Nicole packs like a professional. I pack like a man who has learned things the hard way, ten times over. Here’s what we actually needed, and what took up space for nothing, country by country.
Japan: cash, more than you think, less bulky luggage
Plenty of small places still don’t take cards, so we carried more yen than felt natural. Didn’t need the giant suitcase though. Coin lockers at every station meant we could day-trip light and pick the bags back up later. Should have packed smaller from the start.
South Korea: skip the umbrella, they sell better ones on every corner
We hauled umbrellas over from the States and every convenience store sold a better, cheaper one two minutes from wherever we stood. Do bring an extra battery pack though, the amount of navigating and translating apps we ran drained phones fast.
Norway: layers, and then one more layer you didn’t think you’d need
Weather changes its mind constantly there, sun to wind to rain in the same afternoon. We underpacked warm layers the first time and it cost us. Also, since groceries run expensive, a couple of packable snack pouches for the kids earn their space in the bag.
Italy: comfortable shoes, non negotiable, everything else is optional
Cobblestones do not care about your cute sandals. We watched more than one tourist limp through Rome learning this the hard way. Pack the shoes you’d actually hike in, then dress them up if you must.
France: one nice outfit each, you’ll want it more than you expect
Being in an RV made us pack purely functional, and then we felt underdressed the one night we found a real restaurant. One nice-enough outfit per person doesn’t take much room and saves you from eating cereal in the parking lot instead.
Denmark: a real raincoat, the drizzle is more constant than dramatic
It’s not dramatic storms, just a steady low grade drizzle that a cheap poncho does not solve. A proper light raincoat each was the one packing decision that paid off every single day there.
Croatia: water shoes, the beaches are rocks, not sand
Nobody packs water shoes for a beach vacation and everybody regrets it within ten minutes of the Adriatic. Five pairs of cheap water shoes solved more complaining than anything else we brought.
Czechia: the vignette sticker, buy it before you cross the border
Not a packing item exactly, but the one thing to have sorted before you arrive if you’re driving in. We didn’t, and a patient police officer explained the whole system to us on the shoulder of a highway.
Laos: bug spray, real bug spray, not the traveler’s-size wipes
The small wipes are a formality there. A real bottle of proper repellent earns its weight, especially anywhere near the river at dusk. Sandals that can get wet and dry fast also outperformed anything with laces.
Cambodia: small bills, a scarf for the temples, and patience
Cover your shoulders for the temples, a light scarf works for everyone in the family. And again, small bills, we cannot say it enough by this point in the week. Nobody has change for a big one anywhere on this list.
If I had to pack one bag for all ten: good shoes, layers, small bills, and low expectations for what fits in the overhead bin. -Adam
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