Pack | Pack Like a Pro intro

Written By Junxiu Lu

Over the last decade, I have also mostly been living out of a backpack - it started out at 70L, then down to 38L, and now if I really wanted to I can probably live out of 20L bag. This decade-long vagabond lifestyle has taught me to simplify everything.

The truth is: I travel heavy. I usually have about 40kg of check-in bags and 15kg I carry on. Since 2018, I have been asking all my close friends (and their close friends) to collect clothes so that I can re-direct them to a good cause. I especially want baby and children’s clothes and shoes and cold weather gear for the porters and guides in Rinjani. What I actually pack for myself is about 20kg of the 55kg; 10kg of it is my tech for remote working. I travel with 60L Baboon to the Moon duffel, GotBag Day Pack, totes which all get packed into my 60L Patagonia Blackhole Duffel with wheels once I have dropped off all my donations.

I have streamlined my gear to be lightweight, my clothes to be functional, and I pack things to keep my back and neck aligned. When I know I will be away for a month, I will pack:

Clothes

  • 2-3 t-shirts

  • 1 pair of pants; 1 pair of yoga pants

  • As much underwear as possible; an extra pair of socks; swimmers

  • Toiletries - all in travel sizes and as much as possible in solid form

  • 1 pair of flip flops/thongs

  • Bucket hat

  • $10 rain jacket and pants

  • Base layers if I know I am going somewhere cold

  • In addition to what I wear on the plane (head to to): beanie, long sleeve, t shirt, sarong, baggy pants, compression socks, and good shoes

Gear

  • 1L and 500ml thermos bottle and 1L collapsible bottle nested together

  • Filter bottle (Grayl)

  • Takeaway bag

  • Collapsible cup

  • At least 2 tote bags

  • Packable backpack

  • Memory foam travel pillow

  • Yoga therapy balls

  • Rechargeable headlamp

  • For work - laptop and iPad and charging cables, 3 notebooks, and pens


This is a list of things that I have bought that I Never pack:

  • Hiking shoes - If the porters can trek with flip flops or barefoot, I can just wear my everyday shoes

  • Towel - I use my sarong if needed

  • DSLR camera and Drone

  • Waterproof jacket with fleece lining

  • Bamboo cutlery - I will use my hands

  • Fancy or cute clothes to look cute in

  • Dive gear

Junxiu Lu
Previous

The Problem with Scuba Diving in Southeast Asia
Next

Conserve | Elephant Sanctuaries are a reason for Hope