What I Pack for Two Months on the Road
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When I travel, I’m not just a tourist. I’m filming, presenting and editing my Blithe in… series as I go, with a laptop and a camera bag. On my nine-countries-in-two-months trip, everything had to fit, survive a lot of flights and avoid baggage fees. Here’s how I approach packing for a long trip.
The rule: carry-on if you possibly can
Checked bags cost money on budget airlines, slow you down at the airport and can go missing. A good carry-on backpack is the best travel investment I can recommend.
On budget airlines a hold bag is usually charged per flight. Booked with your ticket it often runs about £10 to £40 each way on routes like mine, but at the airport it can be £60 or more. Over eight or nine flights, carry-on only can easily save a few hundred pounds. More on that here.
Clothes: less than you think
On a two-month trip, I pack for about a week and wash as I go. Light, quick-drying layers work in both hot cities and air-conditioned planes. Most places I’ve stayed, from Hanoi to Jakarta, had laundry nearby for very little money.
In one country, three or four changes of T-shirt and a couple of pairs of shorts is plenty, with a little hand wash. If you need something else, buy it when you get there. It’s usually cheaper than paying to carry it, and you can leave it behind when you go.
- 5–7 tops, quick-drying where possible
- 2–3 pairs of trousers or shorts
- One light layer for planes and evenings
- Comfortable walking shoes plus sandals
- Something respectful for temples and mosques (covered shoulders and knees). In Thailand, Oman and Indonesia you’ll need it.
Tech and filming kit
What I’d suggest for anyone:
- Universal travel adaptor with USB ports. One adaptor, every country.
- Power bank within airline limits (check the watt-hour rating; it must go in hand luggage).
- Spare cables and a small cable pouch
- Backup: a small external drive or cloud backup, so a lost bag doesn’t mean lost footage
My filming kit
- Sony A6700, my main camera
- DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for action shots
- DJI Mic Mini and the DJI Mic 2 for sound
- DJI Neo for aerial shots
Staying connected: an eSIM
Rather than hunting for a SIM shop in every country, I set up an eSIM before I land. On a multi-country trip that saves time and stress, and you have maps working from the moment you step off the plane.
Sleep kit
Long flights, overnight connections and the odd capsule pod (Singapore, I’m looking at you) mean that sleep kit pays for itself:
- Travel pillow
- Eye mask and earplugs
Documents and money
- Passport, plus photos or scans saved securely online
- Printed proof of onward travel and of any visa or visa-free entry. I learned this the hard way when I was refused boarding for China over a visa misunderstanding.
- Two bank cards kept in different places
- A card with low or no foreign transaction fees
Health and insurance
- A small first-aid kit, any medication you need, and copies of prescriptions
- Sun cream and insect repellent for South-East Asia
- Travel insurance that covers the whole trip, including medical care. If you’re travelling long-term, SafetyWing is one option; check the cover suits you before you buy.
The short version
One carry-on bag, a week of clothes, a universal adaptor, an eSIM and proper insurance will get you a very long way. Everything else is optional.