The Suitcase

One City, One Month
Destination: Buenos Aires
Travel Dates: January 5th – February 5th


Travel Journal: The Suitcase
In which our heroine packs for her vacation.

Despite the fact that I have traveled to an odd assortment of foreign and domestic cities, I do not own my own luggage.

Owning your own luggage is not an essential part of becoming a world traveler—everybody already knows several somebodies that own luggage, somebodies that will gladly or reluctantly lend out their luggage to other travelers in need. All over America are countless parents, family members, and friends who are most likely not traveling nearly as much as they would like to be. Their luggage is stored somewhere in a basement or an attic or an outdoor storage bin. It is gathering dust, sitting in the dark and the damp, longing to go abroad. It is far better (not to mention much more economical and convenient) to liberate the luggage of a loved one than to fork over 300 bucks and buy your own.

So this time, the suitcase belongs to my father. It is medium-sized and navy blue with a thick plastic zipper and an enormous purple bow for baggage claim identification.

I was mostly packed two weeks before my trip. I made my packing list. My clothes and shoes were in my suitcase. This is advantageous because it allows things to flatten out and settle. After a few days, there is more room for adding additional items like tea bags and luxurious hand creams and watercolor paints and lots of books.

Two weeks before my trip I also purchased the two or three things I felt I needed but didn’t have: a cheap evening dress I was willing to loose, blank moleskin notebooks, and a lightweight cardigan sweater in a bright turquoise blue.

I forgot only three things: a travel-size bottle of perfume, a bunch of bobby pins and a book, The Sheltering Sky, by Paul Bowles.

Supposedly, if you pack well in advance of your departure, things should be butter-smooth on the day you have to catch your plane. Not so for me, I was agonizing over book decisions and frantically trying to cram a mini library in-between the folds of my clothing. Next time, I will pack everything in advance, even the books, even the toiletries.

Travel Tip: Packing for a month long trip.

When packing, less is more. Bring half the clothing and twice the money. It is never necessary to over-pack. When traveling to a city (as opposed to taking a nature trek or a rural village) there is even less need to over-pack. You will probably buy clothing and accessories on your journey and even in the third-world, anything that you happen to forget can be purchased in a store.

Below is a time-tested, packing list for women staying one month in a foreign city.

Remember: every shirt/blouse should match every skirt/pair of pants. All of your scarves/jewelry should be interchangeable with all of your outfits. Your clothing should revolve around 1 or 2 basic colors. Pick neutrals: white, black, khaki, etc. For example, for my trip to Buenos Aires, I chose navy, white, and turquoise blue. Before leaving, lay out all your clothing and make sure it is interchangeable and that it matches in color and hue. Don’t think about specific outfits, think about versatility.

The Suitcase

2-3 pairs of casual pants: 1 pair of jeans & 1-2 slacks
2 pairs of shorts
1 pair of dress slacks
1 evening blouse
2 skirts
2 casual dresses
2 T-shirts
2 tank tops
2 casual blouses
2 camisoles
2 sweaters: 1 pull-over & 1 cardigan
Jacket
1 evening dress
Workout/Hiking Clothes: sports bra, shirt, pants/shorts
2-3 Scarves
Evening Wrap
Swimsuit (if necessary)
Lingerie
Hosiery
1 washcloth
Pumps to match dress pants/evening dress
Flip flops
Walking shoes or hiking boots
Watch & Jewelry (Take only costume jewelry that you are willing to lose): 3 pairs of earrings, 2 necklaces
Toiletries: Travel Size items (Don’t forget feminine hygiene products)
Sunglasses & Sunscreen
Laundry Detergent for washing clothing in the sink
Power Adapters
Travel Journals and Reading Materials
Extra Ziploc bags
String bags for shopping
Evening Clutch
Cloth Tote/Backpack
Camera
Vitamins and/or Medicine
Band-Aids
Mini sewing kit and (if necessary) eyeglasses repair kit/contact supplies
Assorted safety pins, paper clips, binder clips, and clear nail polish (fixes many things)
A bungee cord (This can be used as a clothesline for drying clothes or for binding things together)
Travel Alarm Clock
IPod and/or laptop
Yoga Mat and exercise bands (if your apartment/hotel does not have gym access)*
Bubble wrap (for bring home delicate items)

Think: 6 bottoms, 6 tops, 2 evening outfits

*A yoga mat is great for acting as a divider in your suitcase. Use it to separate bulky or dirtier items (like shoes and books) from things like clothing and toiletries.

**If you’re traveling to a foreign country during their summer season, pick all-natural fabrics like cotton or linen. (This rule is excluded for hiking clothes, which should be synthetic. When cotton is wet, it can lead to hypothermia even in warm climates).

***Buy accessories, don’t bring accessories!

The Carry-On

In your carry-on bring the following items:

Itinerary/tickets
Passport
ATM Card
1 Credit Card
Index card of emergency contacts
Index card of the name/address of the place you will be staying upon arrival—this makes filling out customs forms easier)
Travel books and/or dictionaries
A disposal wash cloth (I use Oil of Olay's disposal face clothes)*
Chapstick*
Travel toothbrush*
Travel toothpaste*
Comb*
Extra pair of underwear and/or panty liners*
Ear plugs
Gum
Water bottle
Inflatable travel pillow and ear plugs
In-flight activities—books, crosswords, knitting, needlepoint, IPod, Gameboy, etc.).

*If your flight lasts longer than a day, or gets delayed, it helps to change underwear, wash your face, comb your hair, and brush your teeth. This ritual can also help prepare you to sleep on an overnight flight. When the cabin lights dim, excuse yourself to the restroom to freshen up before sleeping.