While I love booking flights and finding accommodation, packing is my least favourite part of holiday preparation. I don’t think I’ve ever been good at it, I’d like to think I get it from my mum. When I was eight I had to get my tonsils out, which required an overnight stay at the hospital. My mum packed a duffle bag full of miscellaneous stuff, after already making me wear two jumpers. Although I think the excessive packing was an endearing symbol of love and even though I couldn’t move my arms, due to the incredible thickness of my jumpers, I appreciated that she loved me and was just feeling worried.

Pre-primary 1995: the double jacket combo has already begun

I managed to get good advice from numerous blogs, Leo (being useful again) and Pete (a colleague from work/cyclist/Kiwi). So doing the research and releasing the inner cheapskate in me was pretty fun. For example, instead of buying $200+ waterproof pannier bags, I just bought two $20 dry bags.  So, here’s all the stuff I’m taking, I figure I’ll write a proper list at the end, after I’ve tried it all out and decided what worked and what didn’t.

Each bag weighs about 4.5kg, so I think I did well…