Two years ago, I got a Timbuk2 Aviator backpack for a two-week trip to Europe and documented what I packed and the results.

I’ll be going on a similar trip again this year, so I’m reviewing my packing list to see what I’ll change this time. Here’s what I’m thinking:

• Swap for smaller / lighter: pajamas, running tank, water bottle (just bought a collapsible Vapur bottle), dress, raincoat (just got this, very packable)
• Swap for better: Instead of $10 Forever 21 skinny jeans (seriously!) I picked up a pair of Prana Halle pants in grey. I like that they convert to capris. I’m also going to try this Royal Robbins shirt – the sleeves can be configured in three ways.
• Skip: Swimsuit (didn’t use), printed leggings (wore once), possibly the rain jacket depending on forecast.
• Add: Sandals would have been nice in the heat, so I’m hunting for a lightweight, flat pair that I can walk miles in. I usually wear sandals with a 2″ heel and they are too bulky to pack.

Here’s the full list from last time with notes:

• 2 dresses – pack a very thin, light dress instead of jersey
• 1 skirt – keep
• 2 pairs of leggings (1 black, 1 gray print) – skip 1
• 2 pairs of tights (1 black, 1 gray) – skip 1
• 1 cardigan (gray) – keep (similar)
• 4 tanks (black, gray, blue, green) – maybe bring 1 very light running tank and 1 or 2 others
• 1 collared sleeveless shirt – maybe skip
• 1 light, short-sleeved sweater -replace with tshirt
• 1 pair running shorts – keep
• 1 pair sneakers – keep
• 1 pair flats – pack sandals in addition, or instead
• underthings – keep, of course
• sleepwear – bring something much lighter / smaller
• scarf – keep
• rain jacket – maybe keep depending on weather
• on the plane: jeans / tshirt / hoodie – swapping jeans for pants

Here’s a post-trip followup to my earlier post about packing the Timbuk2 Aviator.

I was very happy about my decision to take a backpack instead of a rolling suitcase.  After our flight, we had a train journey with three transfers going from Frankfurt to Berlin – and that was just our first destination. Rolling a suitcase through stations and down the train aisles would have been frustrating.

Unlike some other huge backpacks I’ve worn, this one didn’t stick out far enough to make me feel like I was going to knock people over. When I first saw it, it was taller than I expected (extending above my shoulders), but it’s a good tradeoff for a slimmer pack. The backpack was comfortable and distributed the weight nicely on my shoulders; I never pulled out the hip straps.

I brought a small purse for everything I needed at constant reach – passport, wallet, phone. Like other backpacks I’ve owned, there’s no easy way to reach inside the backpack while you’re wearing it. Had it been cooler, had my clothing not suffered from minuscule female pockets, or had I been willing to wear one of those passport holders around my neck, I probably could have forgone the extra bag, but it was small and convenient, and I needed to bring one for day trips anyway.

The packing cubes worked perfectly, and I packed well for an unpredictable trip which ranged from 50 degree rain to 90 degree blazing sun. As we traveled, we picked up some souvenirs along the way – beans from Bonanza Coffee Roasters, some spirits from Dr. Kochan Schnapskultur… even with heavier bags, we still were able to hike to the top of the Flak Tower in Humboldthain before our train out of the city.

We’d also packed a collapsible zippered shopping bag from Target. I picked it up in Portland OR last year and it’s fantastic, because it has more structure than most collapsible bags and folds flat. Before we left the country, I put my packing cubes in the folding tote and stuffed my backpack full of delicious German groceries – dark chocolate spread, Haribo gummies, dessert wine, chocolate bars, even my favorite fizzy vitamins. I zipped away the backpack straps and checked it on the way back – it weighed in at 13kg. The backpack provided good structure and protection, and our fragile goodies arrived unscathed.

When we booked a 2-week trip to Germany, I needed to replace my broken old backpack. Timbuk2’s Aviator backpack (the smaller, non-wheeled version) caught my eye. I liked how the front fully unzipped so you could pack with full access, just like a suitcase. I also liked the subtle design and black color; it’s more of a city bag than something you’d take on a camping trip.

The reviews were perplexing – some said it was perfect for a weekend trip, some for a week or two. The inner dimensions of the bag weren’t published, so I thought these photos might be helpful to others.

Here’s what I’m packing. It helps that we’ll be in an apartment with a washing machine during the first week.

• 2 dresses
• 1 skirt
• 2 pairs of leggings (1 black, 1 gray print)
• 2 pairs of tights (1 black, 1 gray)
• 1 cardigan (gray)
• 4 tanks (black, gray, blue, green)
• 1 collared sleeveless shirt
• 1 light, short-sleeved sweater
• 1 pair running shorts
• 1 pair sneakers
• 1 pair flats
• underthings
• sleepwear
• scarf
• rain jacket
• on the plane: jeans / tshirt / hoodie

I bought the slim packing cubes from eBags and luckily they fit perfectly in the backpack. Everything except the shoes and rain jacket easily fit into 3 packing cubes.

I packed these in the main compartment along with 1 pair of shoes, an umbrella, a rain jacket, and a hairbrush. I stacked them on their short edge to make more space, but if I didn’t have much else in the main compartment, I would have laid them flat.

The top compartment of the bag will fit my glasses, chargers, and a bag each of liquid and non-liquid toiletries. I like this clear quart bag by Flight 001. I felt frivolous ordering it but I’m so tired of sandwich bags that disintegrate halfway through a trip.

The backpack zips up nicely and cinches on the sides.

That’s it! I’ll tell you how it goes.

Here are some photos from Quito and Nono Ecuador. I have yet to finish editing our photos from the Galapagos – soon!

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Brugmansia

"Brugmansia have also traditionally been used in many South American indigenous cultures in medical preparations and as a ritualistic hallucinogen for divination, to communicate with ancestors, as a poison in sorcery and black magic, and for prophecy."

When we were in the village of Nono, north of Quito, we saw these flowers and our guide told us they were often used to drug people and steal from them - it basically puts you in a conscious but nonresistant state, like date rape drugs.

Turns out it is the same drug I was wearing on a patch behind my ear for sea-sickness (Scopolamine).

This might explain why I hallucinated several times when I woke up in the middle of the night. Hilariously, I hallucinated Galapagos animals. A penguin by the doorknob, sea lion climbing the door, iguana on the lamp. Otherwise, no side effects.

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As a frequent bus rider, I don’t know how I ever lived without the transit directions in Google Maps.

I’ve discovered an even easier way to access bus schedules from my Android phone. I simply created shortcuts to transit directions for my favorite destinations (like work, home). This means that if I’m running late at work and miss my usual bus, I can just click the shortcut to see the next 3 buses. It doesn’t matter where I am, clicking the shortcut gets me home!

How to create a shortcut to transit directions:

1. Go to your Apps (on my phone, I click the round icon on the bottom middle of my home screen)
   
2. Along the top, click Widgets
   
3. Flip through your widgets until you find the one called Directions & Navigation. Press and hold to drop it onto your home screen.
   
4. Add your home or work address (or anywhere else you like to go a lot). Don’t forget to choose transit (click on the bus image).
   
5. Remember to put a screen lock on your phone. It’s good for many reasons, but especially important if someone could steal your bag with keys and easy directions to your home 🙂