top of page
Desert

Packing &
Travel Resources

 Here are our packing lists and most used travel resources. We're excited to inspire you to embark on your own adventures and make the most of your travels. Feel free to contact us with your own best practices and travel hacks!

Danielle's Packing List

1 year, multiple climates, 1 40-liter backpack, 1 27.5-liter backpack

Clothing

  • 3 tanks

  • 2 long-sleeve shirts (1 is a swim shirt)

  • 2 tee-shirts

  • 1 nicer top

  • 2 sweaters (1 is a cardigan)

  • 3 pairs of shorts (1 is biker shorts)

  • 3 pairs of long pants

  • 2 dresses (1 long, 1 short)

  • ​2 bathing suits

  • 7 pairs of underwear

  • 2 bras (1 is a sports bra)

  • 3 pairs of wool ankle socks

  • 1 rain jacket

  • 1 packable coat

  • 2 hats (1 bucket, 1 knit)

  • 2 pairs of shoes (TEVA sandals & Saucony Trail Runners)​

Accessories/Misc.

  • 1 Turkish towel

  • 2 pairs sunglasses

  • 3 pairs of readers

  • small cross-shoulder bag

  • foot hammock

  • sports watch & dress watch

  • 3 pairs of earrings

  • cooling towel

  • 2 face masks for sleeping

  • mask & snorkel

  • 3 carabiners

  • 1 TSA-approved lock

  • water bottle

  • travel umbrella

  • flashlight

  • 2 credit cards, driver's licenses (IN & International), passport

  • deck of cards

​

Medicine

  • Aleve & Advil

  • 6-month supply of prescription meds

  • 100 anti-Malaria pills

  • 1 week anitbiotics

  • Tums & Pepcid AC

  • Dramamine

  • ​bandaids & Neosporin

  • yeast infection medicine

  • Immodium & laxatives

  • Cortisone cream

  • Nyquil & Dayquil

  • Benadryl

  • cough drops

Electronics

  • Kindle

  • phone

  • Surface tablet & stylus

  • chargers (phone, tablet, toothbrush)

  • ear buds

  • adaptors

Toiletries

  • mineral sunscreen

  • bar of Dial soap

  • bar shampoo & conditioner

  • hair gel

  • toothbrush & toothpaste

  • floss & mouthwash

  • applicator-free tampons

  • mosquito repellent

  • razor

  • nail clippers

  • scissors

  • deodorant

  • make-up remover towelettes

  • moisturizing lotion

  • Chapstick

  • foundation

  • cream blush

  • tube mascara

  • gel eyeliner & brush

  • 2 tubes of lipstick

  • round brush

  • small hairbrush

  • travel Kleenex

  • Vaseline

  • 6 ponytail holders

What I Didn't Bring

  • Skirts: I'm more comfortable in pants and figured I'd buy one if necessary

  • Blowdryer: I really wanted too, but couldn't afford the space. I squeezed in my beloved round brush as a consolation.

  • Journal: That's what this website and the podcast are for!

  • Bronzer: Couldn't find a packable brand I liked.

  • Jeans: Too bulky and hard to clean. May purchase a pair once we get to Europe though.

Clothing we've bought along the way:

  • D: Long black wool socks (Lamb's Island)

  • B: Floral dress shirt (Seminyak)

  • D: Cheap white linen pants (Ubud)

    • A laundromat on Ko Yao Yai shrank them​ so I threw them in the trash. RIP.

  • B: Cheap white linen shirt (Ubud)

    • ​​It was too big so B ditched it.​

  • D: Elephant pants (Siem Reap)

  • B: Dry-wick tee (Siem Reap)

  • D: Williams Racing baseball cap (Singapore)

  • B: Dress golf shirt (Dubai)

  • D: Kirti (Rishikesh)

    • It never fit right so I tossed the top but hung onto the pants for PJs​

  • D: A pair of 2nd hand black pants and off-white sweater (Porto)

  • D: A fancy dress and heels for the Dublin wedding (Madrid)

    • I gave both to Corinne over Xmas​ because I didn't want to haul them around.

  • D & B: Scarf and gloves (London)

  • D: A second-hand blue turtleneck (Sarajevo)

    • I gave it to Maddie over Xmas because it made me look puffy.​

  • B: Winter coat (Petra)

Recommended Travel Resources

These are our most commonly used websites/apps for transportation, work exchanges, and all other travel related resources.

TravelSpend

Helps us keep track of our spending and stay on budget.

My Currency Converter

Quickly converts foreign currencies to USD or vice versa.

Google Translate

A must have for countries where English is scarce. Can translate most languages by listening or scanning an image.

White Noise

This is essential for me because I generally sleep with a white noise machine at home. 

Useful Travel Apps

Our Best Travel Purchases

Traveler's Insurance
We went with SafetyWing's Nomad plan. You pay monthly, in case your trip ends unexpectedly, and it includes repatriation, which Brad insisted was a must. "I'm not paying out of pocket for your dead body to come home!"

Water Bottle
We brought 1 Camelback squeeze bottle, which we already owned, and purchased 1 Grayl Geopress filtration bottle. It was expensive, but it can be used on tap water, creek water, even already filtered water to ensure we don't get sick. You can read about the science of the system, but after researching tons of bottles, we found that this one came out on top and lasts the longest.

Sweaters
I bought an alpaca-wool crew neck sweater from Paka Apparel after I kept seeing ads for the company on Instagram. I. ADORE. IT. And literally have worn it everyday. It's incredibly soft and warm, but also not too hot. I haven't washed it yet, so we'll see how it holds up. It was expensive, but as this is the only sweater I have, I think it was a good investment. Brad's wool sweater came from REI and he has worn it nonstop in the colder climates.

Coat
Brad did not bring a coat (but ended up buying one in Jordan before we went into the cold desert!), but I get cold easily and knew I would want one. I found a packable coat with a hood on Amazon, and have been pleasantly surprised. It's warm, packs away easily in a little bag that it came with, and can be used as a pillow on planes and trains.

Backpacks
Brad already had a Speedo 50-liter triathlon backpack that Maddie had used twice on her travels, but I had nothing. After extensive research by the two of them, they decided I needed a 40-liter Osprey from REI. Another expensive purchase but it is living up to the hype. It is considered carry-on, so I never have to check my bag, and it has tons of straps to adjust the weight properly on my back.

A few more good buys

  • Foot hammock: supports my feet during long flights!

  • Bar shampoo & conditioner: don't have to worry about traveling with liquids.

  • Kindle: I still love the feel of a real book, but as an avid reader, a Kindle was the only way to go.

  • Packing cubes: a must for packing light and staying organized.

  • Laundry sheets: like with the shampoo, allows me to travel with detergent easily. Picked up some in a Sydney grocery store.

  • Hanging toiletries bag: stores and organizes everything I need, including jewelry; medium is plenty big.

  • Swim shirt: my day-walker skin appreciates this 50-SPF long-sleeved swim shirt that doubles as a workout top and extra layer.

  • Spotify
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

Have questions or want to share your travel experiences with us? Feel free to reach out through Instagram (wanderful_wilsons) or Facebook, or send us an email. We love hearing from family, friends, and fellow wanderers.

Thanks for submitting!

bottom of page