a.k.a.: Check the frickin’ weather report!
Seems simple enough. August is like, as summery as summer gets, right? So, obviously, pack for summer. Except that I didn’t actually bother checking much in depth and consequently, got a little cold and wet. Extremely obvious lesson learned!
This 2 week trip took us through Amsterdam, Dubrovnik, Montenegro, and parts of Italy. (Coming Soon: Planning Too Much)
Clothes
6 Everyday Tops:
1 nice lace tank, black
1 sleeveless v-neck, black
1 blue racerback tank*
1 printed T, modal blend
1 black T, modal blend
1 blue T, quick-dry poly/cotton*
Bottoms:
1 pair black past-the-knee length shorts
1 pair grey past-the-knee length shorts
Many religious sites will either not allow you access, or at least give you disapproving looks, if your knees are exposed. Let’s face it, you’re not going to be that much cooler in shorts that are a few inches shorter, so just bring what’s appropriate and you’ll never have to head back to your room to change.
1 pair black leggings
1 printed skirt
(Note the lack of actual pants**)
Layering items:
1 black print shrug/wrap thing
1 warm longsleeve, black
1 ultralight, pocketable windbreaker***
Underwear:
6 thongs
3 regular bikini briefs
1 regular bra*
1 sports bra
1 cami bra
PJs:
1 tank with built-in shelf bra
1 pair lightweight bottoms
Miscellaneous:
1 bathingsuit coverup dress
1 towel (Coming Soon: Why Turkish Towels are the Best Travel Towels)
1 bikini
1 Dress, black/cream print*
Shoes:
Sneakers
Crocs Huarache Sandals
Birkenstocks
*A note on starred clothing items: I DIDN’T WEAR ANY OF THESE DAMN THINGS EVEN ONE DAMN TIME*
Trust me when I say that you can pack less than you think you might need. Although…
**I found myself freezing in Amsterdam the day we got there. I popped into an H&M and bought a pair of black jeans for 8 EUR. If I can get through not bringing pants, don’t worry too much about what you might forget. In the future, I’ll always bring a pair of my super lightweight Anatomie pants (review coming soon!)
For toiletries, I have specific needs for my skin to keep from breaking out massively. In my 30s, it feels unfair to have to pay this much attention to acne since I was promised by the world I’d grow out of it, but there you go. Bringing the right skincare is a must for me, and not eating dairy helps as well. Although try going to Amsterdam and NOT eating your body weight in Gouda. Can’t be done.
400lbs of everything, please, thankyouverymuch.
Toiletries
In my liquids bag:
3 oz bottle facewash
1 oz bottle face cream
1 oz bottle night cream Hey, for a single ounce, let’s pamper ourselves, right?
3 oz sunscreen for face
0.25 oz bottle contact lens refreshing drops
2 oz deodorant
1 decongestant nose spray
(check back soon for suggestions on the best travel bottles for your liquids)
Makeup:
Concealer stick
Mineral makeup powder
Powder bronzer
Brush
Eyeliner
I didn’t use any of this even once, probably because I look so FOINE with a tan. Not because of laziness, certainly.
Other Toiletry Items:
Toothbrush, 1 battery-powered “sonic” (Eh. Don’t expect these to replace your Sonicare)
Disposable contacts, x50 (I can only tolerate these daily kinds unfortunately)
Glasses
Small hairbrush
Assorted hairbands
1 hairclip
1 claw-style clip
Tweezers
Nail file
Nail clipper
Ear swabs
Medical:
(Coming Soon:Taking stuff just in case and Traveling When You Have Difficult Periods)
Tampons: I highly recommend using a menstrual cup if you can find one you like. My box of tampons weighed over a pound and took up a good-sized portion of my backpack, whereas this cup collapses into itself and weighs only 2 oz.
Pads Necessary either way on heavy flow days
Advil
Chinese herbs for menstrual pain
Claritin
Pseudoephedrine
Mosquito Zapper
AfterBite
Alcohol Swabs
Band Aids Or “plasters” if you speak the mother tongue
Antibiotic ointment packets
Electronics:
iPhone/lightning cable/earbuds
In-ear earbuds for the plane
kindle/mini USB cable
Backup USB battery
Bluetooth Speaker (
***UL windbreakers make terrible makeshift curtains, get yourself an eye mask if you plan on staying in a 16th century castle in Montenegro. And probably some other places.
