The Backpackers Packing Guide

Hello readers!

So this will likely be my last post before I fly out to New Zealand for 8 days. This list is probably more for me than it is for anyone backpacking, but it may be helpful anyways. Also, I'll let you know what our travel itinerary for spring break looks like.

Because we are staying in hostels and making several flights/bus trips over the course of the week, I'm attempting to travel light. This means a large purse that I purchased at The Reject Shop for $7. It has a lot of compartments and zips shut- and my Roots backpack. That's IT!

It's very important to maximize the little space I have, and that means only bringing essentials, such as:

1 pair of sweatpants

1 pair of jeans (which I'll likely be wearing on the flight)

1 pair of other pants

1 pair of leggings

1 bar dress+shirt for going out

1 pair of flats (so I dont have to wear sneakers to the bar)

7 pairs of underwear

7 pairs of socks

sneakers (which I'll likely be wearing)

3 t shirts/tank tops

2 sweaters +1 to wear

those little body wash/shampoos that are airplane sized

travel toothbrush/toothpaste

my insulin for my diabetes 

hairbrush

bikini

maybe some makeup, but I'm not totally sold on this idea yet. probably just mascara and a chapstick for me

wallet, kiwi money (NZ dollars), passport, ipod

OK- so this list looks super long but it's really not that much stuff to cram into a bag or layer up and wear. Rolling your clothes up instead of folding saves a ton of space.

It's also really important to know the weather so that I can pack clothes accordingly. As New Zealand is farther south it's going to be a little bit colder (15 degrees Celsius on average). Which means I can leave shorts and dresses at home.

Now for the travel itinerary:

Thursday- Fly Melbourne to Auckland on the North Island

Saturday- Bus to Taupo (where there is a great lake)

Monday- Bus to Napier

Tuesday- Canada V. Japan World Cup Rugby game in Napier

Wednesday- Fly to South Island- Queenstown

Friday- fly to Christchurch

Saturday- 6am flight back to Melbourne

I will definitely be writing another post as soon as I get back to go over all the adventures that are sure to come. I can't wait for this trip.

Here is a picture of me at the festival this weekend that my friend from Florida took. She's a fantastic photographer and I love it- just so you guys don't forget what I look like <3 Consider this my Yellow Brick Road shot

If you haven't discovered this already, if you click on any of my photos you can see them in a larger size