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What to put in my Backpack

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What to take, what to avoid and what will I really not need.
12 years ago, March 7th 2012 No: 21 Msg: #152897  
B Posts: 277
I live in Greece which has a milder climate than South of France. April and May are Spring months, which means the weather is unpredictable. Can be quite cool (10-15 degrees) with rain or beautiful with sunshine and temperatures above 25 degrees. It can change quite rapidly so come prepare for both. And evenings are still cool. Usually even late May is a bit cool for swimming in the sea, although sunbathing can be nice on a sunny day. Reply to this

12 years ago, March 8th 2012 No: 22 Msg: #152914  
Thank you for the information Shane and Inga. I think I should be fine with what I have. I can always buy something on the way if the weather changes a heap. I will definitely check out that site you recommend also Shane 😊 Reply to this

12 years ago, March 12th 2012 No: 23 Msg: #153111  
it always were you go. I tend to always pack a bit too much.

This is a list of what I normally bring.

1 pair of jeans
2 pair of shorts
1 sport shorts
1 bathing suit
3 t-shirt
1 long sleeve
1 rain coat

1 pair of shoes
medical info
1 sheet
adaptators
guide book
toilet kit
camera
alarm clock
flash light
two locks
notebook
Reply to this

12 years ago, March 13th 2012 No: 24 Msg: #153120  
B Posts: 72
You have a good list (counting the good suggestions already given), and honestly you may find that 55 liters is too big. There are a couple of perspectives on this:

Option 1: Take 55 liters and pack it slackly.

Pros:
-You have room to add stuff if you need to.
-You can just jam everything in there if you need to leave somewhere quickly.

Cons:
-If you have room to, you will probably add stuff even if you don't need it.
-Most packs are designed with a fairly narrow load range, which means if you pack under that range, it won't carry right.

Option 2: Get a smaller pack and some packing aids (basically a variety of zippered mesh bags and compression sacks that allow you to fold and roll things very very small).

Pros:
-You end up with a tightly packed but tiny bag. You have a much easier time fitting through doors, maneuvering through crowds, stowing it under train seats, etc.
-You're forced to really consider the value of every single thing you pack or add as you go.
-My favorite harness system, suspended mesh, tends to only be available on smaller packs (there are a couple of manufacturers who put it on larger packs though).

Cons:
-You can't add stuff very easily.
-Every time you pack it you have to take a few moments and do it right. Easy to do on your living room floor, not so easy in a crowded hostel with the manager glaring at you because checkout was half an hour ago.

I tend to prefer the absolute smallest bag that will manage to hold all my stuff, so I go with option 2 every time. Reply to this

12 years ago, March 18th 2012 No: 25 Msg: #153354  
Thank you for your suggestions! I leave in less than 24 hours and I have my 55L packed 3/4 full so I have extra room for goodies I may pick up. It is a bit large for me - being 5'4 but it fits my day pack in it also so I won't have to lug it around to often.

Thanks again for all of the great suggestions , time to get into travel mode. Reply to this

12 years ago, March 18th 2012 No: 26 Msg: #153355  
24 hours to go - extremely exciting! Hope you are able to get a restful sleep tonight.

Have an enjoyable journey - am looking forward to the blogs! Reply to this

11 years ago, October 23rd 2012 No: 27 Msg: #162374  
I always take a doorstop with me. You can put it under the door at night and feel safe. I also like to have a compass along. Just suggestions. Reply to this

11 years ago, October 23rd 2012 No: 28 Msg: #162377  
In response to: Msg #162374

A doorstop is an excellent idea, I had never thought of that. I too like having a compass with me, which is on my lovely Casio Protrek watch. Reply to this

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