Packing list

I think I have everything I will need for the next 2 months. The goal was to be minimalist.

Since I'll be traveling through Patagonia after Huancayo, I wanted to avoid bringing a suitcase that would be more cumbersome to lug around. I've used my trusty Teton Scout 3400 for countless trips now, despite most of them not involving any amount of backpacking. If space isn't an issue, I think I'd always prefer a backpack over a suitcase, just for convenience. The downside is that these packs might not fit as a carry-on on, but that's only happened to me a couple times. My day-pack is REI's Flash 22, a gift from my dad. My mom loves this bag: it's a great size, sturdy, and frameless, so I could roll it up and stuff it somewhere if I don't need it.

For the clinic volunteering that I'll be doing in Huancayo, I was told I will need a lab coat and stethoscope, and latex gloves are a nice-to-have. The other items are just a few EMS staples that I thought might come in handy.

For Patagonia, I brought a quick-dry towel, a headlamp and collapsible lantern, some gloves, my buff, a poncho for the rain, some first aid supplies, and a light day pack that I probably won't need.

I limited myself to 2 pairs of shoes. I bought Altra's Timp 5 in November because I needed a new pair of shoes for running, and I also wanted a pair that could double as both runners and hikers. This was back when I thought I would be doing some marathon training in Huancayo. I no longer think I'll have the chance to do much running, but I don't regret buying my Altras at all. They're much more comfortable than any hiking boot I've ever worn, and my feet will be happy in them walking around the clinic all day. For my 2nd pair of shoes, my Tevas were the obvious choice.

For clothing, I tried to make sure that each item I brought would be useful in both Huancayo and Patagonia, so almost everything is lightweight and quick-dry. Unsurprisingly, most of my activewear is black, so to avoid being Goth for the next 7 weeks I made some last-minute Amazon purchases. Now I have a bit more color to wear, although I might've overpacked. The most important item here is probably my Mountain Hardwear down jacket. It can be stuffed into one of its pockets, and I will be relying on it to keep my poorly-circulated body warm.

Finally, my electronics are the heaviest part of my pack. I debated for quite a while on whether I should bring both my iPad and MacBook or just one of them. In the end, I decided that there are many possibilities in which I would regret not having my laptop and relatively few in which I would regret having it, and the weight of the iPad would be worth the comfort of being able to read from a tablet. The journal was a thoughtful birthday gift from my friends, a companion for my thoughts during this trip. I have outlet adaptors for all three countries I'll be visiting, as well as my Anker PowerCore+. One of its ports is broken and it's quite heavy, but for the 6 years I've been using it, it has yet to let me down.

Everything I decided on bringing fits nicely in my two backpacks, with room to spare. After taking these photos, I think I even added a couple more items. I might need additional space if I acquire a lot of things throughout the trip, but I'll cross that bridge if I get there.