Packing List for S E Asia

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Back home, Christmas has been and gone and tomorrow I must return to work. Work and resposibilities, such is the life!

Anyway the following is a list if items I packed for my trip, and how useful they ended up being. Hopefully someone will find the information interesting, if not then it will help jog my memory when next I venture there.

CLOTHING

• Trousers x 4 : Too many, I ended up posting one pair back home. Next time I'll take two pairs for day wear and one slightly smarter pair for dressing up.
  
• T-Shirts (short sleeve) x 3 : 2 would have been fine
  
• T-Shirts (long sleeve) x 2 : 1 pair would be fine, I posted 1 of mine home half way through
  
• Shirt (long sleeve) x 1 : would have been very useful if I'd taken a shirt I liked. I posted mine home unworn because it was such a hideous colour, so please ensure you pack clothing you actually like & feel comfortable wearing.
  
• Fleece x 1 : Didn't use it much but absolutely essential for when it was required.
  
• Socks x 2 pairs : never used mine, but essential if doing a lot of hiking
  
• Underpants x 4 : 2 pairs would have been fine
  
• Bra x 2 : plenty
  
• Swimming costume x 1 : plenty
  
• Swim shorts x 1 : plenty (again, take a pair you actually like, you'll be more likely to wear the things)
  
• Cross Trainers x 1 pair : brought for hiking but never used, posted home unworn.
  
• Sandals x 1 pair : worn every day
  
• flip flops x 1 pair : hurt my feet for walking but essential in some of the showers/bathrooms
  
• Hat x 1: Essential, but do take one that fits! (my head is not as large as I thought it would seem)
  
  
  

  BAGGAGE

  
  
• TT40 Carry on Backpack: Surprisingly roomy and comfortable up to 10 kg load. Over 10 kg and it became uncomfortable when walking great distances. Short distances and it was still fine. A great wee bag, everyone should have one!
  
• Raider sahara day bag: converts from shoulder bag to backpack. Really roomy and dead easy to carry with the backpack when on the move thanks to detachable shoulder strap.
  
• Wheely suitcase: bought for transporting a few fragile souveneirs home on the plane. Found it heavy and a darn nuisance when walking through the city (stairs are a nightmare with this thing), doubt I'll be changing my allegience from the backpack to this any time soon.
  
• Pack it cubes: very handy for easy access to things, attempted the bundle method of packing but too lazy to keep it up so very glad I'd brought these with me as a 'just in case'
  
  
  

  Toiletries

  
  
• shampoo: can be found everywhere
  
• Conditioner: a little harder to track down but essentially still found most places
  
• Hair deFrizz gunk: if you need this, take it with you (or just wear a hat)
  
• Toothpaste: available everywhere
  
• Toothbrush: available everywhere
  
• Plastic toothbrush covers from Boots: blimmin useless as wouldn't snap closed
  
• Shaving oil : tiny bottle lasted the whole 3 months, very useful
  
• disposable razors: can be found anywhere
  
• Comb: used mine nearly every day!
  
• Suncream P20: essential but can be bought out there (not P20 though)
  
• Deet Insect Repellent: almost impossible to find out there except in Thailand, take enough with you
  
• Handgel: kept forgetting to use mine and still never got sick
  
• Travel mirror: never used, every where I stayed had at least one mirror
  
• mooncup: aboslutely essential for the ladies!
  
• toiletry bag: not essential but very handy for keeping everything together
  
• moisturiser: kept forgetting to use it, no wonder I'm not beautiful
  
• Airplane safe Nail clippers: not all airports will let them through in handbaggage ergo normal ones would have been just as good
  
• Tweezers: very useful
  
• Universal sink plug: not required in Cambodia or Myanmar, occasionally useful in Thailand and Malaysia
  
• Travel washing line: never used as only washing one or two items at a time, would still take it with me next time though
  
• Travel wash: waste of time, travel sized washing powder/cream can be bought everywhere
  
• Hairbands: can be bought everywhere
  
• Travel towels: took a bath towel and hand towel, rarely used. Next time I'll just take the hand towel unless doing a lot of camping.
  
  
  

  ELECTRICAL

  
  
• Camera & battery charger: TZ7, a fab camera. Remember to regularly record photos to DVD though or you'll end up like me 😞
  
• Multi purpose adaptor: worked in every country I went to and had a usb bit to charge my MP3 player. Loaned out several times to unlucky travellers with adaptors that wouldn't adapt.
  
• Sony MP3 player: cheap and unobtrusive, not too fussed when I lost it, handy for those long bus journeys
  
• headphones: good quality ones help tune out the interminable TV on buses but are a wrench when you lose them
  
• spare camera battery: very handy for whne you can't put your camera down
  
• 2 x 16GB memory cards: one would have been quite sufficient
  
  
  

  MEDICAL

  
  
• Blister plasters: never used
  
• Normal plasters: never used
  
• Tea tree oil: anti fungal, very useful and hard to come by out there
  
• Lavender oil: anti bacterial, almost impossible to find out there. Used with Tea Tree on bites and cuts and not one became infected (alternatively you could use iodine which is available everywhere out here). If traveling to Myanmar take extra bottles of Lavender to give as gifts, many locals love the smell and it cannot be bought in that country
  
• Arnica gel: used extensively, no idea if it can be bought out there
  
• Aloa Vera Gel: good for sunburn, again no idea if it can be bought out there
  
• Paracetamol: available everywhere but more expensive out there
  
• Gavascon: available as liquid everywhere but not as tablets
  
• Anti histamines: available verywhere
  
• Travel sickness remedy: available everywhere, even Yangon bus station
  NB I elected not to take anti malarials, but they can be bought everywhere too
  
  
  

  SUNDRIES

  
  
• Padlock: never used
  
• Toilet roll: can be bought anywhere
  
• Small plastic bags: handy for storing my gift of elastic bands in and for keeping electrical items dry in day bag
  
• Waterproof pouch: bought for taking passport and camera swimming, never used as I never went swimming
  
• Money Belt: used at first but then posted home, personal choice, most of my fellow travellers used a money belt, you probably should too
  
• Sunglasses: never worn as the hassle of changin in and out of my normal glasses was too much for me
  
• Glasses: worn every day, if I'd been wise I'd have taken a spare pair
  
• Daily disposable contact lenses: used when diving
  
• Umbrella: invaluble for keeping the blazing sun at bay
  

One thing I didn't take that would have been useful is a sarong, for when the sheets were just a little but icky!

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