Top 10 Packing List for Women

Top 10 Packing Items for a Woman on the Road

Here is my packing list of the top 10 essential items  women should bring on an extended backpacking trip.

1. Nightie

There is nothing better after a long, sweaty day sightseeing or scootering along a bumpy, dust-covered road than slipping into a slinky nightie after a refreshing shower. Yes, I know. A nightie is not a multi-purpose item and has no place in a backpacker’s life, right? Wrong. The fact that I ONLY wear it to bed is the main reason I love my nightie so much. It’s literally the only article of clothing that I don’t use on the streets, so it never gets grimy, sweat-soaked, or stained. In other words, it always smells clean. And that’s a luxury you will soon enough learn to appreciate. Besides, it’s super lightweight and fresh so it’s the perfect garment for hot, humid nights in non-ventilated rooms. It’s also comfortable and cute and I like to believe that Johnny appreciates my feminine mystique efforts even while on the road. Wink, wink. Also, no matter how creative you get with your outfits, you’re technically still wearing the same clothing day after day and it’s inevitable you’ll start feeling a bit drab or grungy. Having a sweet nightie to wear to bed makes you feel like a human again.

 

I use a simple Laura Ashley number that’s a mix of polyester and spandex so it’s easy to wash in the bathroom sink and dries quickly. I personally wouldn’t go for a high-maintenance negligée, but who am I to discourage you? If you want to pack something crazy sexy, go for it! Whatever makes you happy. That’s essential.

2. Body Spray/Perfume

Smelling good means feeling good….at least to me. Trains, planes, and automobiles – not to mention musty hotel rooms, sweaty clothes, and pungent cuisine will eventually take a toll on your scent. There’s nothing worse than killer BO. Wait, yes there is. Realizing that disgusting smell is radiating from your own body. Gross!! Do yourself and everybody else a favor, and keep clean. Daily showers (whenever possible) are rule #1 on backpacking trips. Forget the hippie au natural route. Rest assured, you will be plenty grubby even with daily showers. That said, a light perfume or body spray will add a little boost to your clothes and hair, keeping you smelling fresh and like a normal functioning member of society. It’s easy to forget these simple luxuries, but remember how wonderful it feels to smell a wee bit more delightful on a special night out, after showering, or even in the middle of the day when you are feeling icky. It’s an instant pick-me-up! 

I recommend Degree’s body spray in “Classic Romance.” It’s lightweight yet fragrant and I always get compliments when I wear it. People are usually surprised that it’s not some high-end fragrance. I think I actually bought it at Wal-Mart. Small perfume testers are also a good option because they are miniature and pack well.

3. Nice Smelling Body Lotion – OK, same concept as the body spray/perfume idea but with the added benefit of moisturizing your skin. You may decide that it’s overkill to bring both and opt instead for just a fragrant body lotion as it doubles as perfume. Whatever works for you! Again, I personally love taking a shower, feeling clean and applying a delicious and rich body lotion on my body. It makes me feel and smell so good. I especially appreciate this luxury when I’m staying in a dingy low-budget hotel with questionable cleanliness. There may be critters crawling on the floors and walls, moldy mattresses, and clogged stinky drains but as long as I’m soft and sweet-smelling, I’m good to go!

I was gifted a beautiful travel size lotion called “Skins Soy Body Whip.” It’s like heaven in a jar!

4. Travel Candle

Another indulgence that I think is totally worth lugging around. OK, so I am a sucker for “cozy” ambient lighting and it gives me great pleasure to be in a room with soft twinkling candlelight. Who doesn’t like that?? Only weirdos you don’t want to travel with.

Candles are magical. They can immediately turn a treacherous night in a freezing tent into a safe and serene abode. A candle can also set the mood, as well as serve more “practical” purposes during electrical blackouts and in poorly lit hotel rooms. I also use my candle for spiritual support, when I’m praying or asking for strength on my journey. For me, that is essential.

Personally, I use a mini candle from Dyptique. It smells amazing and is slow burning. Perfect for those stinky rooms. I also have a small “veladora” that my mom gave me that I use as a prayer candle. It has the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and makes me feel safe and happy whenever I light it.

5. Incense

This is another good option if you aren’t into the whole candle thing. Incense is generally lighter and more pack-friendly as well. I like carrying incense sticks for a few reasons. First, it is a good way to aromatize a funky smelling room. Secondly, I recently learned more about the energy “clearing” properties of incense, and its effectiveness at removing negative energies from spaces that have been heavily trafficked – aka, your hotel or hostel room where hundreds of people have previously occupied. Who knows what weird shenanigans occurred in the bed you are now laying your head on?? I personally find some comfort in the ritual of clearing a room with incense smoke. Of course, this is just a simple technique based on your intention to rid the room of stale energy. If you don’t believe in that sort of mumbo-jumbo, feel free to leave your incense at home. I wont be offended.

6. Febreeze and Downy Wrinkle Releaser

Perhaps I’m a bit preoccupied with hygiene, but I can’t help it!! Traveling out of a backpack for a year means making the most of what you have. The limited clothing stuffed in your backpack is going to go through some serious wear-and-tear. Why not make the effort to keep your clothing smelling and looking good?? You will likely be washing your clothes in hotel bathroom sinks and letting them air dry overnight. For whatever reason, I find it hard to get that “freshly washed” scent into my clothes. Spraying a little Febreeze can help. Also, crumpled up clothing looks messy and disheveled. Applying a few squirts of wrinkle-releaser can sharpen up your image immediately. I’m not sure why backpackers feel the need to lose all dignity and style when they hit the road. Please, out of respect for yourself and the local people – try and look decent. I am still convincing myself that backpacking doesn’t have to be synonymous with frumpy, despite all evidence to the contrary!! Sorry, fellow travellers. We have to step it up.

    7. Leave-In Conditioner

Of course you can find most toiletries and beauty products in local drugstores. But hair conditioner is still an elusive commodity in remote areas of many Southeast Asian countries. For some reason shampoo abounds but its friendly counterpart can be as difficult to find as looking for a needle in a haystack. Especially if you have long hair, I urge you to bring along a trusted leave-in product that will get you through those conditioner-less days. Your poor hair will be put through the ringer throughout your travels, so treat it kindly whenever possible. Pollution, wind, sunrays, salt water, chlorine, and general dirt and sweat will wreak havoc on your locks. If you want to avoid some steel wool action, please humor the idea of brining along a bottle of your favorite leave-in conditioner.

I’m partial to “It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product” and “Sally Hershberger Hyper Hydration.” They both work great and leave your hair smelling awesome.

8. Lace Undies

This might seem frivolous, but please hear me out. When you begin searching for the perfect quick-drying travel underwear, you will most likely come across the beloved “Ex-Officio” underwear as the #1 choice on the market. I purchased several pairs myself and I can attest to their overall quality. However, their claim to dry “within hours” is a bit of an overstatement. After washing, I wrung the living daylights out of my Ex-Officio undies and it still took over a night to dry completely. Unless you line-dry your clothes in the direct sunlight, be ready to have damp underwear. Yuck.

Luckily, I also thought to bring a couple pair of Gap Body lace briefs. Not only are they super soft and comfortable, they are the fastest drying undies I’ve ever seen! Way quicker than the Ex-Officio. Plus, I actually feel feminine and attractive in them while the Ex-Officio are right up there with your Grannie’s, if you know what I mean. I highly encourage you to consider bringing along at least a couple of pairs. They’re practical and attractive – win, win!!!

9. AZO – You should definitely pack any prescriptions and medications you take regularly, but for God’s sake woman, whatever you do, don’t forget to pack a few doses of AZO Urinary Tract Pain Reliever!! There is no suffering worse than being stuck on a 6-hour bus ride from Krabi to Penang with no bathroom and no pit stops. Trust me, it’s hellacious!!! Luckily for me, I had some AZO handy and survived long enough to reach the clinic for proper antibiotics. I really don’t know what I would have done without it. I had wild visions of jumping out the van window, screaming bloody murder, and even pushing the driver out so I could rein the wheel and petal-to-the-metal it to the nearest doctor. I really hope you don’t ever need it, but should you have the unfortunate luck of getting a UTI while on the road, have an AZO ready!! ESSENTIAL.

10. Hoop Earrings – OK, I know this is probably just my thing but I can’t go anywhere without my hoops. I also can’t go anywhere without fun jewelry, in general, so go right ahead and pick some of your favorite pieces and pack them up. I won’t tell Johnny, if you don’t.  Jewelry is small and compact, but the effect is humongous. You’ll add a little spice to your boring travel outfits with some bling (preferably faux bling to prevent meltdowns when something breaks, gets lost, or stolen…trust me, it will happen).

Yes, I’m perfectly aware that I could have easily climbed up Mt. Kinabalu without my hoops. However, I may not have recognized myself up there at the peak without them 🙂