Ok so I ended up with a checkin bag – even I can’t manage carry on only for a 9 week trip that covers work, meetings, study/research, hiking and camping. But I think I’ve done pretty well – what do you think?

I have my @kathmandugear checkin bag (which is carry on size) weighing in at 9 kg – this has all my clothes, shoes, toiletries, jewelry, gps locator etc. for 9 weeks.

Then there is my @sativabags hemp ‘briefcase’ that is basically my portable office for 9 weeks – laptop, phone gear, chargers and adaptors, @skyroamwifi, @cliceyewear sunglasses and reading glasses, notebooks, pens, @anker_official solar powerport panel for remote area charging, portable keyboard, @livescribesmartpen transcription gear and notebooks.

Lastly my small @pacsafeofficial metro travel bag with passport, papers, purse, snacks, onboard toiletries and my trusty @platypushydration water bottle. The last two weighing in at 6 kg total.

So all up 15 kg for all my clothes, toiletries, shoes and portable office and remote gear for 9 weeks – how do you think I went?

⠀

I’ve already told you what I packed in my 9 kg bag on the right for our 9-week research adventure. But I’m also bringing my husband Ron … and we are hoping to save some money on this unpaid trip by #selfcatering, #sleepinginthecar, #camping etc. and to do that we do need to bring a little extra. But am still trying to #packlight. What could I have done better??? ⠀

So Ron’s bag has all the clothes, toiletries and shoes he needs for 9 weeks of hiking, camping and meetings and social events, PLUS sleeping bags @enlightenedequipment, picnic gear, a car kettle, a coffee plunger (because 1. I can’t live without #coffee and 2. coffee is a big expense on the road), first aid kit, meds (because no good Dr doesn’t bring their own emergency meds), @scrubbaproducts laundry bag (because who wants to waste time looking for a laundromat!) trekking poles, portable fishing rod, headlamps, @seatosummit thermal bag liners, and a whopping big bag of gifts for the doctors I’ll be interviewing about #remotedoctor work. The gifts alone take up about 5kg. So all of this fits in one @kathmandugear trolley/backpack bag and weights in at 19 kg for 9 weeks. Ron’s carry on will be the camera bag with all the camera and gopro gear at 3kg. ⠀⠀

That averages out to 18 kg each for 9 weeks including all our self-catering, sleeping gear, camera gear and portable office for a research trip… ⠀

And if I was any kind of blogger I’d have at least made the bed in the spare room look tidy or made a nice backdrop to the only full length mirror in the house.. oh well. So this is my travel outfit for the plane- looking a bit bleary as it’s 3 am..and I’ve just come down with a bad head cold?

The @eddiebauer jeans are stretchy and light and the jacket is a stretchy travel one that will also look a bit formal for some work meetings although I’d prefer one that’s less heavy. Wearing my hiking boots cos I always wear my heaviest shoes on the plane and they don’t look too bad anyway. The scarf is soft and comfy but is in no way ethical or sustainable that I know of ?except that I’ve owned it forever and a day and still use it.

The @soartd hiking belt I love has been comfy on 24 hrs of flying because it moves with you.

Next outfit from my backpack is these comfy stretch quick dry capris , the ever essential white tee with my Cambodian silk scarf made by a fairtrade social enterprise in Phnom Penh that trains disabled people to make these. It is great for travel because it scrunches up into almost nothing. A light silk scarf around the neck helps prevent sunburn without being too hot. And my much loved #xero sandals that saved my feet on a walking holiday with plantar fascitis and are as light as a feather.

Next #canadianjourney backpack outfit… Quick dry black t-shirt and Rohan travel jeans with tan and black sandals that go with anything and comfy to walk in ( walked 10kms in them yesterday).⠀

Wore this to the Canada Day baseball game in Toronto and the Ribfest.

The stretch travel jacket and stretch button up shirt look a little more formal for the remote Dr interviews but didn’t need ironing and are super comfy. The blazer is a little heavy but it works well on the plane with some nice internal pockets for passports and tickets.

Still haven’t even busted out the summer clothes as so chilly here in Newfoundland. Amazing what you can fit in a bag. Key is light versatile pieces in useful fabrics. The black merino @kathmandugear shirt is warm as a layer or a great wicking shirt on its own. Went #hiking and felt it wicking as I got sweatier and yet the next day it was as fresh as new and I could keep wearing it! ⠀

Weather is up and down here in Newfoundland so sun comes out and need a cool t-shirt and hat and then cold wind comes in and you need to rug up. Meetings done so doing some hiking and museum visits and had outfits for everything. And sorry for the cowboy look but you know I am in #canada!

The vest was my good find in a Canadian thrift store. Ron was thinking he might be colder than he thought but didn’t want to spend too much money on something we don’t really need at home and might not want to carry for the rest of the trip. So where else to go but the thrift store. St. Johns has several stores but we went to the big Salvation Army one and ended up scoring a great polar fleece vest each and Ron got some great light travel pants to replace an older pair he’d brought along.

This shirt is reversible which gives double the options.

Here are just some more of the outfits I was able to mix n match from my nine week travel wardrobe.

So at the end of the trip I found that even with my ‘light packing’ I still had come home not having needed everything and I could have left some things at home. I certainly didn’t miss anything I wished I’d brought!

I really learnt that less is better. It certainly helps make it easier to get around.

If you are interested in my complete packing list and what I felt I could have left out keep an eye out for my next blog post by subscribing.