I want to share with you all my complete packing list I have created based on months of research!

This setup sits in a good balance between comfort while traveling and ease of getting around, while also leaving a lot of space for flexibility, souvenirs, and plans changing

Background

I’m leaving tomorrow and I’m still having a hard time believing it because I’ve been preparing for this for so long!

I’ve spend such a big part of my life the past few months trying to create the perfect backpacking set up. There’s so many different opinions out there about what to pack for international backpacking! It’s easy to start going down a research rabbit hole, finding a ton of different people with different needs whose packing advice completely contradict each other… so clearly there isn’t one right answer.

Though I haven’t done anything of this scale, this isn’t the first time I’ve done a single bag trip.

In 2021 I debated whether or not I wanted to move up to Seattle after visiting in the summer and decided I needed to visit during a gloomier time of the year before making a commitment. I packed my Rover Pack up and stayed in an Airbnb for a week taking transit around town. The freedom of flying with only a personal item was great and I shoved a surprising amount of stuff in the 20L pack using a compression sack like one you would put a sleeping bag into. I even had room leftover to bring home some clothes I thrifted! More recently I took two week trip to visit family with the same bag and I felt the same kind of relief of not having to check a bag or deal with overhead bins (I’m too short!!).

I think at this point I’ve found the best balance possible of weight and comfort with my backpack and packing list. My bag is far from being full and I think my packing list is relatively minimal compared to other folks doing trips like mine but I also don’t feel like I’m really compromising a ton.

Onebagging is hard! It’s especially hard when you are leaving on a trip with no definite end date. You have to have a wardrobe that’s simple but flexible for any situation and think really carefully about what’s important for you to have. I also had the challenge of doing this while also having to account for unique packing bottlenecks not a lot of backpackers talk about.

Bottlenecks

I’ve scoured the internet reading dozens of backpacker’s gear lists and I haven’t seen anyone else who has to carry the amount and type of medication I do.

A lot of people have a first aid kit or/and carry some pain killers, imodium, and maybe anti-malarials- but this can often fit into a relatively small, organized container. Being trans and on HRT, I’ve been doing regular testosterone injections for the past almost four years. Right now those injections are weekly and it takes a decent amount of supplies.

In order to do my injections, I’m carrying syringes, needles to draw up the medication with, and needles to actually inject with. I also have to carry all the testosterone vials and alcohol swabs to disinfect them and my skin. Eventually this is something I will have to restock but I’m initially bringing enough supplies for a few months and enough testosterone for a lot longer than that.

With Thailand, and many other countries, you are only technically allowed to bring a 30 day supply of medication into the country. I’m definitely bringing more than that. From what I’ve heard and researched they very very rarely check your medicine but if you are asked about it that is the official rule and I believe they will confiscate it. I’m hoping they don’t ask me about it but if for some reason something gets confiscated I can buy testosterone over the counter in Thailand.

In order to try to make the process of getting medication through customs as smooth as possible I will be doing these things:

• Keeping everything in a clear bag together
• Carrying medication in original packaging/bottles if possible
• Having prescriptions available
• Carrying a signed letter from my doctor stating I am carrying syringes and needles for injectable medication

The backpack

I’m not afraid to admit that I spent not one but multiple nights lying awake worrying what backpack to use. I started researching bags in early February and the Osprey Fairpoint/view 40 stood out as one of the most popular bags for people traveling around the world with just a carry on. The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L was also widely recommended.

I did try on both of these bags and they fit alright but the Osprey has a really weird frame that feels like a turtle shell and the Cotopaxi bag has a lot of mesh organization I worried would feel limiting eventually. Neither of them have a good place for water bottles. I also felt like I wanted to try a smaller bag that might fit under the seat, both of these are definitely overhead bin bags.

I ended up picking up a REI Ruckpack 28 and using it quite a bit but decided I needed something a little larger and a little more comfortable. The water bottles also ate into the internal storage on the Ruckpack and it frustrated me a lot. I finally settled on the REI Trail 40 pack! (Thank you REI for such a generous return policy… bless you)

The actual packing list

Okay now I’ll actually get into what I packed into the bag!

With everything on this list packed my bag is probably around half full. I want extra space for floating items and additional gear I need to pick up.

ID stuff and miscellaneous

• Passport
• Printed copy of passport and ID + extra passport photo (needed for visas sometimes)
• Wallet made of bike tubes – bringing some USD, and a few Visa and Mastercard credit and debit cards. Leaving my American Express card at home because it has limited acceptance in SE Asia

Quick access

• x5 Disposable KN95 equivalent masks – Still trying to stay cautious about covid spread and will be wearing in transit and crowded spaces, also want to wear a mask in spaces for cultural reasons. Covid rates are lower in Thailand than in the US but cases are up currently following Songkran/Thai New Year.
• Cheap sunglasses – I lose them constantly!
• Hand sanitizer

Writing and reference

• Rotring 600 mechanical drafting pencil – for all my pencil needs
• Ti Arto EDC refillable pen – I’ve had this for a few years, it’s my only pen and all time favorite
• Sharpie – for labeling stuff and being annoying
• Mini spiral notebook from Daiso
• Lonely Planet Thai book given to me by KD from when they were in Thailand

Food and drink

• 32oz Nalgene
• Grayl Geopress – Was going back and forth on how I wanted to handle water while traveling but decided this is the best option for me. Not the cheapest option and kind of bulky but I don’t want to contribute more to plastic waste from water bottles in SE Asia and this is the only filter option that filters out viruses so it’s safe to use in dodgy urban areas. I will not buy water during my trip just filter through this or fill with clean water if I can get it for free at hostels.
• Extra filter for Geopress – gets about 250L/65G per filter
• Inside a repaired, part-ed out To Go ware cutlery case I bought 5 years ago – Snow Peak spork, original chopsticks from To Go kit, Kleen Kanteen straw and cleaner

Toiletries

• Japanese scrubby cloth – this thing rocks
• Packtowl face cloth – for use with washing my face and wiping hands etc. These dry so quick!
• Packtowl personal towel – for showers, swimming, beach etc.

Muji hanging toiletries bag

• Folding travel toothbrush – $.50 from Temu don’t be mad at me
• Crystal Deodorant – miraculously, suddenly works for me starting this past month
• In Matador Dry thru soap pouches – Dr. Bronners peppermint soap bar (for face, body, washing clothes), shampoo bar
• In Gotoob – CeraVe Moisturizing Cream (the best)
• Tiny hair clippers – for face and head, these were like $15 on Temu and work pretty good!
• Nail clippers – these kind of suck but I’ll buy better ones in Japan
• Lush shower gel – completely unnessisary but I deserve a “luxury” item, once it runs out I’ll probably just use the soap bar in the shower
• Retin-A (tretinoin) – God bless retinol
• Travel toothpaste
• Solid perfume – another “luxury” thing but it’s been sitting around and I need to use up
• Lip balm
• Assorted bandaids, alcohol swaps (for T shots and nausea), floss picks (I don’t actually use these but I want to)

Medicine

• x13 Testosterone Cypionate vials in mesh pouch + one original packaging with prescription
• As many injection and drawing needles as I could fit into pouches
• The rest of the syringes I have
• Buspirone (my single mental health med)
• 45 days worth of Malarone
• Two rounds of antibiotics for if I get diarrhea LOL
• Letter from my doctor that says I’m carrying needles and stuff
• Pill case – with my ADHD I completely forget if I did or didn’t take my meds so yeah

I am carrying this through customs in a gallon bag and original bottles but going to decant into baggies and into a Topo Designs small accessory pouch.

Electronics

• Macbook Air – Went back and forth on whether or not to bring a laptop but decided I would because I prefer writing/researching on a laptop not on my phone and I need it to edit this website.
• Cheap Temu selfie stick/tripod
• Cheap travel adapter from Temu
• USB C to A cable (for clippers, power bank)
• Magsafe charging cable
• Lightning charging cable
• Dual USB C 35w power adapter
• Little iPhone microphone from Temu
• Cheap power bank for emergencies
• Airpods (not pictured)

This all goes in a Topo Designs pouch!

Sleeping / hostel stuff

• Silk travel sheet/liner – Maybe a little “luxury” but this feels so good to sleep in and covers your pillow too so you don’t have to touch dodgy hostel sheets. Packs pretty small and I plan to use this every night.
• Blackout eye mask I got off Etsy years ago and I repaired twice
• Combo lock for backpack zippers while on the move
• Combo lock for hostel lockers
• Knockoff Loop style earplugs from Temu

Clothes

• Bedrock Cairn Evo sandals – the ultimate sandals… once I got used to the sensation of having paracord between my toes.
• Outlier New Way Five-Five shorts
• x2 Wool & Prince merino wool boxer briefs
• x2 REI merino crew socks
• Uniqlo dry color crew neck T shirt
• Muji small packable packing cube – if I accumulate more clothes I’ll use this

The travel uniform

• Lems Trailhead – The perfect closed toe shoe for adventure. Trail running / hiking / casual wear. I usually wear barefoot shoes and this isn’t barefoot but it’s minimalist and has support to roam!
• Tilley waxed cap – waterproof
• 32 Degrees waterproof jacket – picked up for $16 at Costco. I WILL ditch this if I decide I don’t need it at any point
• Outlier Ultrafine merino T shirt
• Outlier Futureslimworks (I picked up all this Outlier stuff secondhand from Ebay and Reddit!!)
• Wool & Prince merino boxer briefs
• REI merino crew socks

Notable things I’m not packing

• Sunscreen – Absolutely a must but I am just about out and will buy a big container in Bangkok
• Bug spray – I will buy the Thai stuff because it makes more sense
• Not enough clothes – I want to buy a good amount of clothes in SE Asia because it’ll fit the climate better and it’ll be easier to find stuff that fits me! It’s not easy to find very small men’s clothes in America.

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I hope that this list was interesting and helpful in some way! If you read through this all I appreciate it so much. Please let me know in the comments if you have any questions or suggestions!