In exactly one week from now I will have landed in Guatemala City! I am so fortunate to have convinced my dear friend “C” to join me for the first ten days of the adventure! We are flying separately, but our flights arrive a mere 20 minutes apart so I think that, barring any kind of airline craziness, we should be there at the same time. After “C” leaves, my friend Rhiannon at peanutbutterbound.com is joining me for a few weeks or more! I am no longer going alone. Hooray!
The real question is whether my bag will qualify as Spirit airline carry on…
Trying to pack two months worth of stuff in a bag that I can self tote was a challenge, but I managed to do it. Here is everything I think I will need (and probably, too much!) for two months in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua:
My Central America packing list (from top left to right):
- Black long sleeve shirt
- ascend polyester longsleeve lightweight sweatshirt with a hood
- Tan water resistant lightweight jacket
- Self inflatable sleeping pad which also doubles as a comfy sitting spot while waiting for a chicken bus, etc.
- Dress (multicolored) that could also be a long skirt (for nights out)
- Bag of toiletries. I will spare you the details, but basically it’s a minimal supply of makeup (mascara and lip gloss), moisturizer, toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, shampoo, etc.)
- DSLR camera (on which I will be using black electric tape to cover the Canon logos in order to attempt to deter criminals from coveting it)
- Three short sleeve wicking Columbia shirts which are easy to wash and will dry overnight and one light weight sleeping t-shirt that can also pass for day use
- One pair lounge/sleep pants
- Two pair of Columbia hiking pants that zip off into shorts or could be rolled up into capris
- One bathing suit tankini which could also double as a tank top above the multi colored skirt or sarong
- Sunglasses, a power outlet multiplier (makes 1 outlet into 4), and earbuds
- Three tank tops and three pair of non-cotton socks (Thorlos and RedHead) (They will dry overnight, unlike cotton)
- A yellow poncho and (then two over is a blue poncho also which I’m bringing extra for “C”)
- Multicolored sarong (which can be used as a towel, a skirt, a shoulder covering, a lightweight blanket, a beach blanket, etc.)
- Red lightweight blanket for cold buses or nasty hostels
- Miscellaneous things (details below)
- Ear plugs, first aid kit (with Band-Aids, alcohol pads, moleskin, prescription painkillers, antibiotics, Imodium (beware the water!), and a black stretchy clothing line for hanging clothes to dry overnight in the hostel or hotel)
- Black sandals for nights out or dressing up and flip-flops for the shower, the beach, etc. I’m also bringing a pair of Keen hiking sandals (not pictured) which will be my primary footwear
- (Not pictured) A pair of jeans (in the wash!) and bra and undies (none of your business ;)) and an iPad mini.
Miscellaneous stuff:
- Maxi DEET insect repellent by Sawyer
- Tissues (I hear that toilet paper is scarce in Central America!)
- Pack soap for washing clothes in the hostel or hotel
- Neutrogena sunscreen
- Lonely planet Spanish phrasebook and dictionary
- Lighter, contact rewetting drops, hand sanitizer and baby wipes
- A deck of cards, a pocketknife, a luggage lock, chlorine dioxide water treatment drops, and a can of pepper spray
- (Not pictured) Duct tape wrapped around a Sharpie pen
That is it! So, basically what this means is that every picture of me is going to look like I never change clothes! Lol! But…it all fit into here:
Oh, inside the pinkish backpack is a day pack which is also the camera case and holds a camelback hydration pouch (perfect for day excursions and carrying my own treated water). I also used eBags to separate my items and, hopefully, minimize luggage chaos!
(Side note: I am not sponsored by any brand I reference here (or any brand at all, for that matter! Lol). I picked these things after extensive research into packing for Central America. I just used names to let you know how to find the things should you be interested in looking into them for yourself.).
Do you think I am missing anything? Or have too much? Do tell!
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