Here's My Packing List. . . help me cut it down please!

donteatgrandma

So . . . I'm a bit of a gearhead. I've been backpacking outdoorsy whys for a long time, but this will be my first bit of traveling around.

So what I'm looking to do is cut my list down a lot. I want to take all my stuff in this backpack if I can. I'll also bring along a fanny pack and smaller daypack, but I don't wait to be wearing everything always. . . I'm trying to travel light, right?

OneBag.com was helpful, but I was wondering if anyone would mind giving me their two cents about what else they'd recommend taking out to lighten me up and enable me to travel easily.

I'll be in Rishikesh volunteering at a free school for around 2 months. . . sometime between October and February, and after that I have another two months to travel. . . as to where to go after
that I as of now have no clue.

How cold will it be in rishikesh during the times that I'll be there? (somewhere in october-february)

And here's the list. . .

CLOTHES
2 pairs trousers
1 Light Weight + 1 Heavy Weight
1 swim trunks
1 Kavu shorts
3 shirts
2 long button up shirts
Merino Wool Long Underwear Top
Merino Wool Long UnderWear Bottom
Down Vest Vest (can been used as a pillow)
3 pairs socks
4 pairs underwear
hairbands, bandannas
warm wool fingerless gloves
skinny warm liner gloves
knitted cap
rain jacket
[do i need?] 1 pair walking shoes/crosstrainers
crocs
chaco adventure sandles (like tevas, but better)
belt

PACKS
travel pack
day pack
fanny pack
luggage locks
pacsafe
steel cable

Keeping me from Smellying Like Dirty Clothes
universal (flat) sink stopper
plug in portable water heater ?
clothesline
detergent packets
lightweight laundry bag

Keeping me from getting delhi-belly too many times
toilet paper
antibacterial gel
chemical water purifier / steripen?
analgesic of choice
diarrhea treatment
infection treatment (e.g., Keflex)
malaria tablets
insect repellent, mosquito net
lip balm

Very thin pieces of bound wood (books/etc)
pen(s), small notebook/diary, glue stick
lonely planet
phrase book ?
war and peace

Miscellaneous Category
whistle ?
rubber door stop (security for doors?)
inflatable travel U-pillow
hostel sheet bag
cord
sewing awl
large sewing needle to accommodate dental floss
duct tape

keeping me clean
toothbrush/tooth paste, floss
shampoo, bar soap & container
deodorant
nail clippers
tweezers
towel

more miscellaneous
sunglasses, retainer, case
earplugs
eye mask
nalgene
condoms

travel documents and moniezz
passport, visas, extra passport photos, vaccination certificates
copies of important documents
health insurance information
travel tickets
charge & ATM cards, cash, traveller's cheques
security pouch

electronics
camera + memory
extra batteries
charger
case
sd-card reader
cell phone
cd player
alarm clock/watch
flashlight
headlamp
extra batteries

god that's a lot. and i can make up too many excuses as to why i think i need all of it.

i look forward to your advice and help. leaving israel for india in less than 3 weeks!

Nick-H

Duct Tape? What, in case there is an announcement on the plane: 'Ladies and gentlemen, nothing to be alarmed about, please remain calm --- but we have a slight emergency here. If anyone on board has any Duct Tape, can they please make themselves known to a member of the flight crew. If they happen to have welding experience, that would be helpful too...'

Sorry, and Welcome to IM ---but that one caught my imagination. And despite a desire to be prepared, would be the first thing I'd leave out!

Condoms... feature in one of my posts on 'What was the most useless thing you took to India' --- but I did end up getting married here, so didn't do too badly in the end. Anyway, easily available from shops here, as is most of the medication yo mention.

You don't need to bring extra passport photos, they cheap and easy to get here --- but if you already have a few, fair enough. You won't need them anyway. Maybe one for your mobile phone sim application form. You don't need vaccination certs unless you want to remind yourself what you had done.

Insect bite cream ie antihystamine: add that! I find it very hard to get here.

That's a start... too tired at the moment to take item by item.

__________________
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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team

SitaParityaga

Unless you're planning to sleep outside, and go further north and up into the mountains, I'd forget the wooly underwear.

On second thought, since you're into gear, go for the lightweight silk stuff if you plan to be in the cold, cold. Rishikesh does get chilly (by our CA and Israeli standards!) at night, but there are plenty of wool blankets for cheap, enough to keep you warm!

Luggage locks and steel cables are my friends...I've never been ripped off in India, and I credit those items for my "good luck"

HA! Haven't you read the fine print on those condoms? Most of them are made in India!

Good luck and happy travelling!

wonderwomanusa

Lighten your load!

Detergent, toilet paper and (I've heard) antibacterial gels are all available in India, so you don't have to take them. India also has shampoo, soap, and toothpaste, so you don't really need much of this stuff.

Take a small mirror, preferably one with magnification on one side. You never know what you might want to look at!

You can buy bottled water for small change; are you sure you need water purification chemicals or devices. I usually carry a bottle of iodine in my first aid kit, which I can use for water purification if absolutely necessary.

I don't think "fanny packs" are terribly secure if you're in a very bad area (sleeper class going through Bihar comes to mind) and so you might be better off with some pouch that goes under your shirt, or a money belt that goes under your trousers.

I don't know that you'll need a rain jacket in the winter -- monsoon should be over by the time you get there. A fleece jacket might be better ... find a cheap one that you can give away when you leave the cold weather behind. And if you are still cold, you can always buy shawls or woolen blankets to use there, and then send or take home for gifts.

Take a deck of cards; you can always find someone to play gin rummy!

capt_mahajan

Headlamp? for what? You already have a flashlight... small maglites are ideal, with one set spare batteries.

Aishah

Most of your items are obtainable here - toiletries etc. if you want to lighten be ruthless, take only essentials for security and your clothes, minimal toiletries. I wouldn't wear anything in crowded areas that goes to your side or back unless it is extremely tough leather - I had the bottom of a shoulder bag slashed in Delhi, luckily not losing anything because 2 handkerchiefs blocked the slit and nothing fell through. Keep your backpack to the front of you.
Merino wool is heavier than thermal underwear - the latter a good idea because can be cold in Rishikesh in late Dec., Jan and early Feb.

__________________
"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

tasuray

Water purification chemicals are also available in India viz. Zeoline 250. So not required to put it in your back pack.Rather you bring chain and lock for the safety of your luggage.If you don't bring laptop then what will you do with your card reader? Though it is also available here, pricing about Rs.200/- to Rs.250/- in big cities.Don't try to travel in sleeper class in trains and put your passport,moneys and credit/debit cards under your garments hanging from a bag.Oh, off course drop 'War and Peace'because it is very voluminous.
Happy travelling.

Nick-H

Some people have a funny idea of romance!

Nick-H

I think you don't need all that sewing stuff. What are planning to mend? You can buy a needle etc here if need be, or, better, ask a tailor to do a quick repair for you. I like the 'be prepared thing' --- but being prepared can weigh you down and, unless you are planning to be in the wilds, we do have shops here!

The fact that you can buy something here doesn't necessarily mean you shouldn't bring it with you. What you are worrying about is the daily carrying weight: not the plane trip. If you have a favourite soap, toothpaste, etc, bring it!

OTOH, for travelling, you can buy these things in very small packets for day to day use. India is a one-egg economy: poor people often have to buy things in very small quantities.

I'm a bit worried about the risk that you might loose your copy of War and Peace. Better bring two; just to be on the safe side!

Electr[tron]ics --- are you arriving from US or Israel? What's Israel's voltage? India is 220-ish; you need to do voltage conversion for American kit. Should be available here.
Whistle. What for?

Aishah

I wondered about the whistle - donteatgrandma were you in Boy Scouts??
When i first came to India around '95 I imagined a 3rd world very undeveloped country and brought with me far too much - everything but the kitchen sink as they say back in NZ. Most of the stuff I dumped or gave away- mainly too much clothing, books etc. which are weighty. Easy to buy here as you go and then pass on.

Khak

Scan all your important documents &
1> mail them to your internet mail id
2> copy them in a pen drive and keep them with you (optional)

No need to carry toiletries & hygiene items except first weeks supplies.

Clothes can also be bought in India when required & disposed off. It saves carrying heavy load.

Books can be bought in India

__________________
~Khak~

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover

*jyoti*

My Indian friend said to me, "You Americans. You're always buying things IN CASE you need them..." Referring to a jacket for winter.

Don't need:
headlamp AND flashlight. Flashlight is fine.
Detergent, Shampoo, etc all easily available at almost any general shop or Pharmacy in little 2 rupee packets--great for traveling. So just buy a few, then get s'more when you need them rather than carrying them around for so long. Same for TP and hand gel.
If you don't have the pacsafe already, just take the lock and a light weight chain. It's not so heavy, easier to manage when traveling a lot, and you're not bringing a computer so don't need tight security.
I have one pair of Merrells I wear everywhere and have no need for tennis shoes. Wear socks with them if you must... :/
Unless you're going serious trekking, 2 light weight trousers fine, especially with long underwear. Heavy will be really hot when it's warm out & you're walking...

Khandoma

Tweezers and nail clippers can be replaced by a very small swiss-style knife, in which they're included.
Btw, I found my tiny swiss knife (approx 5 cm / 2 in. high, so much more lightweight than tweezers + clippers) extremely useful, and not just because of the tweezers, but to fix things, eat my picnic, pack things to send home, install my mosquito net, etc.

The headlamp is probably useless but... there's a great gizmo you might like, to keep Tolstoy company. It's a plastic clip with a tiny battery-powered lamp attached. You clip it to your book, so both hands are free and you can read - I hate reading with a lamplight in a hand - and you spare your main torch batteries for when you need them. Very lightweight, too. Cost me 2.5 Euros ( approx. 3.5 US$ / 125 Rs) here in Paris.

One thing I hated myself for bringing was common washing powder / gel. Available in doses for real cheap. On the other hand, I was glad to have a couple of doses of Woolite, for my silk garments, as you'll only find that in bigger cities ; and as another member pointed out, silk is great. The doses are on sale at most international airports, next to inflatable pillows - Delhi I'm not sure, but Tel Aviv I do think so.

I know I'm replacing more than substracting from your list. Sorry about that ! Have a great trip.

__________________
Khandoma
Visit my India photo gallery on IndiaMike

rosiefearn

Forget the mozzie repellent: european/us ones just don't do the trick compared to what's available locally. Buy odomos or good knight repellent here. For comfortable sleeping, pick up one of the plug-in repellents & liquid when you're here, less than $2. (A power cut all night last night reminded me just how good they are.)

Kapumana

Really, the best option is to take some lightweight cold weather gear and maybe the swiss army knife and just go with the stuff Indians use. As you will be travelling around buy cheap stuff in the cold you can give away before getting to the warmer weather and visa versa. Keeps you travelling light and does locals a favour as well. Try to stick with one main bag and something you can wear under your clothes for security. If you want to load up with Indian stuff on your return you can always buy a bigger bag.