Ok, I've read the other threads on pack weight, I've got my two guide books in my daypack ready to be traded ASAP. I've cut down the clothes as much as possible, given that I will be in school with professionals for 2 weeks. My pack STILL weighs 35lbs (16kg). (My pack empty weighs almost 3kg...)

I have no IDEA what to do about this. I have all kinds of stupid prescriptions that I have to bring malarone, cipro, blah blah, but really what is killing me is toiletries! Full bottle of shampoo, full bottle of contact solution, aloe and sun block (can you say pasty white skin??). Altogether those cost me about $15US. I remember being away and paying 7euro for stupid 2-in-1 shampoo, over 10AUD for sunblock...

So here's the question: Do I suck it up and carry the weight, or do I suck it up and eat the cost of buying along the way?

(Any other tricks to lightening the load would be much appreciated)

1)Go to a Toiletry Counter
2)Ask for a load of samples
3)Use samples
4)Decant necessary amounts of each bottle into sample bottles. Then, use that to get you through and if you need to buy more. You only need to buy an eeeeeeeeeeenie weenie one

You only need 7 pairs of underwear (ok, maybe 8 but your not heading to Mauritania!). 6 pairs of socks (day 7 is for sandals).

Bring the Contacts solution with you (but once again, decant it into a smaller container)

You dont need perfume (you can get this as samples from dept stores etc). You wont need those 8 books your packing

Hope this may help! See you next fri!

Dan

personally I dont think 35lbs is TOO much unless you are doing some serious hiking, I'd carry it, but that's just me.... I'd ditch the aloe tho and focus on not getting burned

best of luck!

dan - tried that, it didn't work out so well. i did just get sample size toothpaste and contact solution from my dr.'s though. i keep forgetting i'm in london just a couple days and then dubrovnik for over 2 weeks. i'm going to take it all and ditch the full sizes before moving on from there. i'm right on with the socks and underwear... only got one book! :P seeeeee you friday!

mina - no hiking for this girl, ha ha. it's not so heavy that i can't comfortably carry it, just heavy enough that my criminal justice training kicks in and makes me realize i have NO hope of moving quickly, nor can i see behind me, with it on. i can't even get it off quickly! so i *could* carry it, i'd just feel safer with it a bit lighter/smaller...

You know, Croatia's really not that expensive (with the exception of Dubrovnik's old quarter, which is upwards of Italian prices). So I don't quite see the argument of buying as you go getting pricey. Then again my hair's only 1 inch (ok 1.5 inches) and I can wash it with shower gel so I have way less bottles to carry.

Carry enough toiletries to last you a little while. When you get to Bangkok, load up again - buy the stuff there. Surely, Thailand can't be too expensive when it comes to toiletries... Also, you can buy toiletries in Oz as well. Don't shampoo your hair every day. Do it every other day to every 3 days. Saves on shampoo and less you have to carry! Nobody said travelling was glamorous

i've used a medium size soda bottle (screw on top) as a decanter (good word!) its free, you get to drink the soda and you can ditch it without feeling the loss of seventy five cents (for a plasstic bottle from a drug store) down the tubes.
zopa

alternatively:
1. shave everything
2. wear a burka
3. problems solved

i'm going away for 3 1/2 months and hope to carry as little as possible as well. i am bringing small size toiletries of everything and will just buy more as i go along. i prefer good brands (salon stuff) of shampoo, etc, esp bc i have long hair. i guess i won't wash my hair every day, only days when i run. sacrifices! get smaller size items and get them again when you run out.

You can buy much of this as you go, especially toiletries, for less money than you pay at home. Definitely take the full amount of prescriptions and sunblock though as those are a different story. As a rule of thumb, sunblock goes up in reverse relation to the number of pale people in the country.

I agree about the toiletries. YOu can always get toilet paper, shampoo, etc. Shopping in a food/toiletries market in a foriegn country is half the fun of being there!

medicines are light and worth the weight. I have an upset stomach. I've fallen in love with Prilosec OTC for my acid reflux, when it hits. It's light. Some people swear by tea tree oil. I have it, but have seldom used it.

Don't forget the one other important must bring:

DEET based insect repellent. I still have the little bottle I bought years ago, but that little bottle has saved me a lot of insect bites.

It's hard to get overseas.

Tiger Balm, on the other hand, is of good quality in Malaysia, and is a rip-stopping insect bite de-ichifier for about four hours. Its great for going to bed relatively stress free.

I bought it in Venezuela, and it was lousy. So, try to get it in asia. Heres another cool thing to get in tropical countries. Coconut oil. Its a great massage oil, and bought in beach places for fairly cheap over there. Here, its like gold.