Category: Packing Tips

Packing Light for Jamaica, The Galapagos Islands and Mainland Ecuador

My Gregory “Jade 38” carry on bag all packed!

Happy New Year 2022! It’s winter in Idaho so we are heading to warmer climates for a five week trip that will bring us to tropical sandy beaches, rough lava shores with meandering marine iguanas and high Andean altitudes. Hot and cold, sandals and hiking shoes. Here’s what I’m bringing in order 2 Travel Light!

The Whole Enchilada: What am I bringing?

Clothes and shoes for the entire trip. Travel Tip: Roll your clothes to save room!
Gear, Toiletries and Extras

Jamaica

For our Jamaica portion of the trip we’ll be staying at a couple retreats and then an all inclusive resort. Hot sun, sandy beach and pool side attire.

My Jamaican specific clothing and gear.
  • 2x t-shirts
  • 2x bathing suits
  • flip flops (and a plastic bag to keep sand in control)
  • reef safe 50 spf sun lotion
  • sun glasses
  • sun hat
  • shorts
  • sarong to use as a towel/suit cover up/dress
  • bathing suit cover up
  • sun dress

The Galapagos Islands and Mainland Ecuador

We’ll be spending 2 weeks island hopping the Galapagos. In addition to reef safe sun lotion, swimsuits, t-shirts and shorts we’ll need some expedition specific items.

Ian is bringing a day bag with these items.
Ecuador specific clothing.

Ecuador Mainland

For our Ecuador mainland adventure we’ll need warm clothes as we head to mountain tops and cloud forests.

  • rain jacket
  • down jacket
  • travel zip-off pants
  • long underwear top and bottoms
  • water shoes (for the Galapagos)
  • close toed Merrell hiking shoes
  • zip up hoodie

Gear Breakdown

Gear, Toiletries and Extras

Most of these items are things I bring on EVERY trip, regardless of where we’re going. Sometimes I also carry a universal plug adaptor but we won’t need it on this trip. And of course the face-masks are a must have since 2020!

  • tiny purse
  • toiletry bag: deodorant, hair ties, contact lenses and case, brush, DIVA cup, eyelash curler, ear plugs, toothbrush and tooth paste
  • sun hat
  • Kindle
  • camera (don’t forget your chargers and USB cords for electronics!) and bag to carry it with it’s charging cord
  • first aid bag: pepto bismol, imodium, ibuprofen, benadryl, band aids
  • quart bag of liquids: conditioner, shampoo, sun lotion, contact lens solution, hair gel
  • splitter for Kindle (so Ian and I can watch a movie on the plane) ear buds and bag to hold them all
  • reading glasses and sun glasses
  • quick dry Pack Towel
  • face masks

We’re all packed and ready to go. Follow us to see our next fun adventures in new lands!

My Packing List for 6 Months Around The World

My Clothes

The breakdown of what I’m bringing with me to travel for 6 months around the world. Personally this is one of my favorite posts to read in travel blogs where I can gleen from other’s research the best gear and most efficient ways to pack. My clothes starting from the top and going left to right:

Long Underwear top and bottom

5 pairs of undies (I don’t love doing laundry)

3 pairs of socks  (2 are crew, one is no-show)

Jeans

Bathing Suit

Bra

Travel Pants (Prana Halle waterproof, quick drying and super comfortable)

3 t-shirts

2 sun dresses

Jean shorts (yes impractical but they look good on me)

Zip up sweater/jacket

2 long sleeve shirts (one is dressy, to wear with travel pants for nicer evenings out)

Light Down Jacket (crushable to a wee bitty size)

Rain/Wind jacket

My Gear

Now the fun part! Keep in mind that my stalwart companion is also bringing an assortment of stuff, and what’s not pictured is: Pepto Bismol, Band-Aids, deoderant (yes we share), the “real” camera, and my phone (because that’s how I’m taking this photo). Also realized I will be bringing my glasses with me for when my contacts are feeling dry. Starting from the top going left to right:

Cross body day bag (to foil the bag snatchers)

Hat (crushable and has a bill for sun shade)

Travel towel by PackTowel 

Passport/Money belt

Kindle and charger (My Precious)

Shoes (Merrell is my personal fave, Keen is Ian’s)

Buff (ya know, for survival)

Point it book and pen (pics of everything you can think of, very handy when you don’t speak the local language)

Ibuprofen, makeup (chapstick, lipstick, eyeshadow, eyeliner)

Flip flops (for beaches, communal showers, and currently my only ‘dress shoes’)

Cool zip-able quart sized bag, on top is travel brush, Q-tips, hair ties (have you seen my Sweety’s hair)

Wet ones, ear plugs, 6 months of contact lenses, travel DEET, extra lens cases, women’s Diva cup

Nail file, nail clipper, toothbrush and paste, flossers, mini conditioner, contact lense solution

Splitter (for watching the same movie on one device)

Flashlight (tiny, LED with carabiner clip on outside of back pack for power outages)

Universal plug adaptor by Imperial Design

Headphones

Mesh Bag (holds the flashlight, plug adaptor and has a clip that attaches to inside of my bag for easy access)

My bag and I

For the non-belivers: yes, all that stuff fit in my carry on 38 liter Gregory bag. AND I will actually be wearing some of it so I’ll have some room for souvenirs. 🙂