Packing List

Whether something is a necessity or a luxury obviously depends person to person. Packing for a 6 month trip forces one to categorize everything into one of the two categories and leave all but the most cherished items in the latter category at home.

I packed on the light side since schlepping a big suitcase or backpack to city after city would get old really fast, especially in places where ground transportation is inconvenient/nonexistent. What follows is a fairly comprehensive list of what I decided to bring on my trip. Let me know what you think.

Luggage:
26" carry-on size rolling suitcase
30qt (medium sized) REI Venturi backpack
Small excursion bag

Clothes (all made of quick-dry/wrinkle resistant synthetic fabrics unless noted)*:
3 ventilated long-sleeve collared button-up shirts
3 short-sleeve collared button-up shirts
3 t-shirts
1 In-n-out t-shirt (cotton)
1 cashmere sweater
1 North Face Apex jacket
1 North Face Mountain Light jacket
3 pair convertible pants/shorts
2 pair basketball shorts
6 pair underwear
1 pair long underwear
2 pair crew walking socks
2 pair ankle-cut atheltic socks
1 pair rubber-soled leather oxford shoes (black)
1 pair Keen walking sandals
1 pair shower sandals

Technology:
Dell XPS M1330 laptop with lightweight AC adapter set, case, and lock
Ipod classic (80gb)
Canon Powershot SD650

Toiletries:
Small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, SPF 45 lotion, and hair gel
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Electric shaver
Medicine organizer w/ medications
Nail clippers
Travel sewing set

General*:
Clothes washing set w/ universal sink plug/clothes line/detergent
First aid kit
Microfiber travel towel (XL, 48")
Document pouch, mesh
Ziploc bags, 2 Altoid tins (for storage), and 1 tupperware bowl
Scotch tape
2 luggage locks and 1 4' cable lock
Money belt
LED flashlight (1 AA)
Small keychain compass
Lighter and matches
Moist towelettes
Purell
Travel tissue pack
3 pens

*Most of the clothes and general travel accessories were purchased at REI, which is a wonderful store and made preparing for the trip much less painful than it could have been.

Introduction

I am by nature a curious and restless person and I have always considered traveling to new places a favorite activity of mine, so it is no surprise that I have dreamt of doing a round-the-world trip (RTW in the future) for years.

Since graduating college in 2001, I began working in the investment management business in New York and dutifully worked hard, suppressing my wanderlust for the sake of my career. Well, no more. After six and a half satisfying years as an investment research analyst (thankfully, investments are a huge passion of mine), I quit in January and plan to follow my dreams traveling from late February 2008 until September 2008.

This blog is primarily for the friends who have expressed interest in following my adventures. Of course, it's also a great way for me to reflect on my experiences and will undoubtedly provide a reminder of experiences forgotten in the future.

To see a general itinerary of my trip, please see the section to the right. And of course, always feel free to e-mail me at 26weeks@gmail.com. I hope to hear lots of comments and suggestions from everyone.

E-mail will be the best way to contact me generally since I'm traveling without a phone but with a laptop.