We have been pulling out our travel gear and clothes over the last couple of weeks in preparation for our trip to Myanmar and I think I have my clothing picked out. Because we are limited to 15 lbs (7 kg) carry on weight on one flight, we have to keep what is in our bags down to a minimum. Here is the clothing I am taking.
- 2 pair of pants – 1 linen and 1 technical
- 4 shirts – 3 lightweight wool and 1 linen (various lengths of sleeves)
- 3 pair underwear – all lightweight wool
- 2 bras – 1 lightweight wool sportsbra and 1 everyday style
- 3 pair socks – all double layer style
- 1 lightweight cotton T-shirt to sleep in
- 1 swimsuit
- 1 pair light hiking shoes
- 1 pair cheap flip flops
- 1 down sweater
- 1 warm long sleeved wool top
- 1 toque
- 1 cotton scarf
- 1 lightweight rain jacket
- 1 umbrella
- 1 sunhat
- 1 small purse for evenings
Normally I would pack 2 pair of linen pants for a trip such as this, but since we are on the edge of the monsoon season in Myanmar and we are doing a 3 day hike, I have decided to take a pair of technical pants that are quick drying. I do find them hot, but the quick dry feature is what decided it for me.
Linen and technical pants
I have discovered icebreaker clothing. It is made with only the best grade wool from New Zealand, is non itchy and does not smell after being worn for days. I love it! I could not take any to Tanzania and Botswana last year as we needed to dress in earth tones and all my icebreaker is bright colors. This trip, I am taking lots!
Three of the four shirts I am taking are icebreaker. Two have 3/4 length sleeves and one has short sleeves. The fourth shirt is a long sleeved linen shirt (my hippie shirt). I usually divide my shirts up by “daytime” shirts, that get sweaty and dirty and “evening” shirts, that usually don’t get sweaty and stay cleaner longer. One icebreaker 3/4 sleeve shirt is an evening shirt. The linen shirt and the other 3/4 are strictly daytime shirts. The fourth short sleeved shirt is a swing shirt – meant for evening, but I will wear it during the daytime if the need arises.
Linen shirt and my three icebreaker shirts
Gotta talk under garments! All three pair of undies are icebreaker. I wore them on the West Coast Trail and loved them, so along they come. I also wore an icebreaker “Sprite Racerback Bra” on the WCT and found it very comfortable. It is coming along for daytime and an everyday style bra for evening. I separate bras into daytime and evening also due to the sweating thing and this trip i am hoping to avoid heat rash by wearing a breathable bra during the day. Three pair of lightweight, ankle socks. I wear Wrightsocks almost exclusively for travel and running. The double layer aids in keeping feet comfortable. Too avoid blisters, which I am prone to, I use a thin layer of Vaseline between my toes. (Thank you to E.H. for that tip so long ago!) I take a very lightweight cotton shirt to sleep in and I do not travel anywhere without a swimsuit, after all I am a bit of a fish.
To save weight in our bags, we limit our footwear to one pair of lightweight hiking shoes and a pair of cheapo flip flops for hotel rooms and showers.
Over the years I have discovered that to stay warm on long haul flights, I need to dress super warm, especially if I am trying to sleep. So along come a down sweater, a warm long sleeved icebreaker base layer shirt and a toque. Once we get to a destination, the sweater and toque usually do not get worn. On this trip, we are staying overnight in a couple of monasteries, which might be cool inside, so the baselayer may get worn.
Down jacket, icebreaker base layer and my favorite toque
The edge of the monsoon season encourages me to take a light rain jacket. No Gore-tex, just something to slow down getting soaked. Murray and I are each taking an umbrella for the rain also. I always take a scarf, usually cotton, to wear mostly to disguise the neck safe cord hanging around my neck. And lastly I take a small purse for evenings that is big enough to hold my camera, wallet and some kleenex (I will have a small backpack as my daytime “purse”.)
Light jacket, scarf and Wrightsocks