Packing essentials

Heading to Ecuador. I’ll be gone for four to six weeks. I’m only taking a carry-on backpack. 

This will be a multi-part trip. My friend Heidi and I will be spending a week on a small cruise ship in the Galapagos, taking day hikes and snorkeling around the islands. A second week will be spent at a lodge in the Amazonian rainforest. Heidi will then fly home and I will head to the colonial city of Cuenca to spend a couple weeks in a hostel - and chill. I’ve read about a mini-Inca Trail hike near there as well as a long downhill bike ride. I’ll look into those. If I am not too homesick, I may stay in Cuenca for another couple weeks or explore more of Ecuador.

GIven the variety of activities, temperatures, and such, I need to be smart about what I bring. While not the king of minimalism, I can go fairly light… 

• Simple clothes for 7 days. I figure I can always get laundry done once a week. I only take hiking pants/shirts, underwear and socks. Swimsuit and one t-shirt. Packing cubes help organize and compress my clothes. No dress clothes. I wear one rain jacket/windbreaker and sweatshirt on the plane with light gloves and a stocking hat in the pockets. I pack a broad-brimmed hiking hat.

• One pair of hiking shoes and a pair of Crocs to wear in my accommodations and if needed on wet shore landings.

• New razor and toothbrush. My old toiletry bag also includes a washcloth, fingernail clippers, a few over-the-counter meds, small bars of soap, etc. Never hard to find a tube of toothpaste on the road if needed.

• Laptop/Kindle/iPhone. I have a very small, old Chromebook that is my travel companion. I have an old Kindle that still has good battery life. And I have an old iPhone into which I can have a local SIM card installed for internet access. Chargers, of course.

• Paper copies of passport and vax card. I also have scans of these stored in GoogleDocs and on my phone.

• Eye mask, ear plugs and neck pillow for my flights. Umbrella. Highly compressible pack for day trips.

I hope to leave behind cold weather, bad habits, and routine. They probably wouldn’t fit in my backpack anyway. 

* My friend and I pass the required COVID test yesterday! Off we go...

Comments

[Mandy]

Oh wow! Sounds like a very fun adventure! I have always wanted to see the Galapagos Islands because of the penguins. They are my favorite animal. Sounds like you have your packing down to a science! Enjoy your trip and give the penguins my best!

[Tim Stahmer]

Sounds like you have an amazing adventure planned, Doug. But I'm pretty sure I couldn't make a trip like this without my camera bag. Looking forward to reading all about your travels, even if accompanied by iPhone images. :-) Have a great time!

[Kenn Gorman]

Chapstick?
Sunscreen?

Have a safe and fun trip!

[Doug Johnson]

Thanks, Mandy, Trip is going well so far! I look forward to seeing the penguins too!

Doug

Thanks, Tm.

Yeah, the only camera I usually take is my old iPhone. My 35mm days are long behind me. (Although today's cameras do a pretty good job sometimes.

Thanks for the good wishes,

Doug

Hi Kenn,

Good suggestions. Sunscreen is important since we are on the equator. Worst burn I ever got was in Kenya - also on the equator.

Doug

[Joy]

I would love to leave routines behind. Have fun! I look forward to reading about your trip.