2 Months On: Packing Review

We thought it was about time to review our packing decisions. For a breakdown of what we initially brought see our post: "Packing hand sanitiser for a year?" Here are our thoughts, two months and three countries on:

Verdicts on the items of contention:

Sleeping bags (used many times)


Bottle opener (not yet used!)


Yoga mats (Used more times than I can count on my fingers)


Hair dryer (Brilliant in Malaysia and Nepal, less used in Vietnam)

Things we could NOT have lived without:

Sleeping bags/thermals (probably saved us from hypothermia at least a few nights)

Beanies (ditto above)

UNO (only a slight exaggeration, was great whilst hiking)

Muktinath: At around -15 degrees Celsius sleeping bags, thermals and beanies were essential

Not yet used!

Expandable bowls, utensils & bottle opener haven't yet seen the light of day. 

Thing we are glad we did not bring:

Tent

Rob's tigers

Leggings (still not pants)

Thing we could have done with:

Tiny stove (we probably wouldn't have used it yet but we are likely to ask a fairy to bring it to either Beijing or Dublin for us!)

Thing we could have done without:

Less underwear (Rob)

All in all, I think we packed okay. Though we have added a few things on the way, and lost a few things too:

New things

Day/hiking pack 

T-shirt for Rob and shirt for Kat (time to swap out some clothes)

Thongs x2 (Rob’s broke. Kat needed some)

Warm gear for Nepal (Proper jackets)
Gifts we have received (a certain 'China fairy' may help us here)

New t-shirt!

Wearing my new scarf and jacket outside 'Yac donald's' in Kagbeni

Lost things

Rob’s hat (left on a flight)

Our backpack rain cover (wanted to stay near the Himalayas, who could blame it?)

Rob’s mobile (Worst. Left in a dodgy taxi)