Editor’s Note: I wrote this page back in 2010 before I left for my Australian adventure. I’ve since learned to pack in a much more minimalist manner, usually carry on only. But I wanted to keep this page as a reminder of that time. Search for “packing” to see more recent packing lists. Also note that some of these products may no longer be available.
If you want to know what I’m bringing with me on my trip to Australia, here you have it. Since I have no idea how long I will be gone I want to be prepared, but since it’s summer down under, I won’t need nearly as much clothing.
It’s not an RTW trip, so I’m not worried about changes in climate, therefore I substituted traditional items for things I didn’t want to give up, like books and journals. You can also check out my packing list from my month-long trip to Croatia and Thailand in Summer 2010 here.
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THE BACKPACK
1. Kelty 65L Women’s backpack, purchased on clearance at REI Outlet *Slight tearing on front pocket, but still going strong
2. Sea to Summit Compression Sacks, which should hold the majority of my clothing
CLOTHING
1. 5 t-shirts (Caroline in the City, Hostel Dog, purple Firenze jersey, Dreams shirt, City Love shirt)
2. 1 pair jeans *replaced with 2 new pairs of jeans
3. 1 pair black leggings
4. 5 pairs of shoes (1 New Balance Women’s WW850 True Balance Toning Shoes, 1 black flats, 1 Toms, 2 Havaianas, which were 2 for $3o on Rue La La) *Toms thrown away, as well as black flats due to severe damage, replaced with 1 pair of ankle boots and another pair of flip flops
5. 4 shorts (1 denim, 1 black, 1 white/blue, 1 black athletic)
6. 2 pair socks *Bought 3 new pairs to wear to work
7. 3 bras/12 pairs of underwear *Bought 2 new bras
8. 1 REI travel towel large
9. 2 swimsuits (1 tie dye, 1 maps)
10. 1 sarong (used in Thailand for cover-up, towel, pillow, sheets, skirt, etc.)
11. 4 dresses (1 blue Patagonia, 1 black Gap, 1 floral maxi dress, 1 pink and black dress from TJ Maxx) *Got rid of last dress, acquired new ones
12. 2 jackets (1 purple windbreaker, 1 light long sleeved)
13. 4 tank tops
14. 1 bandana
15. 1 College of Charleston baseball hat
16. 1 silver belt
17. 1 scarf, to be used as a shawl, pillow, beach cover-up
18. 1 pair sunglasses *broken and replaced
19. headbands for when my hair is a mess
20. 1 laundry bag, leftover from college *thrown away after the Melbourne floods
TECHNOLOGY
1. 1 Apple MacBook MC516LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
3. 1 Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP Digital Camera (Black), 2007 model Lost charger after Outback trip
4. 1 Lowepro SlingShot 100 All-Weather Digital Camera Backpack (Black)
5. 1 Joby GP1-E1EN Gorillapod Flexible Tripod (Grey)
6. 1 DiCAPac WP-410 Alpha Underwater Waterproof Digital Camera Housing Case for my Canon
7. 1 Apple iPod nano 8 GB Blue (5th Generation) OLD MODEL
8. 1 All-in-One Travel Power Plug Adapter for US, UK, EU, AU Finally died after a trip to London
9. 1 Iomega eGo Mac Edition 500 GB USB 2.0/FireWire 400/800 Portable External Hard Drive 34629
10. 1 Kyocera unlocked cell phone *sent home because it didn’t work
11. various chargers (phone, iPod, computer)
12. 1 travel alarm clock
13. 1 Petzl E91 PL Tikkina 2 Headlamp, Lime Green
14. 1 Skype headset (bought at Computer Plaza in Chiang Mai for a couple dollars)
15. 1 Kobo eReader Touch (Black), sent from home in May Also died a few months later
THE CARRY ON AND EVERYTHING ELSE
1. 1 Jansport backpack, sea foam green, which I’ve had since high school and has gone on every trip. *Front pocket zipper ripped before I left LA, is now held together by safety pins.
2. 1 inflatable travel pillow
3. earplugs/eye mask
4. passport and assorted documents
5. 1 Coleman watch
6. 1 copy of Let’s Go Australia 10th Edition, *has a good chunk of it that has fallen out
7. 1 map of Sydney and the surrounding area
8. 2 knockoff Moleskin journals
9. 1 large journal from Megan
10. 1 copy of Unlikely Destinations: The Lonely Planet Story and other random books
11. 1 travel tea strainer, which is useful for loose teas Never used while traveling
12. Ziploc bags
13. duct tape
14. 1 Nalgene bottle, so I can avoid bottled water
15. Swiss army knife, complete with scissors, corkscrew and bottle opener *lost in Melbourne but replaced
16. 1 Sea to Summit travel clothesline
17. 1 toiletries bag (makeup, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hairbrush, q-tips, mouthwash, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss)
18. 1 first aid kit (bug spray, sunscreen, wet wipes, bandaids, eye drops, prescriptions, extra contacts, Tylenol PM, Advil, dramamine, antihistamines, antibiotics leftover from Thailand)
19. luggage lock with key, which originally had a second lock but was stolen in London. This is after the TSA took my cute word lock this summer. Bought from dollar store.
If this packing list didn’t meet your needs, check out these other ones for inspiration that are similar to mine. Also check out Her Packing List for all your female travel needs!
- Adventurous Kate, Packing List for Seven Months in Asia
- GoBackpacking, Packing List
- Bacon is Magic, Do You Think I Packed Too Much?