News flash. If you decide to take this jump, you will need to pack a suitcase. Not just any suitcase. The most important, difficult and emotional suitcase of your entire life. That might sound dramatic, but when you cross that bridge you will silently nod to me because you will get it. All to late.
1. Packing is emotional. You can avoid that, but you need to separate yourself from that in order to get organised and get too. If you have a friend you know that has done it before. GRILL THEM. Especially if you are packing for 6 months - 1 year. Because fitting 1 year of your life in a suitcase is daunting. TRUST ME
2. Storage - Start by separating necessity from comfort. Because depending on the climate of where you are going, chances are you wont need that Canada Goose $400 coat. I left for Australia and had absolutely no clue what I was getting into. I had one friend that had backpacked for while whilst she was younger and another friend that had done it many years ago and couldn't have had a more different experience. So decide depending on the destination and climate. What will you ABSOLUTELY NEED. Everything else goes in the pack me away pile.
3. Underwear and socks. Pack as many as you can. Because lets face it, you can hand wash those. Clothing? at $4 to wash and $4 to dry at most hostels your going to want to wear twice if not three times in a row to get you through the once a month laundry club.
4. Emergency warmth. Australia has a diverse climate, when I say diverse I mean today for instance I woke up to it being 29 degrees over night straight to 35 degrees by 11 am and 39 and pouring rain. It then dropped to 25 degrees and continued to poor for the next few hours. It was not forcasted and I was not prepared. If you find yourself in a mid season say spring in a foreign country, be prepared you will need runners, socks and warm pants and a sweater to get you through those days. You can always layer but trust me. 4 Tshirts doesn't do shit when its 10 degrees and raining.
5. DO NOT OVER PACK - Cant even begin to stress this enough. I absolutely over packed to the point where boarding I had to pay $100 extra baggage fee and the lady told me she had not seen a bag my size ever. I than began to hear the laughter of every check in attendant and hostel manager for the next 3 months. Not to mention your back hurts, your sweating and you end up doing the walk of shame to the post office to send home your wool coat, leather pants, leather blazer, and anything else remotely Canadian in fashion you brought with you to be stylish and cool.
6. Backpackers don't give a shit what you look like as long as you don't smell like an ogre. Try and shower as much as you can and wear the D stick. You need to wear that shirt more then once at least if its layered in your deodorant no ones going to complain. As for your ensemble unless your going out daily to pick up your next Mr right you need to be comfortable, comfortable, and more comfortable. This is a vacation for you, not a fashion show. Ditch the makeup in hot climates no one cares if you have mascara on. They really don't. So don't bother when its 41 degrees in Melbourne and your foundation starts to run onto your shirt because your sweating like Mike Tyson in the fight of your life.
7. Pack a dress and a pair of heels, You don't need every piece of cool jewelry you own. Chances are you will be fancy 1% of the time and you wont
The Beached Blonde Abroad
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