Packing for a trip around the world can be a lot of work. You don’t want to bring too much but you also don’t won’t to forget anything. Here is a list of the basics you will need for any trip. You can add things to this list according to where you will be going and what you plan on doing while your there. Remember that the extra money you can spend on newer and light weight gear will be well worth it once you take to the streets.

2-T-Shirts

You are bound to end up buying a t-shirt during your travels so there is no need to pack a ton of extra shirts. You will most likely end up wearing one all the time anyways. It is a good idea to bring one comfortable shirt and one moisture wicking shirt. Under Amour makes several different styles and colors to choose from. These are about $25-$50 and well worth it, especially in humid countries. If you pack to many shirts or get them to trashed you can always dump them in the nearest trash can.

1-Long Sleeve Shirt

A long sleeve shirt may seem like something silly to bring to a hot environment but it is important none the less. This can help protect you from the sun, wind, and more importantly, bugs. A moisture wicking shirt or one with ventilation flaps is an added bonus. It is also good if the shirt has a collar. This can help protect your neck from the sun and makes your shirt formal should you need to dress up for something on the road. The more pockets on the shirt the better. These will help keep you organized and give you plenty of places to stash stuff like money, passports, and film.

2-Pants

Pants should be chosen very carefully. You want something that is light weight and can be clean and dried quickly. Try to find something with lots of pockets; you can never have too many. If possible, buy a pair that have a secret pocket inside the pants. If you can't find a pair like this try making your own. It is also very helpful if you sew Velcro along the pockets. This is helpful because it stops you from losing stuff that could fall out of your pocket and will keep pickpockets at bay. Pants that can be changed into shorts are also a great choice because they will save you some packing room since you won’t have to pack shorts as well.

1-Swimsuit

Nothing hard here, just pick out a lightweight swimsuit that is compact and fast drying.

1-Fleece Jacket

A fleece is a great multi-purpose piece of clothing. It is best to find one that can be zipped up the front. This way you can zip it up around your neck when it gets cold or if it gets to warm you can wear t unzipped. A fleece is good for colder climates too as it works well as a middle layer when layering clothes. These jackets will also work well as a seat cushion or pillow on long bus rides.

3-5-Underwear

Underwear is really up to you. Some people wear it religiously while others hardly wear it at all. If you’re not into going “commando” you will want to bring 3 or 5 pairs. You will want to avoid the typical whitie tighties as they will get dirty and gross real quick. Make sure that they are quick drying because you will need to wash them often.

4-Socks

Socks are one of those things that are cheap and easy to find on while traveling. So don’t over pack these. Even if you only plan on wearing sandals bring at least one pair of socks in case it gets cold or you aren’t allowed somewhere in open toed shoes. A pair of waterproof socks can also be a good idea. The best combination of socks is two pair of sock liners and two pairs of hiking socks. This way you can double them up if it gets cold or just wear the liners if it’s a warm day. Make sure you spend the extra bucks to get good socks that wick moisture and dry quickly. You won’t regret spending the extra money.

Footwear

Shoes can take up a lot of room and may get little use. Hiking boots are one of the biggest things most backpacker wishes they would have left at home. They may seem like a good idea while you’re packing but in the end they just take up too much room. Take some time to really think about why you would need more than one pair of shoes.

Sandals

Unless it’s going to be cold where you are going or unless you plan on doing a lot of rough hiking, then sandals are the way to go. If sandals are going to be the only thing you wear during your trip don’t get cheap when buying a pair. I’m a whitewater rafting guide and can testify how much better more expensive sandals are better than the cheap ones. A good pair of Tevas or Chacos are your best bet. It is also nice if sandals are your only pair of shoes because it will free up a lot of room in your pack.

Flip Flops

Flip flops are a great second pair of shoes if you will be packing walking or hiking shoes. These shoes are cheap at home and on the road. They work great at the beach, walking around town, or in the showers. These shoes are small, light weight, and pack up easy.

Trail Shoes

Packing shoes can either be the greatest idea you ever had or your worst nightmare. Shoes are usually hot, will make you go through socks super fast, and more importantly they take up a lot of room. If you must take shoes buy a pair before you leave. Good name brand shoes are hard to come across and are usually just as expensive as they would be at home. If you must bring shoes for hiking these are better than full size hiking boots.

Sleeping Sack

A sleeping bag is too big and hardly worth carrying around in most places. Unless you are traveling in a very cold climate and will be camping a lot, leave this at home. Instead just pack a lightweight seeping sack. You can get cloth and fleece ones. These take up less space and can help you a number of ways. They will save you money from not having to rent sheets, can be used as a sleeping pad if camping, or as a sheet on a dirty bed.

Umbrella

A small packable umbrella is the only thing you really need to protect you from the rain. Odds are if its raining you won’t be going out. If you will be going out in the rain it won’t be for long. If you pack rain gear you will probably never use it. Plus it’s a pain to pack away wet gear when you get on a bus or cab. At least with the umbrella you can shake it off.

Water Bottles

These are great to carry around so that you always have something to drink at hand. If you are tight for money you can just save bottles for bottled water. If you are a space-saving freak you can buy collapsible water bottles at your local sports store.

Hat

A hat can help keep you warm on a cold night or the sun off your face on a hot day. These are so small and so useful that it’s silly not to pack one.

First-Aid Kit

Pick up a basic first aid kit at your local sporting goods store but make sure you include these items: Lip salve, cold/flu ,band aids, condoms, antiseptic cream, motion sickness pills, anti-histamine pills, laxative, diarrhea blocker, Pepto-Bismol, hydrocortisone, pain killers.

Toiletries

These are really a personal call but some things you should include are: tweezers nail clippers, sun block, toothbrush cover, shaving razor, and aloe. Start out with travel size items. It’s very easy to come across free stuff from other travelers or to buy more for cheaper in most countries.

Digital Camera

If you are bringing your digital camera remember to exercise caution when and where you use it and store it. Make sure you bring extra batteries because camera batteries can be hard to find and very expensive. It is also a good idea to make sure you have the USB cables for your camera so you can upload pictures at Internet cafes during your travels.

MP3 Player

Don’t bring your iPod because it will be gone in no time. If you want to bring music buy a cheap mp3 player. Sure you won’t have 3000 songs to choose from but this way if it gets stolen it’s not that big of a deal.

Locks

Bring a few extra locks. Some places don’t provide locks so you will want to be prepared. Some places you stay at may look like your gear needs some extra locks as well.