Jay's Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist

A few months ago, after leaving my last company, I was in search of experiencing something new. I've always been a fan of solo trips in the past. My first solo trip was to Mexico City, where I stayed in a hostel while I worked remote. That was quickly followed by trips to Cancun to go scuba-diving, Stockholm and Helsinki to experience Scandinavia, and an 8 day solo trip through Japan, starting with Tokyo.

For this trip, I wanted to do something new, something spontaneous, and plan as I go. That's when I decided to head to South East Asia. I booked a one way ticket to Bangkok and booked my hostel for the night. I had no return date, I had no plan for what I was going to do, and I had no plan for where I was going to go.It was absolutely liberating!In order to prepare for this trip, I needed to pack so that I had just what I needed when I got there, while buying the rest along my journey. After spending 7 weeks in South East Asia, I've learned exactly what I need and don't need.I know there are many lists out there, but I hope to mention a few specific items that I've found useful during my trips in this solo travel packing checklist. I hope this list helps you as much as it's helped me in preparing my long solo trip. Feel free to print this out and use as a checklist for your next trip.[bscolumns class="one_half"]

CLOTHING

     Underwear and socks for 8 days     Swimsuit     Pair of Pants and Shorts     2 Comfortable Dress Shirts or Tops     4 T-Shirts     1 Pair of Flip Flops     1 Pair of Multi-purpose shoes     Travel Cubes (Pro: Amazon Packing Cube Set)Notes:

• I usually pack for a little over a week at a time. That's why I recommend packing at least 8 days worth of underwear and socks, to make sure you get through the week.
• You'll thank me later for carrying that extra pair of underwear! ;)

[/bscolumns][bscolumns class="one_half_last_clear"]

TOILETRIES

     Travel Toothbrush + Toothpaste     Travel Shaving Cream + Razor     Travel Deodorant + Cologne/Perfume     Multi-purpose Soap (Body and Hair)     Your favorite sunscreen + lotion     Bandaids     Ibuprofen (Pain Reliever)     Dramamine (Motion Sickness)Notes:

• You can buy many more of the toiletries in the country itself. I wouldn't recommend carrying too much, and it'll save you time during security at the airport.
• Dramamine is great for motion sickness. Came in useful during the windy, 3 hour bus ride to Pai. You never know!

[/bscolumns][bscolumns class="clear"][/bscolumns][bscolumns class="one_half"]

ELECTRONICS

     A Sim Card     Headphones (Pro: Bose Wireless Over-Ear Headphones)     Drone + Charger (Pro: DJI Mavic Air)     GoPro + Charger (Pro: GoPro Hero 5)     Tablet/Laptop + Charger (Pro: Microsoft Surface Pro)     Unlocked Phone + Charger (Pro: Samsung Galaxy S9)     Power Adaptor (Pro: Universal Adaptor)Notes:

• I usually buy a sim card at the airport for each new country that I go to. It's usually far cheaper than paying for an international plan, which can run upwards of $100 for a week.
• I can't leave home without a drone, I'd recommend the DJI Mavic Air for anyone who wants a fairly affordable, portable drone. This is the drone I took with my during my Southeast Asia trip. :D

[/bscolumns][bscolumns class="one_half_last_clear"]

SECURITY

     A Good Book (Pro: The Sapiens)     Credit Cards (Pro: Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Card)     Lock (to secure your locker)     Passport(s) + Printed Copy     Driver's License + Printed Copy     Visas - 2 Printed Copies     Daypack for Daily UseNotes:

• Having extra copies of all of your important documents comes in handy if you were to lose your passport or your credit card. There's nothing worse than being stuck in a new country without your passport or credit card. 😲
• A Daypack is great for carrying just your essentials for each day, so that you're not carrying around your big backpack with all of your valuables when you're out at a bar.

[/bscolumns][bscolumns class="clear"][/bscolumns]While this is not an exhaustive list, I hope this packing checklist serves as a guide for your own solo travels. If you think there is something I missed, or you think should be added to this list, comment below!