My monster backpack

"What the hell do you pack for an 8 month trip when you only have one backpack?"

A ton of people have asked me what I’ve packed for this 8 month RTW extravaganza. For someone who loves shoes, and bags, and CDs, and lip glosses, and clothes, and guns (just kidding) it was pretty unfathomable that I’d be able to pack everything I’d want for this trip. But so far, I'm one week in and I haven’t wanted for anything. Here’s the list of what I have - all of it!

-4 pairs of pants:

2 convertible from long pants to mid-calf length (black and gray)

1 super thin and cute black pair, good for day or night

1 pair of jeans

-1 pair of shorts

-1 purple print sun dress

-1 knee-length black skirt

-10 shirts:

2 short sleeved (black with multicolored bunnies and white)

2 long sleeved (white and black/grey stripes)

2 tank tops (green and black)

2 built-in bra tanks for layering when it’s cold and wearing alone when hot (white and black)

1 “going out” shirt (1-sleeved black)

1 tank that can be dressed up or down (black/pink/white print)

-1 jacket

-5 bras

-6 pairs of underwear

-4 pairs of socks

1 very hot-looking leg compression pair

3 normal not-so-hot looking pairs

-5 pairs of shoes:

1 pair closed-toed, everyday sneaker-type shoes

1 pair hiking sandals (Terribly ugly. I hate them.)

1 pair everyday sandals (Merills. They’re kind of ugly but comfy.)

1 pair shower flips (of course, I like these the most and have worn then out of the shower a ton)

1 pair “going out” open-toed heels (I have yet to wear them, but they’re been comfy in the past)

-1 sarong: used as my towel, dress, or cover-up

-2 bandanas: used as washcloths or head cover

-1 baseball cap

-1 bathing suit

-1 case of medicine: malaria pills, allergy pills, epipens (they take up SO much room!)

-1 toiletries bag: trial sizes of everything, very little make-up

-3 books:

2 guide books (I’ll exchange some out once I get to London)

1 fluff book Eat, Pray, Love

-1 laptop

-1 ipod nano

-1 emergency health kit

-1 travel neck pillow

-2 cameras

-1 backpack cover for when it rains

-various strength exercise bands

-1 plastic funky looking ring, a leather bracelet, and a pair of small earrings

I was prepared to write “And that’s it!” but as I look back on this list, it’s pretty awesome that I have all of that in one backpack. Sure, I’ll get sick of my clothes, but there are many many permutations of shirts and bottoms so at least it won’t be the same outfits the whole time. And when I have a breakdown, I can always buy a cheap shirt or five.