Alpacking Light

I know that we aren’t packing for the same type of travel, but for all those Peru Packers out there (aka The Pennies), I thought it might be useful to explain what I’m travelling with. It will take too long to describe Jim, so here’s my other companion…

55L Osprey Farpoint Backpack. It is about 18kg in total (13kg main, 5kg cabin bag).

The Farpoint is a 40L main pack, and 15L detachable daypack. They zip together as one luggage item if necessary, but its easier on my back to carry them as two (they fix on front and back). The zip of the main pack opens up entirely like a suitcase (no annoying small hole at the top of a tube).

Clothes are packed using Packmate vacuum packs (1 small, 2 medium and 1 large); you roll them to expel the air and pack more tightly, plus they keep everything dry.

EVERYTHING else is in large ziplock bags, it is a massive pain if things get wet.

• Kindle + USB charger
• Mobile Phone / Camera + USB charger with plug
• 11″ MackBook Air Laptop + cable/plug
• 1 plug converter
• Headphones
• Headphone converter for plane
• Selfie stick
• Headtorch (Petzel Tikkina)
• Chip & pin device for online banking

• iPod shuffle and charger

• Fake wallet with $20 in it
• Cotton bag which zips closed
• Wet Wipes
• Pocket Sun Cream
• Small hand sanitiser
• Insect Repellent x 3
• Tissues
• Pens (biros/art)
• Pencils
• Notebook
• Print outs of important numbers, copies of passport, insurance details
• Passports
• Immunisation certificate
• 1 credit card
• 2 debit cards
• Exped Large dry bag: one fits all my tech inside
• Beechfield Classic Army Cap
• Sunglasses
• Hair bands
• Chewing gum

• Money belt
• Little wallet
• Phrase book

• Latex gloves
• Plasters
• Blister plasters
• Scissors
• Sterile gauze
• Micro-bandage
• Tape for bandage
• Anti-bacterial foam
• Anti-bacterial gel (Germolene)
• Medicated wound wipes
• Elastic band

• Malaria meds (doxycycline)
• Hydro-cortisone cream
• Dioralyte
• Cold + Flu
• Paracetamol
• Seasickness
• 2 types of antihistamine
• Cough sweets
• Prescription meds
• Water purification tablets
• Thrush tablets (apparently malaria meds can increase likelihood of this!)

• Toothpaste
• Shampoo / Conditioner
• Suncream (2 factors)
• After Sun
• Back up large pack tissues
• Boots No 7 Moisturiser
• Small perfume dispensers (have 3, hardly use)
• Cotton buds
• Hair dye (at various points)
• Dental floss
• Deodorant
• Make up (mascara, lipstick, touché éclat, concealer)
• Small eye make-up remover
• Few cotton pads
• Tweezers
• Nail clippers
• Nail file
• Razor + couple of blades
• Foot scrubber
• Exfoliating mit
• Tampons
• Small brush for applying hair dye
• Mini-magnifying mirror
• Travel hair brush

• intensive moisturiser for dry skin (don’t need in hot climates)
• lip salve with SPF (never remember it)
• ear plugs (I can sleep through anything, it seems)

• flip-flops
• lightweight trail-runners (New Balance Minimus 10v2 Trail)
• rubber “Natives” (look like converse, amazing in a raft or in the rain!)

• Beach blanket (cotton)
• Lightweight sport towel
• 2 belts
• Combination lock for backpack
• Pepper, curry powder and stock cubes
• Small tube of handwash gel
• Snorkel mask
• Snorkel tube
• Old watch
• Pack of cards

• Lifeventure treated silk sleeping bag liner
• Platypus water bladder
• Platypus fold-down water bottle (1.5L)
• Small dry bag

• 6 pairs of socks (2 inner hiking, 1 hiking, 3 short black)
• 5 pants
• 1 sports bra
• 1 normal bra (almost in shreds from dryers)

• 2  Bikini bandeau tops
• 1 bikini bottoms
• Swimming costume

• Sarong

• 3 (denim, slouchy, running)

• 2 light-weight beach pants
• 1 quick dry sport trouser
• 2 black leggings
• 1 jeans

• 1 skirt!

• 3 uni-qlo jersey vest tops
• 2 heat tech uni-qlo base layer tops
• 1 spaghetti strap vest top
• 2 black sheer vest tops

• 1 moisture wicking moreno wool vest top
• 1 tie-dye top I bought at Chichen Itza that bleeds dye so I can’t wash it, & it smells – but I like it!
• 2 smart sheer vest-tops (maybe in Peru on a special occasion?)

• 1 denim with popper pockets
• 1 jack wolfskin moisture wicking lumberjack shirt with buttoned pockets

• Berghaus micro fleece with zip pockets
• Uni Qlo down jacket (folds up really small) with zip pockets
• Muji rain poncho with hood

The only things I’m considering buying are some gloves and warm hat in Peru at high altitude.

And that folks is all you need to live.

Apart from the back up mobile charger, the external hard drive, the pen knife and the washing line that Jim packs in his luggage.