C
ountdown to when I leave for a trip always begin for me with putting together the packing list. By this time, all research and planning has been done and I have a good idea of what I need to bring with me. I'm a bit obsessive about planning so the packing list is usually in the works at least two to three weeks before I leave. I know, it's obsessive but that's me :-)
Over all my trips, I've learned what I really need to bring with me. I now have a tried and true list of items. Even then, I do need to put together list as some of the items do have to change to reflect the travel, weather and health conditions of the place I'm going to.
The list for Guatemala is very much like what I had for Peru except I don't need the altitude sickness pills (which I brought along for Cusco) or the malaria pills. I think my brother, the doctor, will tell me I need the latter. I will check the CDC website to be certain.
Dress code wise, Guatemala is a conservative country so it will be long pants...no shorts. Temperature wise, it will be comfortable....in the 60's in the daytime and maybe lower at night. I will need a lightweight sweater.
And, thanks to my friend and former colleague, who recently emmigrated to the UK for work, I have inherited a very nice, Deuter packpack. It's smaller than the one I've been using to date but it may just be the perfect size for this trip. This may be its inaugural trip.....we'll see.
My brother has definitely never been on trip like this before so I'm expecting that some of the items on the list are going to come as a surprise to him. Toilet paper? I need to bring toilet paper? Yeah...you do if you travel to places where toilet paper is a hard to find commodity. It's going to be interesting to see what his reaction is going to be to all this :-)
Here's the list.
- Passport, airline tickets and GAP travel documents (all with photocopies)
- Travel documentation (guides, maps)
- $US in cash + credit and debit card
- GTQ (Guatemalan quetzales)
- Rain jacket
- Fleece jacket and cotton (light) sweater
- 6 shirts/t-shirts, (probably 4 short sleeve, two long sleeve)
- 3 pairs hiking pants + 1 pair of capri pants
- Underwear and socks
- Towel
- Hat and sunglasses
- 1 pair hiking sandals 1 pair walking sandals
- Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, comb)
- First aid kit (including Zithromax, Cipro, Tylenol, Band Aids, Neosporin, lip balm, Immodium AD, malaria pills, sunblock, hand lotion, insect repellent)
- Toilet paper, Purell and handiwipes
- Binoculars, flashlight, and Swiss Army knife
- Travel alarm clock and watch
- Small plastic hangers for drying clothes + rope + sink head plug + liquid laundry detergent
- Crystal Lite To Go + a few tubes of ZipFizz
- 1 collapsible tote to bring back all those things that I buy along the way but have no space in my backpack for.
- Power plug adapters for Guatemala (http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm)
- Multi-device charger
- Nikon SLR + accessories
- Canon camera + accessories
- MP3 player + accessories
