How to Prepare for a Round-the-World Trip

The final weeks before leaving Estonia passed in total chaos. Sure, it seemed like everything was under control, but truth be told—I hadn’t had a grip on anything for quite a while. Things just… happened. My e-book got published, I managed to sell most of the stuff from my apartment, a new passport and travel insurance got sorted, a few plane/boat/train tickets bought, some accommodation booked. All that was left now was to pack and hand over my apartment. That’s when the panic of throwing things into boxes, trash bags, and my backpack kicked off. Where did my belongings eventually ended up—only time will tell. Like I said, control? Haven’t seen her in weeks.

Packing a backpack for an undefined amount of time is a fun little existential crisis exercise. Spoiler alert: I eventually gave up on the idea of just one bag—there simply wasn’t enough space, and I wasn’t about to travel the world with only socks and underwear. So what do you pack when your trip could last for anywhere between 4 to 12 months (depending on how fast you burn your money—and, you know, luck)?

Here’s what I had to consider:

• I plan to mostly be somewhere WARM, where I can float around in light, breezy clothing. Think a few dresses, shorts, some tops;

• sportswear is non-negotiable, so in go running clothes, gym wear, and swimwear (one-piece, bikini, cap, goggles). If I have to settle with home workouts, one set of resistance bands should do the trick;

• my journey starts in Scandinavia—mainly Norway—a land of jaw-dropping nature and outrageously expensive accommodation. Which means I need the basic camping setup: a hammock and a sleeping bag;

• nights may be light, but also chilly—so I packed a hoodie, a thermal layer, thick socks, and a thin rain jacket;

• for a single lady who’s both vain and minimalistic—so a dress, a kimono, flowy pants, a basic stash of jewelry and makeup;

• blogging is my life, hobby, and job while traveling—so there is no way I’m going anywhere without my laptop,

• once I’m on the road, I’ll need something small to carry my daily essentials—so a small rucksack made the cut.

In conclusion, this is the collection of stuff I’m dragging with me:

What comforts me is knowing that some things will get used up as I go (mainly face and hair products that I just couldn’tthrow away), and others—let’s be honest—will turn out to be totally useless, thanks to my questionable packing and planning instincts.

We’ll see what actually makes it to the end with me.

– Kärt