This ain’t my first rodeo. 5 years ago, I shipped off to Ethiopia with the Peace Corps where everything I needed for 27 months had to be packed into a few modest bags. With the luxury of hindsight, I can say that packing list was just about perfect. There was almost nothing that I didn’t use once over there and very little that I was left wanting after I settled in.
By comparison, Central America will be easy. We are in a much less remote corner of the world. We’ll have Wal-Marts and Amazon, whereas in Africa, I had to be largely self-sufficient. Add to that the fact that since we’re driving down, the amount of stuff we can take with us is significantly more generous and that we plan on renting furnished houses. All this makes packing feel like a comparative breeze.
Nevertheless, in planning this trip, there are a few items that we thought to bring that we consider important but that most folks might not necessarily think to pack. We also solicited a few well-traveled friends for their suggestions, which are listed under 'honorable mention.'
11. Our own quality knife with sharpener
Knives outside the developed world suck. Pretty much universally. If you spend any amount of time in the kitchen, it's well worth it to carry your own blade (or blades). In our case, I've got some really nice Shun knives but they're a little too nice: they're fussy, they require professional sharpening (my hand sharpening skills need some work), and they're damn expensive. At a couple hundred bucks a pop, if we lose or damage one, it's a minor tragedy. Instead, we'll bring along my reliable $50 Furi Santoku (though a chef's knife would also be a good choice). It's tough as nails, works great, and holds an edge well. Of course, any knife is useless after a few months of regular use if not sharpened. So we'll also bring along a Chef'sChoice electric sharpener. There will be no fiddling with 'knives' that are little more than glorified grapefruit spoons for us.
By comparison, Central America will be easy. We are in a much less remote corner of the world. We’ll have Wal-Marts and Amazon, whereas in Africa, I had to be largely self-sufficient. Add to that the fact that since we’re driving down, the amount of stuff we can take with us is significantly more generous and that we plan on renting furnished houses. All this makes packing feel like a comparative breeze.
Nevertheless, in planning this trip, there are a few items that we thought to bring that we consider important but that most folks might not necessarily think to pack. We also solicited a few well-traveled friends for their suggestions, which are listed under 'honorable mention.'
11. Our own quality knife with sharpener
Knives outside the developed world suck. Pretty much universally. If you spend any amount of time in the kitchen, it's well worth it to carry your own blade (or blades). In our case, I've got some really nice Shun knives but they're a little too nice: they're fussy, they require professional sharpening (my hand sharpening skills need some work), and they're damn expensive. At a couple hundred bucks a pop, if we lose or damage one, it's a minor tragedy. Instead, we'll bring along my reliable $50 Furi Santoku (though a chef's knife would also be a good choice). It's tough as nails, works great, and holds an edge well. Of course, any knife is useless after a few months of regular use if not sharpened. So we'll also bring along a Chef'sChoice electric sharpener. There will be no fiddling with 'knives' that are little more than glorified grapefruit spoons for us.
10. Pepper spray--but not why you think
On Amazon we found some pepper spray that sounds like it's basically a can of demons blended with cayenne and hate. But I'm not overly concerned with using at as criminal deterrent. Because let's face it: pepper spray is like the perfect witty comeback--you never have it when you need it. Plus, we'll be traveling in fairly safe areas. However, as a mountain biker, I can count a lot of times in the developing world that I've barely out-ridden angry snarling dogs who are hell-bent on chasing me down. I WILL RUN LIKE A COWARD NO MORE! The next dog that gives chase is going to get a face full of venom from my handlebar-mounted mace canister. Problem solved.
9. Well-seasoned cast-iron pan
Much like the kitchen knife, good frying pans can be tough to find in a lot of places. And moving from rental to rental for the next year or two, I expect the cookware to be in various stages of appalling disrepair. While I can usually work with a crappy saucepan, an inferior frying pan is almost impossible to compensate for. But by avoiding that problem and bringing our beloved 10-inch frying pan from home, I know our veggies will be properly sautéed, the roux won't burn, the pancakes will be perfect, and I'll be the hero at every meal.
8. Fire extinguisher and carbon monoxide/smoke detector
Paranoia of fire is something I was raised with after our home burned down when my mom was pregnant with me. So this might be overkill--especially in countries where virtually all homes are made of cinder blocks and rebar. Nevertheless, weirder things have happened. Or maybe just more paranoid. But either way, I'll sleep a little easier with this investment of just a few bucks.
7. Bar tools
This is another small investment that we expect to dramatically improve our quality of life. I'm hoping we bump into a few exotic fruits and alcohols during our travels. With the proper tools, I'm optimistic we can come up with a some rad new house specialties. The house we have lined up in San Miguel has lime and mango trees, so I imagine these tools will pay themselves off in just the first stop. We'll be bringing a martini shaker, jigger, cocktail strainer, muddler, citrus juicer, zester, 11" bar spoon, and our soda maker (space permitting). Plus a wine key and bottle opener. Obviously.
On Amazon we found some pepper spray that sounds like it's basically a can of demons blended with cayenne and hate. But I'm not overly concerned with using at as criminal deterrent. Because let's face it: pepper spray is like the perfect witty comeback--you never have it when you need it. Plus, we'll be traveling in fairly safe areas. However, as a mountain biker, I can count a lot of times in the developing world that I've barely out-ridden angry snarling dogs who are hell-bent on chasing me down. I WILL RUN LIKE A COWARD NO MORE! The next dog that gives chase is going to get a face full of venom from my handlebar-mounted mace canister. Problem solved.
9. Well-seasoned cast-iron pan
Much like the kitchen knife, good frying pans can be tough to find in a lot of places. And moving from rental to rental for the next year or two, I expect the cookware to be in various stages of appalling disrepair. While I can usually work with a crappy saucepan, an inferior frying pan is almost impossible to compensate for. But by avoiding that problem and bringing our beloved 10-inch frying pan from home, I know our veggies will be properly sautéed, the roux won't burn, the pancakes will be perfect, and I'll be the hero at every meal.
8. Fire extinguisher and carbon monoxide/smoke detector
Paranoia of fire is something I was raised with after our home burned down when my mom was pregnant with me. So this might be overkill--especially in countries where virtually all homes are made of cinder blocks and rebar. Nevertheless, weirder things have happened. Or maybe just more paranoid. But either way, I'll sleep a little easier with this investment of just a few bucks.
7. Bar tools
This is another small investment that we expect to dramatically improve our quality of life. I'm hoping we bump into a few exotic fruits and alcohols during our travels. With the proper tools, I'm optimistic we can come up with a some rad new house specialties. The house we have lined up in San Miguel has lime and mango trees, so I imagine these tools will pay themselves off in just the first stop. We'll be bringing a martini shaker, jigger, cocktail strainer, muddler, citrus juicer, zester, 11" bar spoon, and our soda maker (space permitting). Plus a wine key and bottle opener. Obviously.
6. Travel chess
We have a chess set that cost $10, is the size of a checkbook, and is absolutely the best travel purchase we've made as a couple. Waiting two hours at the bus station? Chess. Power's out and sick of watching movies on the computer? Chess. Want to feel better about yourself by handing your fiancee a demoralizing loss at something? Chess. Here's the version we have and I highly recommend it for any trip.
5. JB Weld
Duct tape and a Leatherman are no brainers. But driving a car on some dubious roads with mechanics who've never seen a Subaru before means that we may need to improvise some long-term fixes when parts break. JB weld will bond to anything and is indestructible. Like the fire extinguisher, we may never use it, but I'm glad we'll have it.
4. Old-school iPod Classic and external hard drive loaded with movies
Sure, most places these days have high speed internet, so a lot of travelers have given up on carrying such anachronisms. But internet can be spotty, fiber optic lines get cut, and the road trip can traverse long distances with no wireless signal. In those cases, I want access to all my music or movies, not just a couple gigs stored on a phone. It may be old fashioned, but I still find myself using both devises a lot more than you'd think while traveling.
3. Extension cords and power strips
Houses in the developing world aren't meant to handle the amount of gadgetry Americans carry. And even though we're traveling fairly light, we will still have computers, phones, battery charger (for headlamps and Steripens), and a few other odds and ends like the knife sharpener. Plus whatever is already plugged in at the houses we rent--like lamps and blenders. So there will be times when we want more outlets or will want power where there isn't an outlet. It's yet another inexpensive packing item that I think we'll get a lot of mileage out of.
2. Chacos
I know! They're ugly. You immediately look the dorkiest tourist in town. Hell, I want to beat me up when I wear them. And I wear them every day in the States. But abroad, there's not even another option. They're durable as hell, you can walk all day in them, they keep your feet cool in the tropics, and it doesn't matter if you're drudging through mud, creeks, sand, dust, or blazing sun. Toms don't stand a chance, hiking boots are overkill, and flop flops are garbage. Even though I'm a Chaco lifer, it was fun being in the Peace Corps and I watched over two years as virtually every volunteer gave in and had a pair shipped over from home. Fashion be damned!
We have a chess set that cost $10, is the size of a checkbook, and is absolutely the best travel purchase we've made as a couple. Waiting two hours at the bus station? Chess. Power's out and sick of watching movies on the computer? Chess. Want to feel better about yourself by handing your fiancee a demoralizing loss at something? Chess. Here's the version we have and I highly recommend it for any trip.
5. JB Weld
Duct tape and a Leatherman are no brainers. But driving a car on some dubious roads with mechanics who've never seen a Subaru before means that we may need to improvise some long-term fixes when parts break. JB weld will bond to anything and is indestructible. Like the fire extinguisher, we may never use it, but I'm glad we'll have it.
4. Old-school iPod Classic and external hard drive loaded with movies
Sure, most places these days have high speed internet, so a lot of travelers have given up on carrying such anachronisms. But internet can be spotty, fiber optic lines get cut, and the road trip can traverse long distances with no wireless signal. In those cases, I want access to all my music or movies, not just a couple gigs stored on a phone. It may be old fashioned, but I still find myself using both devises a lot more than you'd think while traveling.
3. Extension cords and power strips
Houses in the developing world aren't meant to handle the amount of gadgetry Americans carry. And even though we're traveling fairly light, we will still have computers, phones, battery charger (for headlamps and Steripens), and a few other odds and ends like the knife sharpener. Plus whatever is already plugged in at the houses we rent--like lamps and blenders. So there will be times when we want more outlets or will want power where there isn't an outlet. It's yet another inexpensive packing item that I think we'll get a lot of mileage out of.
2. Chacos
I know! They're ugly. You immediately look the dorkiest tourist in town. Hell, I want to beat me up when I wear them. And I wear them every day in the States. But abroad, there's not even another option. They're durable as hell, you can walk all day in them, they keep your feet cool in the tropics, and it doesn't matter if you're drudging through mud, creeks, sand, dust, or blazing sun. Toms don't stand a chance, hiking boots are overkill, and flop flops are garbage. Even though I'm a Chaco lifer, it was fun being in the Peace Corps and I watched over two years as virtually every volunteer gave in and had a pair shipped over from home. Fashion be damned!
1. The Club
I don't know if this is genius on my part or a total waste of money. Time will tell. But evidently those 1980s infomercials had quite an impact on my impressionable young mind. While we do have a car alarm, they have deterred pretty close to zero car thefts in all of recorded human history. And with a shiny Subaru sporting a huge Rocket Box on top, I expect we'll draw a lot of attention from folks who may wish to relieve us the burdens of car ownership. So we'll see if this turns out to be a good call, but Erin's grandpa has already given it his seal of approval!
I don't know if this is genius on my part or a total waste of money. Time will tell. But evidently those 1980s infomercials had quite an impact on my impressionable young mind. While we do have a car alarm, they have deterred pretty close to zero car thefts in all of recorded human history. And with a shiny Subaru sporting a huge Rocket Box on top, I expect we'll draw a lot of attention from folks who may wish to relieve us the burdens of car ownership. So we'll see if this turns out to be a good call, but Erin's grandpa has already given it his seal of approval!
Honorable Mentions:
After posting this story, we asked some of our best and most-well-traveled friends what is on their list of things not to forget. Here are a few highlights:
Alex (international humanitarian, teacher): Wrap-around linen pants
Jesse (professional ecotourism consultant, long-term expat): Travel speaker, French press, coffee grinder, VPN, towels, sarongs, hammock
David (younger bro, Israel travel expert): Zip-Loc bags, headlamp, notebooks
Kerry (former expat): Cipro. Lots of Cipro.
Salfiso (International NGO director, Ethiopian friend who knows my weaknesses): Shiro and berbere
After posting this story, we asked some of our best and most-well-traveled friends what is on their list of things not to forget. Here are a few highlights:
Alex (international humanitarian, teacher): Wrap-around linen pants
Jesse (professional ecotourism consultant, long-term expat): Travel speaker, French press, coffee grinder, VPN, towels, sarongs, hammock
David (younger bro, Israel travel expert): Zip-Loc bags, headlamp, notebooks
Kerry (former expat): Cipro. Lots of Cipro.
Salfiso (International NGO director, Ethiopian friend who knows my weaknesses): Shiro and berbere