as follows:

  • Clothing (Clothing is moisture wicking, quick-drying and wrinkle-resistant if at all possible!)
    • 2 t-shirts
    • 2 long-sleeved shirts (One nicer to wear to concerts.)
    • 1 camisole for layering
    • thermal shirt & pant
    • 2 hiking pants, one hiking shorts
    • underwear & socks (4 pairs)
  • Sneakers
  • Flip-flops (Shower shoes unceremoniously stored in a plastic bag!)
  • Ziploc baggies (various sizes)
  • Toiletries:
    • Travel toothbrush & toothpaste
    • Deodorant
    • Hairbrush
  • Earplugs
  • Quick-dry camp towel & wash cloth
  • Hearing aids, case, cleaning materials & battery supply enough for 1.5x my trip length.
  • Charger cords for various electronics
  • Back-up camera body (I’ve gone back and forth about bringing the extra camera body. For some sections of my trip it will make sense to carry two cameras attached lenses rather than switching back and forth from the wide-angle to the telephoto. However, even if I could get over this and commit to one lens at a time, I have a hard time swallowing the possibility of not having a back-up in case of an emergency.)
  • USB flash drive for photo storage
  • SD card USB reader for file transfer
  • SD cards in water-tight holder (My only disappointment with this SD card holder is the weight. The rubber material inside the case firmly holds the cards in place. It is water-resistant, but I wouldn’t submerge it!)
  • Plug adapter
  • Compression sack
  • Pillowcase (Recommended by a few articles I read on staying in hostels.)
  • Luggage lock for hostel lockers

Day Bag

I recently purchased an REI Flash 22 Pack in black. I had eyed the Flash 18 but decided on the 22 because of its more appealing and functional top clasp more than anything else.

The packed day bag weighs in at 9.5lbs. I’m waiting on a lens I rented which will add 1.5 lbs. After adding my cell phone and other small items it will probably top out at around 12-13 lbs. I am only slightly concerned as I expected this due to my camera gear.

I’m placing the two guidebooks in my day bag so that I have access to them on the plane. Once I’m off the plane I’ll probably store them in my backpack. These two books add approximately 1.5 lbs of weight that will be transferred out of the day bag upon arrival. This weight however, will most likely be replaced by filling the empty water bottle.

  • Small First Aid Kit ( Moleskin, ibuprofen, seasonal allergy meds, Benadryl, band-aids, one gauze pad, wet wipes and alcoholic towelettes. Mind you, I’m only carrying a few of the pills in the individual dosage packets, not full bottles.)
  • Gloves (My favorite are the convertible mitten-gloves.)
  • Prescription sunglasses
  • Ziploc baggies (2, in various sizes)
  • Safety pins
  • Small packet of tissues
  • Battery keeper and soft case for hearing aids
  • Rite-in-the-Rain journal and a pencil
  • Guidebooks (I’m carrying a bird guide and the National Trail guide to the Hadrian’s Wall Path.)
  • Smartphone
  • Camera body and two lenses (wide-angle + telephoto)
  • SD cards in waterproof container
  • Second camera battery
  • Back-up Phone Power source
  • USB flash drive for photo storage
  • Dry bag (While the day bag is water-resistant, I’m opting for a second layer of protection in case of being caught out in a downpour while hiking.)
  • Water bottle

On My Person

While I’m not necessarily trying to get around the weight requirement, there are some items I will carry on my person or wear on the plane.

  • Hiking boots (My boots are a lot easier to remove at the airport than my sneakers!)
  • Fleece jacket & Rain jacket (Both can be layered or worn separately!) Both of these can fold down into the day bag, but probably not together.
  • Wallet with foreign currency, debit/credit cards
  • Wristwatch

Important Travel Documents

I’m also traveling with a few necessary items kept in various locations, whether it be my backpack, day bag or on my person:

  • Eyeglass prescription (I still haven’t decided whether I ALSO want to bring a back-up pair of glasses. TBD)
  • Old Debit card (I was recently notified by my bank that due to a security breach at a merchant they were going to issue me a new card. Alas, I have already booked a fair number of items using my old card! I will be taking the old card with me to present when asked and hope I do not have any issues when paying with the new card.)
  • Passport & ID (Driver’s License)
  • Printed reservation emails and tickets
  • Hostel International membership card
  • Health Insurance card
  • Photocopies of important documents hidden away with info for banks written somewhere.

Purchase upon Arrival

The following items just made more sense to purchase when I arrive rather than before:

  • Shampoo/Conditioner
  • Soap/Body wash
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Laundry soap
  • Hat

Final Thoughts

So combined, I’m looking at a total bag weight around my goal of 30 lbs. Not bad! My hope is that on the days I am transferring to a new location that I can fit my day bag inside my backpack so that I only have to handle and watch one bag! As of today I could do that, but I am still missing some items and I would need to carefully assess the locations of my electronics.