So… Its time to admit the Achilles heel to my travels… PACKING! I HATE HATE HATE it!!
I just packed for my recent trip to Bogota, Colombia. A 5 day extravaganza of food, families, walking and weddings. I loved it, but that aside, so many occasions meant a serious wardrobe challenge. On top of that, I challenged myself to ‘Carry-on only’. Fully aware that my ‘carry-on’ bag expanded (and I’d be shopping), the ‘Carry-on Challenge’ was only valid for the outbound journey.
So yes, I squeezed it all in, I carried it on.. but did I pack well? Not really. I took a couple of things I never wore, I was cold a lot and I had very sore feet from running around in inappropriate shoes! I’m still no expert on packing, but what did I learn?
- Talk to locals – what do they wear?
- Check the weather – and try to imagine how you felt last time you were in that temperature. Dont just compare it to where you are departing from!
- Invest in some fabulous multi purpose shoes!! Something you can walk for miles in, but also will keep your feet warm/cool (climate appropriate), can work with a skirt/shorts or pants and you feel comfortable hitting the town in AND trekking the streets in. Its a challenge, but you will thank yourself for it later.
- Think about safety – again talk to locals, but sometimes it takes a little extra effort to not look like a tourist, to blend in.
So there are a few tips of my own but here are even better tips from the experts, I particularly love the calculator!
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlist.htm
http://www.frommers.com/tips/packing_tips/
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=96&category=9
http://www.travelsense.org/tips/packingtips.cfm
Calculator: http://upl.codeq.info/
I’d love to hear your packing tips! Do you know better than these guys? Let me know by leaving a comment below.
Surprisingly, I dont mind the unpacking… I get to explore my souveneir purchases, and even during the laundry I get to remember where the jam stain on my shirt came from!
Renee Travels 