What to pack - kitchen sink not needed

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Right, packing. Just because you are planning a long trip it doesn't mean you need to pack your entire wardrobe. Leave the kitchen sink at home and pack suppppppper light.

Get a decent rucksack of about 60 or 70 litres and fill it with practical things. The biggest mistake made by girls (sorry ladies) is packing too many shoes. For my trip I have brought 4 pairs - casual beach flip flops for during the day, black flat sandals for the evening, some super lightweight converse for colder weather and a pair of walking boots which can be a dead weight and big pain in the arse. If you don't plan to hike or are kidding yourself that you will, forget the walking boots and pack just three pairs for the trip. Also, ladies forget taking high heels, you won't use them and they are a pain in the arse to carry. The same goes for accessories. If you really can't live without accessories and want to take some - take one necklace, bracelet and a pair of earnings. That's it. They are very annoying to carry and can be weighty. A good system to adopt is lending and borrowing (or even permanentely swapping) jewelry with friends you make in hostels. I'm not suggesting you lend or swap your expensive jewels but the usual costume jewlery. The rest should be tee shirts (maybe 4), vests of different colours, a long sleeve shirt (denim perhaps as they look quite smart), one pair of jeans (I love black skinny jeans in general but also think they are the most practical when travelling), two pairs of shorts - denim and tailored, two skirts, a couple of dresses, leggings, jogging bottoms and a hoodie (for nights around a fire, camping, flights or long distance buses), bikinis and undies. A good rule to follow is to pack fairly "plain" clothes so you can mix and match easier. But don't be dull and pack all of the same colour.

Packing light from the beginning gives you space to buy new bits along the way. But don't spend all your money on shopping, I made that mistake when I first set off backpacking at the end of my teens!!! I had to spend the rest of my trip taking any job I could find to fund the rest of my trip.

Don't forget you also need to pack toiletries which are heavy!! Pack minimal make up and hair products and it's essential that you leave the hair dryer and straighteners at home. Lush stores have shampoo and conditioners in bars - like a bar of soap. They are great, lightweight and small. Check them out at https://www.lush.co.uk/products/shampoo-bars . Get yourself a toiletry bag that can be hung in the bathroom - you'll understand why it's an essential when you arrive at your first common bathroom!

Other essential items;

Swiss army knife with wine bottle opener - seems stupid but you will use it

Quick drying travel towel - some accommodation provide towels but this will always come in handy

Packing cubes to keep your ruck sack organised - I have http://www.amazon.co.uk/eBags-Large-Packing-Cubes-Denim/dp/B0013KGG90/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410042825&sr=8-1&keywords=ebags+large

Eye mask - essentiallllllll for buses, hostels, flights, boats, anything!

Inflatable travel pillow - see eye mask!

Padlock

Camera

Torch

Sarong to use as a beach towel - lightweight and can be used for many things

All of these things you can find online. Perhaps ask for them for xmas or bday?

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