During the preparation of the trip, we’ve often been asked “what do you pack for 1 year ?”
Packing has not been an easy task! Considering I like to change outfits twice a day and we will be travelling through warm and cold weather, packing bags has come to the price of concessions.
Although, now that we have arrived, carried our backpacks from one airport to another, went on public buses in Barcelona, Brazil, Argentina and walked for 30 minutes around Puerto Iguazu under 27ºc, I am tempted to say that we probably still brought way to much stuff!
So what did we bring with us for 1 year?
I have a 70 litter backpack and Adrien has a 90lt one, which I thought would come in handy when I start buying new clothes! But it turns out I won’t have that much extra space in his bag… I had not really factored in that men clothes take up quite more volume than women clothes (and his 3 pairs of shoes too…).
Our backpacks are filled with pretty much the same things (except for my handbag and hair straightener… yes, I also have my priorities!):
Clothes for warm and cold weather (jeans, shorts, linen trousers, t-shirts, jersey, polar jacket, rain coat, light feather jacket, swimsuit, sunglasses, scarf…), outdoors/sports clothes, trainers, flip flops, bath towel, toilet kit, pharmacy kit, electronics (phone, camera, mini laptop, USB sticks, headphones, hair straightener, adaptator), a smaller backpack, handbag, padlocks, light sleeping bag.
But better images than words to describe the 16kg I will be carrying around like my own house for the next year!
The other day, I read an article about Backpackers and Glampackers (which I did not know the term before). Here is an extract of the descriptions:
“A Backpacker can be found wearing anything from fisherman pants to boxers, bald or dreadlocks with a distinct “I haven’t showered in two days smell” and be proud about it. Backpackers usually avoid most tourist destinations or areas because “it’s too commercial, man”. The objective for backpacker, it is to live a different life by seeking to understand the life experiences of other people. They immerse themselves as deeply as possible in the local experience: eating the food, conversing with residents, living as closely as possible to the manner in which the local people live.
A Glampacker is the stylish kind of backpacker with a slightly healthier budget. These kinds of travellers won’t ever sacrifice their clothes and shoes while backpacking. In their high spirits, they try to keep travelling as glamorous as possible. The Glampackers have more money to spend than the average backpacker, so their objective behind travelling could either be recreational or a career break. They favour boutique hotels and comfortable accommodation over the usual hostels and budget travel stops of the backpacker.”
I think we are a good mix of both Glampacker (by the looks of our backpacks) and Backpacker (for the budget and experience). And no, we don’t plan to come back with dreadlocks!
Lisa
TheLittleVoyage 
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