Another hot topic once you’ve decided to go backpacking is ‘what on earth am I going to pack’. I googled variations of this search so many times and from personal experience, my first bit of advice is to bring as little as possible! I opted for osprey 45l backpack and although I had a very restricted wardrobe, it was so much easier to carry round.
My top tips for packing:
- Research types of backpack! My first backpacking trip to Asia I took a 55l top opening bag and it was the one of the most frustrating elements of my trip. This time, I took the Osprey front opening one that literally opens like a suitcase! This makes it soo much easier to navigate your way round your belongings and have some idea where everything is.
- Research the weather. Although always unpredictable, you’ll need a good understanding on what season you’ll be travelling during in each county. For my SA trip, I was going to experience all climates. High altitude locations are always a lot colder so I made sure I had enough layers and a raincoat for all eventualities.
- Technique of choice? Roll! I always rolled my clothes up instead of folding, you can really utilise space with this technique!
- Only pack essentials. Nobody cares about your fashion sense when you’re away for months on end, stick to the basics and carry around a lighter bag. You even feel a little smug when everyone’s telling you they wish they’d done the same.
Moral of today’s story, less is more. Check out my insta for all my travel content @lucystraveldiary
Lucy’s Travel Diary 