Life in a Bag

I've been saving this post for a dull day and save from the abhorrently vile, unidentifiable smoked fish I found in my exorbitantly over-priced caesar salad, there wasn't any excitement. FYI, tomorrow we go to Montpellier to meet Elizabeth, one of the members of our WWOOF family! We'll be there for 3 weeks at which time we'll make our way to Cortona, Italy for the end of the olive harvest.

For your entertainment and education, this is what I've packed:

contents of Osprey bag

contents of camera bag

To be perfectly honest, hauling 60 lbs/27 kg of gear around is not something I will ever repeat. How photojournalists do this professionally is completely a mystery to me. For the first few weeks I couldn't figure out why Ian had packed so much more efficiently than I had. Then I realized I packed for living in the bush, not multilingual, older versions of Rochester and New York City.

And so, baring my soul...

THE ULTIMATE PACKING LIST

GENERAL ITEMS

sleeping bag

water bottle

sunglasses

pocket knife/leatherman/swiss army

small backpack

large pack

pack cover

laundry bag (invest in a good one!)

frisbee

DOCUMENTATION

passport

visa (if needed)

student ID

driver's license 

credit card

immunization records 

yellow fever card (not on immunization record)

airline tickets

e-mail/fax/letter stating VISA will be available upon arrival if not sent before

airline frequent travel cards/numbers

telephone and addresses at destinations

medical insurance cards

credit card phone # (in case of theft)

*copies of all identification: passport, medical insurance card, insurance card, driver's license, immunization records, etc. 

MISC.

Bible

a book or two (in addition to the nook...)

pen and pencils

journal/notebook

wallet

change purse

addresses for letters

maps

photos of family (digital or printed)

playing cards (not necessary)

plastic garbage bags (can double as cheap pack-covers)

business cards

watch+ alarm

spork (invaluable in any environment!)

sewing kit (I also recommend bringing someone who knows how to sew)

ziploc bags

sink stopper

laundry soap 

laundry line/paracord 

matches

sunglasses

ELECTRONICS

flashlight

extra batteries for flashlight

outlet adapters

CELLPHONE

Blackberry + charger

nook

  nook

  charger (wall plug + cable)

ipod

  ipod

  charging cord

  headphone splitter

  headphones

CAMERA

28-75mm lens

2 batteries

lens cleaner

UV filter

polarizing filter

2 hard drives

card reader

CF & SD card case

tripod

LAPTOP

mac + charger

HYGIENE  

hand/face wipes

shampoo

conditioner

bar of soap

hairbrush/comb

deodorant

nail clippers

razor (unless you're just going for No-Shave-November or trying the No-Shave-Africa route)

razor blades

toothbrush

toothpaste 

floss

towels (hair and body)

washcloth

chap stick (go for Carmex)

make-up case: including tweezers to keep away the unibrow, some tan powder, pieces of an eye-lash brush, bobby-pins, and mascara (shameful! shameful! I have a (not unwarranted) fear of being invited to a nice event and having to show up in jeans with unbrushed hair so I thought I'd be ready). 

MEDICAL

vitamins

malaria pills

steripen (Ian's insistence)

small first aid kit

CLOTHES

rain coat

fleece jacket

gloves

under armor/long underwear

hat for warmth

belt (in case of internal encounters with pathogenic microorganisms)

hoodie/sweatshirt 

sweat pants (I only wish I'd packed them on other trips! Worth the space.)

6 shirts (button-downs are ideal)

4-6 t-shirts

2 skirts/dresses

2 pairs long trousers/jeans

1 pair of shorts

spandex shorts

underwear for a week+

socks- tall and short

shoes- sandals, black flats, hiking boots and running shoes (but if you'll be in a warm area then run barefoot)

swim suit (though a sports bra and shorts can suffice)