I’m off to Alaska in the morning and with just a few hours till my airport departure, I am now starting to think about what I need to start packing. I’ve heard of travellers that start this arduous process weeks in advance. I agree with the need for organization when it comes to a long trip, as discovering how much you still need to buy before the trip even begins can be costly all at once. But for a quick little 2 week holiday? I figure I already have pretty much everything I need from past travels, and if I forget my toothbrush I’m sure I’ll manage to find one. I could probably even go ‘au Alaska natural’ and break off a tree branch and get my pearly whites shining like a grizzly.

This trip is different than others I’ve taken. For my return to Vancouver, I won’t be 1/2 sleeping on a bumpy bus ride through the night or changing tires on a VW van on the Alaskan Highway. I won’t be running down the train platform with my pack bouncing on my bum and screaming at the train as it pulls further and further away from me. I will be walking the plank.

When I say this, I do picture myself running into Johnny Depp’s arms in ‘Pirates of The Caribbean’. Perhaps this is the wrong image. My journey back to Vancouver will actually be more like Bridget Jones on ‘The Love Boat’. After a week of camping and hostelling across Alaska, I will be handing over my grungy backpack to a bellhop. I will step foot on the Celebrity Millenium Cruise and embrace a bit of class, backpacker style.

So perhaps now you can understand why I have left my packing until the last possible moment. Combining a bike riding/flip flopping adventure in hostels with fine dining, heels and showtune entertainment on a posh boat, is a squeeze into one pack. Procrastination stems from not wanting or knowing how the chore is going to pan out. Procrastination and packing go hand in hand for me. The pressure of needing to get it done, eventually, gets it done.

And this is why I will be up in the wee hours of the morning standing in front of my mirror checking if I can really pull off the hiking boots with a dress look. Or how about heels in the hills of Denali National National Park?

So for all of you interested in what makes it into my pack, here are a few favourites.

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• Rough Guide/Books…there are many guides out there, but often I’ll choose a RG over others. Even for Alaska, the Lonely Planet is very recent, but I still went with a RG as I prefer their style of writing and the fact that they actually express an opinion. Do your research though, as some guides have a specialty area of the world. (Bradt-Africa, Footprint-South America) And as for other books, don’t leave home without a diary, especially if you intend to write a blog. There are so so many details than can easily be forgotten after a night at the bar. And then I would always add some light reading, preferably covering the area that you’re travelling to. Waiting for a bus can be boring, so why not jump into another story for awhile? Regarding my own rule of 3 books max, I’m useless at following my own rules! I always want to read more than I have time for. At least I can leave them for somebody else to appreciate when they won’t fit in my pack!
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  Hair straightener…if this were a normal sized straightener I’d say you’re out of your mind to pack it. But I’m all for travel gadgets, and these hot chopsticks calm the frizzies when I’m wanting to look better than a bedhead. Remember the voltage issue as straighteners are the one electrical item that will not work with a converter. Dual voltage ones and an adapter only.

• Pair of jeans…no photos needed. Yes I curse the weight of them, and how they don’t pack up snug and tight, but damn they feel good and it’s nice to not always feel like a traveller. Just normal.
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  Head torch/lamp…if you’re staying in a hostel, you will make no friends by turning on the main light when you arrive back late

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• Packing cubes…these are the only way I can stay organized in my pack. They also compress your clothes and just make everything easier to pack and unpack items as you need them. For these two double sided clothing cubes I managed to fill them with: 7 long and short tops, 1 jeans, 1 dress, 2 shorts, 1 capris, 1 scarf, 5 socks, 2 bras, 1 pjama top & bottom and 6 underwear. I have a quarter size cube for computer cables, camera chargers and electrical stuff. And another cube for my swimsuit, cap and goggles…cruise specialty!

And of course there’s a ton of other stuff I’m carting around. Flip flops & travel towels, a neck pillow & a Pacsafe purse. Further tips in detail will be added to a new website section coming soon. In the meantime, I’ll keep you posted on what makes my forgotten list, or what I absolutely did not use.
Cheers me dears…I’m now Anchorage bound (and determined to discover whether men really do outnumber women!)

Fiona
Babe With A Backpack