The Art of Packing – 10 Day Trip

Studying abroad in the summer of 2014 had been the last time I had taken a trip of any significance overseas. With that being the case, I needed to revamp my travel gear and revisit the challenges of packing for a 10 day trip. This post will overview my flight preparation, product reviews, and other packing lessons.

In-flight Preparation

My flight time was roughly ten and a half hours so preparation was key. We all plan to be super productive with that time, but you never know what will be accomplished until you take off.

IcelandAir offered inflight entertainment, although it was pretty limited. All I brought to entertain me was my phone, skullcandy headphones, a Gameboy (with Pokemon), and a few light marketing books. Amazon was my best friend before, during, and after my trip. More specifically, my prime account which allowed me to order gear to be shipped in two days and download movies and shows such as “Vikings” to keep me entertained.

One of my favorite shows “Dexter” inspired me to buy the audio-book “Darkly Dreaming Dexter” as well. But I found out audio-books on a plane don’t work so well for me.

Product Reviews:

Baggage

Deuter Transit 50L Pack (9.5/10)
This was by far my favorite purchase for the trip. This pack served as my lifeline, keeping all of my possessions safe and organized. The most convenient aspect of the bag is the detachable day pack on the front I could bring on city and trail hikes. I was able to carry it on most of my flights with a few exceptions, which is why it only gets a 9.5. With a lower compartment for shoes and toiletries and a side zipper for easy access, I would recommend this bag for any type of traveler.

Amazon Basics Packing Cubes (7/10)
I can’t believe I didn’t know these existed until now. I continue to use these for work travel and they make life way easier. You can buy different sizes for shirts, pants, socks, and whatever your heart desires. These received a seven out of ten for the mere fact that one of them ripped pretty easily. That being said, you need to get these if you plan on traveling!

Toiletries

Gotoobs (10/10)
Why waste money on travel lotions and body wash or limit yourself to odd smelling hotel options when you can bring your favorites with you? That’s exactly what Gotoobs were created for! They allow you to label and store enough liquid to last you on an entire ten day trip.

Microfiber Towel (9/10)
These magical towels don’t take up much space and dry faster than you can imagine. Although you have to sacrifice a normal towel dry feeling, these towels are priceless.

Money/Cards
I made the mistake of relying on American Express as it has no international transaction fee. Although Scandinavia is relative card friendly, American Express was rarely accepted. The other important facts to consider are that the chip readers are all over Europe and every card requires a pin (Credit Cards as well). This forced me to use my debit card a decent amount and my bank account didn’t like that. Do your research, get some of the local cash in your wallet, and track your spending if you want to make it out alive!

What Clothing To Pack

Although I travel for work twice a month, it is truly an art to master packing. This is especially the case for international flights where every ounce matters. As I stated in my work travel post, the weather forecast weighs heavily on what you pack, but the key is to pack things you can layer. Below I outline what I believe you can survive with in a ten day trip overseas:

T- Shirts – 4 pairs of plain or bold patterned shirts. Something that is easy to mix and match.

Long Sleeve Button-ups – I would recommend bringing one business casual button up if you plan on going to a nice dinner. The other can be a comfy casual long sleeve shirt that layers well.

Pants – 2 pairs of pants including dark blue jeans and light khaki chinos.

Underwear – if there is anything to over pack it is underwear, but you can settle for 7 pairs.

Socks – 7 pairs of socks with a few athletic socks, at least one good pair of Smartwool hiking socks, and some business casual socks.

Shoes – one casual and one athletic pair. I chose a nice pair of boots and my brooks running shoes so I can be ready for city or Mountain hikes.

Outerwear – I packed a Patagonia rain jacket and light navy zip up hoodie. If the weather is going to be colder this would obviously look a little different.

Extras
We stayed in Hostels, AirBnBs, and couch-surfed which impacted my travel preparation as well. The items below were mainly for the hostels as they require a bit more preparation.

Sleeping Bag Liner (10/10)
If you’ve never stayed at a hostel, it is like a camp dormitory with shared living spaces for travelers all over the world. If you are a germaphobe or just like your own sheets, purchase a sleeping bag liner. As a 6’4″ male I fit comfortably in mine and used it at hostels and couch surfing.

Lock & Cable (8/10)
This is obviously for security, but is more preventative than anything. This allows you to feel safe that no one will swipe your bag unless they take your bunk or locker with them.

Woolite, sink stopper, and clothesline (NA)
The collection above is extremely helpful in a hostel situation. However, I was blessed with a washing machine and dryer at my AirBnB. I didn’t even get to try these purchases out at the Hostels, but will hold onto for the future.

I hope you not only plan an overseas trip soon but also learn from my experiences and purchases above. Please tweet me @evbtuesdays or comment below to further the conversation.

As always, keep it casual until next Tuesday!

EVB