Packing for a long-term trip can be totally overwhelming.

After years of travel, we now only travel with hand luggage.

We travel with hand luggage for several reasons:

1.0 Mobility: easier to get off trains, buses, etc., and go to your accommodation. You are not towing a big suitcase

2 0 Navigating stairs: I hate stairs because I fell on them in the Netherlands as a child. So I need to be able to handle stairs on my own.

3.0 Reduced risk and security: You eliminate the risk of your luggage getting lost in transit at airports. You will not have to wait at the luggage carousel for your luggage.

4.0 Cost savings: Most airlines, like Jetstar, charge for bags. Air New Zealand does as well. Qantas don’t charge extra for bags.

5.0 Crime: You are less likely to be targeted by pickpockets and are unlikely to lose your luggage if you always appear to know where you are going. You can achieve this with less luggage, as your suitcase or bag will be kept close to you. During our four years of full-time travel, we circled the globe three times and have never lost our belongings or been targeted by thieves.

Size of luggage

The size of your luggage must comply with international travel regulations.

When we travelled a number of years ago, your carry on luggage used be 10 kg  now it is 7kg. The dimensions needs to be 56 cm x 36cm x 23 cm

Check your airline’s ticket first before you pack because some airlines allow for 10 kg. I generally pack 10 kg, especially when we intend to be away for months, travelling. For shorter trips, I will pack 7 kgs.

How to pack

The first thing I do is put all my clothes on the bed in the spare bedroom. I will put the items in order of colour. I do that three weeks before departure. Every weekend, I go back to the items on the bed and see if I want them.

Packing accessories

I pack in packing cells. Pink for ladies and green for men. I generally will pack for both of us:

4 small per person (as per the photo below)

2 medium per person

One waterproof bag, like the orange one. These waterproof bags are perfect for shoes and toiletries.

3 dry sacks per person

I tend to put all underwear and bras in one packing cells,

Next one is for socks

Third one for cables charges etc

One medium for tops

The other medium for shorts and trousers.

What to pack

Packing list:

5 pairs of either cotton underwear or merino underwear. The merino underwear is breathable,  easy to dry and odour-resistant.

2 bras

2 pairs of trousers: one dark and one light colored but not white. The convertible pants from Kathmandu were great, because it allows you to zip off the bottom section of the trousers and you have shorts. These tend to be my light colored pair of trousers.

2 short-sleeve tops and 2 cotton singlets

2 long-sleeve tops. One should be a lightweight merino from Kathmandu in black.

2 scarves: one cotton for hot climate and one wool mix for warm climate

One pair of togs for swimming

One wool cardigan in black, I keep this in my wardrobe just for travelling back to the Netherlands.

One Rain jacket

Three pairs of shoes: Summer sandals, Winter shoes and hiking boots

Washing line and laundry bag.

Sunglasses

Toilet bag, just take what you need, but buy most items in the country when you arrive.

If you travel with medication, take a letter from your GP stating your medication, because you might need this for customs and border crossings.

One travel handbag

I’ve attached the video, which you can find on our YouTube Channel. This video was taken before leaving for Russia. We were going to be away for 12 months, but we ended up travelling for 22 months.

More tips and tricks on packing, 6 months later in Budapest a review on how we went thru China, Russia in winter, spring and into summer

Made with Passion for the Open Road,

Rolanda