For my fellow travelers - armchair or otherwise - interested in what I stuffed into my bag for a 4-month overlander ranging in climate from late-winter mountains to mid-summer deserts, here's my packing list...
CLOTHES: raincoat, slush pants, sweatpants, jeans, 3-in-1 safari pants (so geeky, yet so so practical), hoodie, fleece vest, long-sleeve Under Armour, long-sleeve tee, 2 t-shirts, Tajik kurta outfit (= loose pants + long shirt/dress ensemble, perfect for visiting mosques and mausoleums), 2 head scarves, 6 pairs of socks (including 1 hiking and 1 thick wool), underthings
FOOTWEAR: hiking boots, running shoes, Crocs
DAILY ESSENTIALS: teeth stuff (paste, brush, floss), eye stuff (regular glasses, sunglasses, contacts + solution), shower stuff (hand towel, soap, shampoo, razors, Q-tips), misc (Chap stick, deodorant, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, sunscreen, skin cream, wet-naps)
ELECTRONICS: plug adaptor, Panasonic digital camera + spare rechargeable AA batteries and charger, Panasonic digital video camera + battery charger, SD memory cards (2x8GB, 3x2GB), USB sticks (1x2GB, 1x1GB), blank DVD, backup DVD of travel documents (e.g. Lonely Planet PDFs, insurance policy, passport scan, currency conversions, language cheat-sheets, etc.), cell phone + charger
PRACTICALS: passport + extra photos, Lonely Planet Central Asia, SIGG water bottle, Marmot tent, half sleeping bag (altered from a full one), head lamp, flashlight + spare AAA batteries, waterproof matches, lighter, mini first-aid kit, iodine water tablets, mace, bug spray and salve, Swiss army knife, compass, mini locks, mini sewing kit, elastic bands, safety pins, duct tape, extra shoelaces, ear plugs, laundry soap bar, bungee clothes-drying line, knife-spoon-fork combo
ENTERTAINMENT: hardcover notebook, playing cards, CD of favourite songs for internet cafes/shared-car rides with no music of their own (no MP3 player and proud of it!), books ("The Little Prince", "Understanding Islam", "Dust of Empire", "SAS Survival Guide", Russian coursebook)
