Packing

Normally a packing list is not that interesting, however, I have had several people look at me with amazement when I tell them that I will be attempting to pack only a single backpack for our ten day trip to Bolivia.  For this reason I figure that a detailed description of my plan is in order.  Below you will find a list of the things I will be bringing on the trip, also you can view the carry-on restrictions for American Airlines right here.

Ideally all of these items will be placed in my backpack which is designed to meet carry-on restrictions.  The backpack measures 13.8W X 8.5D X 17.5H in which totals 39.8in when added together, this is under the 45in limit imposed
by the airline.  In the event that I have any items which will not fit into this backpack I will also carry a small briefcase for the remaining items.

Items in my carry-on:

• 2 pairs of backpacker pants
• 1 pair of jeans
• 3 generic T-shirts
• 4 pairs of socks
• 4 pairs of underwear
• 1 pair of sandals
• 1 pair of broken in hiking boots
• 1 light jacket with a hood for rain
• 1 backup pair of contact lenses
• 1 travel size bottle of contact cleaning solution
• 2 contact lens storage containers
• 1 travel size bottle of eye drops
• Malaria medicine
• pen size bug spray with 100% DEET
• 1 collapsible toothbrush
• 1 comb
• 1 Pentax K20d digital camera
• 1 18 - 55mm lens
• 1 50 - 200mm lens
• 1 16GB SDHC card
• 1 4GB SDHC card
• 1 SD card reader
• 2 Pentax batteries
• 1 travel charger
• 1 collapsible mini-tripod
• 1 eeepc 900 netbook
• 1 eeepc standard battery
• 1 eeepc extended life battery
• 1 eeepc wall charger
• 1 60GB portable hard drive
• 1 8GB flash drive
• 1 Nokia N810 
• 1 N810 wall charger
• 1 power inverter
• 1 3 outlet plug adapter

You may have noticed that I will not be taking any shampoo, toothpaste or other liquids with me.  This is due to new airport restrictions which make it easier to pack a ten dollars and just buy those items after we land.  The only liquids I will be carrying are  those necessary for maintaining my contact lenses, everything else will not be needed until we land and can be purchased in Bolivia.  Another thing that you may have noticed is that I will be brining a few pieces of technology with me.  I have already looked at the electrical infrastructure of Bolivia and found that they use 230V at 50Hz.  I have checked the chargers for my devices and found that this is within their operational range which means that I will not need any adapters for this trip.  Additionally, by using the power inverter I am packing I will be able to charge my devices on the plane or in the bus.  Lastly, all of my clothing and backpack will be treated with Sawyer Permethrin spray to keep the bugs away.  This stuff is sprayed on your clothing and allowed to dry, then it will last through 6 washings or 6 weeks.

So that's the list at this point.  If you notice anything that I have left off, please tell me about it in the comments.  I'm sure I've forgotten something important.  As I look over the list it seems as though it will all fit easily because part of it will be worn on the plane and I will be packing the clothing into bags which allow me to squeeze the air out and compress the clothing further.  One of my last posts before we leave will include photos of all these items before and after they are packed into my bag so you can see the results.