What To Pack When Travelling Internationally

Well obviously the first thing you need to consider is what you will be doing when you get to your international destination, the climate of where you are travelling too and lastly - though not nearly as important - how long you will be away.

As I travel often I can now pack for a month long International trip in about 30 minutes and take 13kg of luggage + laptop. That included formal wear clothing as well as gym and casual wear.

A 4 day trip to Cambodia sees e with a small day pack in stark contrast to the backpackers lugging around a huge backpack, plastic bags tied off either side, a day pack strapped to their front and often carrying some other stuff - how could you possibly enjoy travelling with all that to look after and carry about?

Here's what I pack when I travel.

Packing For A Month Or More

• 4 pair of underwear (7 if very hot climate)
  
• 4 pairs of socks (7 if very hot climate)
  
• 4 casual shirts for day wear
• 1 pair of short pants (2 if very hot climate)
  
• 1 pair casual jeans
• Gym Singlet (3 if very hot climate)
  
• Board shorts - for sleeping in, around the home wearing and swimming in
• 1 very good dress shirt (I usually take a Versace shirt)
• 1 pair good pants (stylish jeans for me) (wear on plane)
  
• 1 pair good shoes (wear on plane)
• 1 pair runners for casual and gym wear
• 1 pair flip flops if in warm climate
• 1 business shirt (wear on plane)
• Jacket or jumper if going to cold climate (wear on plane)
• Laptop
• Nokia smart phone with 1 Gb Ram and built camera and MP3 player
• Book or two to read (though I often load ebooks onto my phone and read them on the phone)
• Toiletries (no aerosols on airplanes)

On my trip I will wear the stylish jeans the good shoes and business shirt on the airplane, you will find customs and immigration much easier on you if you look like a respectable citizen, the business shirt gives the impression you are there for work and that you have a respectable job. Also a clean white high quality business shirt will also double as smart casual wear. For me, as a minor celebrity, I can turn up to high class events in stylish jeans and a GOOD shirt and get away with it as it is expected in my profession. If your work will not allow you to do this then changethe stylish jeans to nice business slacks.

I like to take my laptop as I do a lot of writing and I prefer to working in my hotel room for free rather than sitting in an Internet cafe for hours a day, though most people who carry a laptop around with them do little more than check email and listen to music. An internet cafe and a decent mobile phone would be easier for them. 

4 changes of shirts, socks and underwear are enough, these can be hand washed in a basin easily. I take 7 sets if in a very hot climate like Cambodia as you will need to change clothes due to sweat more often.

The above should come in at about 10kg with your bag, this will leave you enough room to bring things home with you, like my last trip to Australia when I brought 10kg of protein powder back with me. 

Packing For A Week Or Less 

On a recent 3 day trip I took my small day pack and a friend turned up with a much larger bag complaining about how heavy it was. For 3 days you need next to nothing;

• Good jeans (wear them on trip)
• Smart casual shoes or hiking boots (depending on location - wear them on trip)
• Shorts
• Flip flops (if hot country)
  
• 3 smart casual shirts
• 1 good dress shirt for nightclubs, dinner party, etc
• 3 pair underwear (5 in hot weather)
  
• 3 pair socks (5 in hot weather)
  
• Jacket, Coat or jumper (if going to cold climate - wear on trip)
• Board shorts (sleeping, swimming, etc)
• 3 days supply of protein powder packed intoprotein powder shaker
• Toiletries (razor, toothbrush, deodorant, 1/2 roll of toilet paper - you never know)
  
• Nokia smart phone with camera, MP3, and headphones and ebooks/games loaded