Packing is an art that requires the ability to see into the future. Time to review my fortune-telling abilities. 

Here’s what I packed and how useful each item was on my recent month-long Indian travel adventure.

ESSENTIALS

• Passport, Cash, Cards, Itinerary, Booking vouchers etc.
• Camera
• Daypack
• Duffel Bag
• Sleeping bag
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Prescription Glasses + Contact Lenses + Case + Solution
• Meds:
  • Oral rehydration satchets
  • Nausea relief ginger tablets
  • Diamox (think it helped with the Altitude Sickness)
  • Strepsils
• Toiletries:
  • Hair ties + bobby pins
  • Toothbrush + toothpaste
  • Floss
  • Paw paw cream
  • Wet wipes
  • Toilet seat covers
  • Sunscreen
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Hand cream
  • Shampoo + conditioner + body wash
  • Mouthwash
  • Cotton buds
• Manicure set
• Tweezers (I don’t go ANYWHERE without them!)
• Thermals:
  • Leggings (2 pairs suffice)
  • Bamboo fibre long-sleeved top (one black and one white)
  • Thermal fleece x2
• Weatherproof Macpac jacket
• Track pants x2 (one would have been sufficient)
• Scarf (one lightweight and one wool)
• Windbreaker gloves
• Mittens
• Ugg boots
• Booties
• Sherpa hat/beanie
• Work gloves
• Jeans
• Drawstring pants
• Walking pants
• Hiking boots + socks
• Durable watch
• T-shirts (2 or 3 would have been enough worn in rotation)
• Long skirt
• Singlets
• Loose (long-sleeved) cotton blouses
• Thongs
• Towel (one would have been enough)
• Laundry mesh bags
• Reseal plastic bags
• Across-the-body money bag
• LED torch + spare batteries
• Indian adapter (The one I purchased from the Bag Shop on Hay Street was the same as the South African adapter but only applicable in some places. Would have been better to have bought a universal adapter in Delhi for a few dollars.)

HANDY

• 3L camelback (Never actually filled it to full capacity. 2L sufficed.)
  
• Lightweight tote (for carrying miscellaneous items)
• Old phone + charger (Every hotel on the G Adventures tour had free WiFi which made me miss my smart phone. But it was worth the peace of mind of knowing that I couldn’t lose my smart phone in a Delhi market or damage it in the Himalayas.)
• Lighter + matches
• Overpants (didn’t rain enough)
• Duck tape
  
• Vitamin C (gotta love the C!)
• Fishoil
• Bandaids
• Runners
• Shorts
• Bandages
• Earplugs + Mozzie Repellent (used generously in Burma)

UN-USED

• Book light
• Spare torch
• Poncho
• Hammer
• Rope
• Meds:
  • Loperamide (to control diarrhea)
  • Azithromycin (for treatment of bacteria causing diarrhea)
  • Simplotan (for cramps/gas caused by diarrhea)
  • Doxycycline (for Malaria prevention. Actually counteracted Diamox. Beware of side effect: shortness of breath.)
  • Panadol

I think I did quite well. And this list will be handy for future reference.