How to: Save money while travelling without feeling depressingly deprived

I can hear my boyfriend laughing from thousands of miles away that I should give financial advice to anyone, ever, but it's precisely because I'm so incredibly bad with money that I've had to get really good at saving where I can.  Secretly I think I'm supposed to be rich and some catastrophic error of birth occurred.  These tips are most applicable in the developed (totally hate that term btw - is there a better one? 'First world is just as derogatory) world, because it's here that money bleed happens the fastest.

1. Toiletries in solid form.  Lush shampoo and conditioner bars last forever, about 80 washes.  A bar of soap is cheaper than shower gel and lasts longer.  Both have the added benefit of not causing you hassle at the airport.

2. Pack light and don't check in your bag.  If you're hopping around the world a thirty pound per bag checked luggage rate can really add up, not to mention inevitable cabs when that bag is too heavy for you to walk to your hostel.

3. Street food is your friend.  Restaurants are expensive, so too coffeeshops, especially if you're in them three times a day.  Choose one meal, tops, to have 'out'.  Dinner is customary, but most nice places have cheaper lunch menus, so consider that if you're hankering for a touch of glamour without the expense.

In extreme cases a big box of noodles from a street vendor has lasted me for a hot lunch and cold dinner.  

4. Stop drinking lattes.  In almost all cases a filter coffee with hot milk is significantly cheaper.  Decent coffee is a non-negotiable for me, so if I'm going to have it every day it can't be $4 a pop.  Also, lattes will make you fat. Just saying.

5. Don't be polite about the free breakfasts in hostels/hotels.  It's not so much free as 'included in the price you paid', so don't feel bad about eating as much as you can.  I've been eating a biiiiig breakfast and then something early evening, forgoing lunch.  Most places won't mind if you make a sandwich and wander off out with it.  PB and J sandwiches are like a main and dessert all  in one!

6.  Airbnb is a cheaper way of getting a room to yourself than a hotel.  I'm currently staying in a gorgeous house in Sydney for $23 a night with my own room, balcony, wifi and all the food I can eat.  Hostels can be fun, but if you need a bit of a rest from all the teenagers, this is the way to go.

7.  This is only applicable in the US and UK I believe, but Starbucks has free wifi, as does McD's (less reliable though), so if you need to check a bus timetable or refresh your google map you don't need to go in and buy something, you can just hover outside for a minute or two.

8.  Pick up the free local paper that's available in every town and city.  Not only do you get a great local insight into the area, but the what's on section invariably has a load of free local events you'll never find in the Rough Guide.  So far I've found everything from farmer's markets, to art trails to a free Alanis Morrissette concert.

9.Get an ISIC student card if you possibly can (psst, they don't check very hard) and ask everywhere if you can use it.  Lots of museums and galleries are free or heavily discounted with one and rail fares are often significantly cheaper.

10.  Choose your focus.  This is perhaps the best bit of advice to avoid feeling deprived.  What is most important to you?  I am happy to spend my days wandering around the cities, eating sandwiches in the park and visiting the free museums, but I would be miserable without my coffee and I draw the line at sleeping in a dorm with more than 6 beds.  Thus I put the bulk of my money into having somewhere nice to lay my head and hang out with my coffee, but I don't dinner and drink out too often.  For you the reverse might be preferable.  Whatever works so you don't feel miserable.

At the end of the day, you're better off coming home a month early than passing every day like a povertous ghost, but these are some easy, livable ways to stop the travel money hemorraging.

Do you have any tips or secrets to saving money on the road?  I'd love to hear them!

How to: Plan a round the world trip without stressing out

A round the world trip is a daunting undertaking from first to last.  If I'm honest I still have at least one moment a day where I think, 'What in the hell am I doing?'  That said, I'm proof that you don't have to have to be 100% on top of everything the whole time to make it work.  The most important thing is getting out your front door.  Once you're on the road, the rest is a cinch!  

Daydream

The first step in planning a trip like this is to think big.  Where would you go if you had all the money and time in the world? Write, draw, tell Siri, just lay it all out there.  

If you need inspiration try the '1001 places to see/go/walk etc before you diiiiieeeee' series.  Travel blogs are great for unusual and smaller experiences.  What about the settings for your favourite novels or films?  Or find a friend with a subscription to National Geographic.

This is the time to go big with no limitations.  This is half he fun. Don't question or judge just yet, put it all down.  All of it.  

*** 

The next three points aren't really in order.  They all overlap, so start wherever you feel most comfortable.

Whittle

The world is a big place and it only seems to get bigger the more you look, so you likely can't see everywhere on your 'blue sky' list this one trip.

So, to narrow things down, I bought a laminate map (from WH Smiths, about 2 quid) and used whiteboard markers in different colours to get my thoughts in order.  I marked on the map every person I knew who lived abroad and who I missed enough to want to see/liked me enough to lend me their couch.

Then in a different colour I marked every non-negotiable, the places I'd longed to see forever and ever, that I'd be gutted to return home without visiting.  

Lastly I circled as many of the places from my daydream list as I wanted.  

Then I sat back and analysed the map for any obvious patterns.  I had a friend in NYC and one in Vancouver and I wanted to see San Francisco and sleep on a train = first two months' itinerary sorted in a cross country Amtrak journey.

Other key culling points included whether a war was currently being waged there, large scale political unrest was occurring, it was close enough to home for a weekend trip or it was too darn expensive.  

For instance, I really want to see the Spirit Bears in Canada, but the cheapest package is $5000, so no Spirit Bears for me just yet.  I'd also love to visit Budapest, but can do that easily as a normal holiday, while Australia in a week would be a jetlag nightmare.

Once these things are wiped off your map you can get a clearer idea of the shape of your trip.

Timing

Work out how long you have to travel.  I think you want at least three months, I have six, some people are never planning on coming back - there's a lot of leeway in there. 

The amount of time away will determine some of your plans.  If you're away a shorter period then you can be a tourist throughout, but if you're staying away years then you'll likely need a job of some description.  There's only so many art galleries one can appreciate after all.

Other aspects of timing can be worked out from there. How long is it polite to stay on your friend's couch? Survey says two weeks max. How long do you want to spend in each place?  I was happy to spend only a couple of days in Washington D.C., but made sure I had near a month in San Francisco, because I've always wanted to go there.  

Try to take it slower than you think you'll need to.  I've found a fortnight to be the shortest period in which to feel you really know a place, but have deliberately chopped my trip into longer patches followed by 3-4 day stops so I don't feel like I'm stagnating.

Budget

I am not the person to give monetary advice, but these people are:

Backpacker's Index 2012

Saving for travel

Big ticket items

Travel is less expensive than most people think, but can easily eat your money if you're not paying attention.  I budgeted for about 800-1000 pounds a month.  I eat out one meal a day, don't drink that often and focus on each city's free stuff.  This might change when I get out of the first world, but there really has been no need for crazy expensive tour packages or Michelin starred meals to experience a culture. Most hostels are pretty nice, airbnb is a godsend, food carts and sunny parks are a match from the heavens.

Book your flights

I used roundtheworldexperts, because I like the security of having a certain amount of the trip mapped out for me.  They were incredibly helpful in getting the prices down and providing leads on activities in my destination countries and they have a free Travel Butler service for on the road changes.

You could do this all yourself, of course, I just like knowing this part is all bought and paid for so I don't have to think about it any more.

Boring important things 

Now you know where exactly(ish) you'll be going, you need to visit your travel nurse for jabs, buy insurance and check what visas are necessary.

Jabs should be done as soon as possible, some courses need six months, most need 21-30 days.  Some, eg. Rabies, are pricey, so factor that into your budget.

Insurance can be, and in my case was, booked the day before you leave.  Do it online and read the small print.  I went with World Nomads, because Lonely Planet likes them, they are reasonably priced and a niche backpacking insurer.

Google is your friend for visa info.  Many can be done instantly online, but some take weeks, so check carefully.

Everything Else

Once you have destinations, flights, visas, jabs and money in your bank account, just go!  Everything else you can sort out en route.  Tweet as you arrive somewhere for tips on where to go.  Pick up the local newspaper for what's on in town in the week.  See what your favourite travel bloggers got up to when they were there.

You just need the bare bones before you leave, everything else will take care of itself as you go.  Just get yourself on the plane; the rest is easy. Do I still feel dazed and disorganised? Hell yeah, but you know, after all the worrying, it really hasn't mattered a bit.

What about your planning?  Any tips or tricks to share?

How To: Run (without wishing for death)

I always wanted to be a runner, wanted to be one of the fit, healthy, strong women I saw jogging along the beach or triumphantly finishing the runs shown on TV.  Alas, my short little legs and dodgy knees never got me past the first 2 weeks of any official program.  For years I stopped and started, but never got to the point I could geniunely call myself a runner.

Until one day...

Now I run three to four times a week, even while travelling, have completed a couple of 5 and 10k's and am training for my first half marathon.  For the longest time I had no idea what I'd done differently, but the tips below are the result of some quality self-reflection.  Some are more, some less personal, all can be modified to apply to you.  I'm not special.  Anyone can do this, so go lace up your trainers!

Start small and slow, like really small and really slow.  My first three month's runs never went above 2 miles, a great many were even 2km and were completed at little above a walk.  PS. It's also ok to walk a bit when you need to.

The absolute biggest mistake everyone makes when they start is to bound out the door at a brisk pace and promptly die 100 metres down the road.  You want this to be a pleasant experience, not  utterly hateful, so push, but not to the brink of despair.  It takes practice to find your personal line and it changes for me day to day.  Just remember if you're slacking, the only person you're cheating is yourself.

Gradually up your distance by no more than 10% a week.  I just added another block to my loop whenever the previous one started feeling too easy, but google maps or mapmyrun are great for plotting routes.  It helps me judge my progress to stick at the same route for a little while.  It's tres motivating to realise the hill that killed you first time around is now barely a blip on your struggle radar.

When you do up your distance, drop your speed a little again.  This is especially important for distance work.  You can't expect to immediately run 6 miles at the same pace you were running 3.  The first time I ran 8 miles I did not take heed of this and ended up limping into a local pub and begging the barman to call my boyfriend to come get me!  A definite 'How Not To...'

Some people love the walk run programs around, the Couch To 5k is especially comprehensive, but I found checking my watch every minute stopped me from getting into the running zone.  Try them out, though, they might be perfect for you.


Breathe (or you'll die) as my Pilates teacher says.  This is the thing that took me the longest to get used to, because I hate feeling puffed out.  You should not be sucking air and trying not to throw up.  You're not on The Biggest Loser.  Until you're doing threshold runs (and really everyone hates those, I swear), you should be running at a pace that allows you to carry on a conversation, albeit a slightly breathless one.

When I'm finding a run harder, or I can feel myself getting properly out of breath, I count my breaths in and out like you do in yoga.  Three paces in, three paces out and so on, until I feel back in control.

Also be aware that the first 10 minutes of any run tend to feel the worst.  Think of it as your body shifting up a gear.  I tell myself if I don't feel better in ten minutes I can walk for a bit and then tend to forget as I warm up...

Get professionally fitted for the right shoes.  Most good running shops offer this service.  And when you find them, keep buying them.  I will replace my Mizunos forever, because every other pair of trainers I've tried have left me limping (thanks dodgy knees).  Plus, now I know what I need, I can get great deals on past season colours on t'internet.

Buy a tracker of some description or download an app for your phone.  I've used the Nike+ Band for the last two years and just upgraded to the iPhone app.  You can go much more detailed and pricey, but I think it's technical enough for beginners, has a great community, online challenges and a cool interface.

Whatever you use, make sure you look back over the data from time to time.  It's so motivating to watch your distances climb and your pace fall.

Realise no one is looking at you unfavourably (or if they are, they're assholes and why would you listen to an asshole?)  When I first started I would never make eye contact with the super-fit runners I crossed paths with, because I was so embarrassed by my puce face and wibbly thighs. Last week I ran by another girl who was clearly just starting out.  I smiled at her, but she averted her eyes like I used to and I wanted to let her know I wasn't thinking, 'What a noob,' but 'Keep it up, girl!'  Everyone remembers how hard it was to start.  There's no need to feel self conscious.

Book a race, but make it a nice, friendly one.  Running Bug has details of all the UK  races and a wealth more info besides. There's nothing like getting a medal to feel like you're really a runner now and nothing like a race deadline to get you out the door when you don't feel like it, especially if there's sponsorship charity money hanging in the balance.

Listen to whatever keeps you going.  This might not always be the same thing.  For fast runs I need music with beats that help me keep my pace (180bpm is about a 7 minute mile).  There are lots of free podcasts at varying bpms you can download.  

However, on runs over 30 minutes I like podcasts or audiobooks.  For medium runs I love the Jillian Michaels Podcast - it's funny and she's inspiring, plus, at 45 minutes, an episode is a run.

Runs over that time need a story! Audible is great for high quality recordings of major titles.  Sometimes I get a little too into it.  'The Hunger Games ' definitely improved my pace fleeing from those trackerjackers!

Get the right kit.  Girlies a sports bra is an essential.  They are horribly expensive and need frequent replacement, but I picked up several Shock Absorbers on Ebay for less than a fiver just because they had a tiny bit of pigment damage.  They're under my vest and I'm sweating on them, so it's hardly a dealbreaker.

Look outside the obvious sports brands.  I HATE my Adidas leggings.  They're uncomfortable, lack stretch and fall down when I'm running.  You should find specialist running brands that really know what you need.  Granted this isn't such a problem when you're doing 15 minutes, but when you get to an hour and 15 (and you will if you want to) every seam on your cotton tee can feel like sandpaper.

For summer weight clothing I love Salomon's trail kit and the best winter gear I've gotten is by NewLine, a Norwegian company, only sold online by Runner's Retreat.  They're half the price of the big brands and twice as effective, I'm guessing because they have a lot more cold to deal with than we do!

If you stop, know that you can start again.  Life will get in your way sometimes, but if you've started once, you know you can do it again.  You may have to step it back down a few, or many, levels, but you can build it back up and a lot quicker than you did when you first began.  A tough week or a busy month is not reason enough to throw in the towel.  Just get back on the metaphorical horse as soon as you can.

What about all you other runners out there, any tips to share or techniques that work for you?

How to: Go backpacking with style - the gear edition

So you've done it, you've chosen a small, versatile capsule wardrobe well suited to your climate and activities (and if you haven't, get over here and fix that), but clothing yourself is only half the travelling light battle.  It's all the little extras that seem to take my bag from fine to crippling in a deeply insidious way, like the wafer thin mints of packing.

Again, what you need will depend on where you are going and what you will be doing.  This is, for example, heavily skewed towards sightseeing and writing with little in the way of heavy duty off roading.

Because I'm super anally retentive, I like to make a list of all the products I use as I get ready to go out one day, then keep it around for the week and add any non-daily extras (e.g. tweezers, nail scissors).  You can then add any travel specifics, like insect repellent, and lastly figure out how to make everything smaller.  I'm aiming to avoid checking in my luggage, which means really small and less than 100ml per bottle.

So this is my list of everything that isn't clothing.  All packed and ready to go it weighed in at 11kg.  I expect this to be the heaviest it will get as I have some extra papers with me for an article I'm writing and every bottle of gel etc is full.  Still, it's pretty manageable even for a short-arse girl such as myself and it can (providing no airport nazi weighs it) be taken on board as hand luggage. Mission accomplished!

Google Nexus 7 

Upon which I am currently writing.  I am not in the anti-tech camp.  I wanted to be able to update this blog, watch shows on flights and surf for hostels without having to find an internet cafe or bug my hosts.  This is perfect, because it's half the price of an ipad and virtually half the size, but does everything I need it to do while being significantly less attractive to thieves.

Mini watercolour palette, ink pens and moleskines

I am determined to get better at sketching and painting on this trip.  I know I'll go crazy if I don't have a challenge of sorts to give me a sense of accomplishment for a whole 6 months.  Obviously this is totally optional, but you could replace this idea with anything - language podcasts, writing notebook, a travel guitar.

Nike+ band, resistance band and iphone armband

I like to track my runs on the band.  Not much to say.  Each bit is very small and light, but mean I can get a basic, yet good workout in no matter where I am.

Silk sleep sack

To guard against any minging hostel sheets.  I eschewed the super expensive ones in Blacks for a thai company on ebay on the basis I'm not climbing Kilamajaro, I just need to stay clean.

Travel towel

Yes they suck, but they do eventually get you dry and fold up to the size of a flannel.

Kindle

Like Facebook before this, I swore I would never get one, but unlike Facebook, I now love it.  Four hundred books, including all my guidebooks, and it's not even full.  Given that novels made half the weight of all my bags before I got one, it's impossible to argue with how excellent this is for travelling.

(I'm also more chuffed than anything that I have matching red leather cases for my Nexus, Kindle and iPhone.  Swank.)

Toiletries

This is a more personal affair since everyone has different needs and  loves.  As far as taking my bag as carry on, mine was to get as many things as possible in solid form.  This meant a trip to Lush for solid shampoo, conditioner, soap and perfume.  Otherwise hit up Boots for their minis - they often have 3 for 2 deals running.

Travel hair straighteners

A complete luxury item.  If I were better at planning I'd have grown out my fringe and thus not needed these, but I did not and therefore do.  They are only 20cm long, however, so I'm not going to feel too bad about them.

Make Up

Again, it depends.  I know some girls will go au naturel, but I like a little help!  Benefit do a great 'Big 10' selection of tiny versions of their best products.  With a concealer, blush and lip tint, plus a bit of shine to combat jetlag face, it's perfect.  I added black eyeliner, a travel face powder and mascara for a city-suitable kit.  I use Maybelline's classic mascara, because it's cheap, brilliant and a fairly small tube.

iPhone

What can I say that hasn't been said?  The camera's more than adequate for my amateur photography, plenty of space for podcasts, audiobooks and music and a million apps that make life easier.  No idea how I managed without it for so long.

And that's it, everything I have in my bag.  Seems like even less written down!

How about you?  What are your tips for a tiny bag?    

How To: Stop Procrastinating

We've all been there.  You have a essay due, a meeting to prepare for, even just an appointment to make.  It could be a three week long task or a five minute phone call, but for some reason you're watching a repeat of E.R. and have a sudden, unprecedented urge to clean the bathroom.

This is not a peppy post of semi-chastisement over how much use-able time there is in a day or making lists will give you a sense of achievement.  Those articles always seem to be written by people who have never experienced the frustration and self-hatred that waits at the end of a day you really didn't have the luxury of wasting.  Also, there is a slight misnomer in the title.  I remain unconvinced you can 'cure' procrastination, much like any heavily ingrained responses to stress, but you can learn to manage the symptoms, so it seems like you're cured.

 

I struggled with procrastination all throughout university, during my time teaching and only really begun to get on top of it during my Masters, so I speak from bitter experience.  These are just some of the strategies that I have amassed over the years, the first and most helpful of which I created during a stress strategy session with my lovely friend Jamie.  I can't say I'm 100% cured, but I can say I'm managing it well enough no-one who's met me in the last few years knows my little problem.

False starts and fake deadlines

Most applicable to essays and anyone who works from home, this is time planning 2.0.   I found that normal timetables didn't work for me.  I would make my little table, plot the deadline and work backwards planning what I needed to do each day to complete on time.  Then pin it on my wall and proceed to spend day one and sometime two, three and four in my pyjamas, making cakes or on the PS3 suffering from stage fright.  If by some miracle I got to work, I would never finish on time, but find myself sprinting to the faculty office at 5 minutes to 5pm with the ink on my essay barely dry.

Now I make a plan, but I pretend to start 2-3 days in advance of when I actually need to start and give myself a deadline another 3 days previous to the real deadline.  I don't write that they are pretend on the plan, because they aren't really.  They need to be real to act as buffer zones.  

Now I know on that first day when I get up with the best of intentions that dissipate before midday, it's okay.  Not great, but not cataclysmic.  I still feel that sense of guilt and shame that annoyingly can be the only thing to motivate me sometimes, but I don't hit the panic spiral of doom.

The earlier deadline allows time to finish all the extra little bits that net you the highest marks and, more importantly, compensates for my perennially over ambitious planning.

I know it sounds a little crazy and you would think that my own knowledge of the falsity of the plan would make it not work, but trust me, it gives you all the kick up the ass of a tight timetable, with padded edges to keep you calm enough to work. 

Talking to yourself and timers

Not in a properly mental, Gollum way, but taking stock of what's happening in your head when you just can't seem to start.  Pay attention to your triggers.  It took me a long time to notice how many times I would physically leave my desk when I was panicking about the work.  It seemed entirely reasonable to check for the postman, make a cup of tea, call my nan.  These were all things that needed doing, so it wasn't a problem, non?  Except when I stopped and looked at my behaviour I was like a jack-in-the-box desperately trying to avoid the blinking cursor of anxiety.

Now I can catch myself before I lose a whole morning to trivialities.  If I do find myself waiting for the kettle to boil I have a little chat with myself about what's scaring me, why I felt the need to physically remove myself from my workspace.  Invariably it's that I felt overwhelmed or stuck for how to proceed.  A better plan is to sit back down and look, really look, at your task, then find something small to do just to get over the hump.  I like to make a list of my research articles and their main points to remind myself what my focus is, but it could be as simple as picking your sub-headings, or re-reading your brief.

This is where using a timer is really handy.  I set mine for 45 minutes and don't allow myself to leave my desk for anything not directly related to the task until it pings.  On a bad day, start with 20 minutes; it's less intimidating.  

When your time's up have a break (15 minutes for 45, 5 for 20).  If you're really struggling make sure you time your breaks, too, so they don't dribble into a half hour or worse.

Keep track of the pings, too.  I tally each 45 minute segment of work on my whiteboard and have a target for the day, usually 5 or 6 strikes.  It's good to have visual evidence of how much you've worked each day to build confidence that you can accomplish what's necessary.

Go 'Cold Turkey'

Or any other net blocking programme.  This one worked for me when I had to do internet research as part of an assignment.  Usually I leave my laptop in another room when I'm working (from textbooks) or disable the wireless when I'm typing.  Somehow the fact I would have to take a positive actual step towards wasting time stops me 9 times out of ten, but when I'm all hooked up and it's just a click away I can't resist the lure of the internets.

Cold Turkey is a free download that blocks all major timewasters (facebook, twitter, ebay) and allows you to add your own nemeses if need be (pinterest, blogger, amazon).  You specify a time limit (works perfectly with the 45 minute segments) and it prevents the pages from loading.  Any attempt to get around it results in a sarcastic rebuff and attempts to hack cause a week long block to be put in place.  It was clearly written by someone who understands the procrastination mentality! 

Lower the stakes

Don't try to write as though it's your final draft of perfection each time.  Start small.  Tell yourself, 'I'm just going to give it a go and see where I am now.'  If you've planned well, you have time to redraft and hash out any teething issues later once the bulk of the work is done.  

That sounds like one of the glib pieces of advice I referred to earlier, I think a lot of procrastination does come from a perfectionist outlook, so being kind enough to yourself to allow imperfection safe in the knowledge it's unnecessary at this stage, is pretty darn important to learn.

I like to write some of my first draft by hand and simply pick whatever section I feel comfortable tackling.  It's true that the starting is the toughest challenge, once you've got something, anything, to go on, the rest flows easier.

So those are my tips, do you have any strategies for dealing with procrastination or writer's block?

How To: Shibori Tie Dye

I had a big wardrobe clear out and have been selling a ton of old clothes on Ebay.  It's made me realise I need to buy less stuff, as most of them are hardly worn.  So in the interests of making a few more bob for the trip and breathing some new life into some less-than-white whites, I came over all Honestly wtf, purchased an Indigo Kit and waited for a sunny day.  Now if you're going to follow suit, then there are comprehensive instructions, complete with cartoons, in the kit, but to have an idea of the process checkout the snaps below. Took about 4 hours beginning to end.  I will say this is definitely an outdoor activity and you should be prepared to end up a little Violet Beauregarde.  

The only problem, besides my blue nails, is that they look so nice I want to keep them ALL. Damn...

How To Go Backpacking With Style: The Ultimate RTW Packing List

I have actual, honest-to-goodness nightmares about packing.  I'll be wandering around my dream life happily enough, then suddenly, out of nowhere, I'm supposed to be at the airport, the taxi's outside and I'm desperately flinging things into my suitcase and hyperventilating until I panic myself awake.  So packing for me is up there with unplanned public nudity and revising for the wrong exam in terms of nightmare fare.  The Rough Guide to RTW trips was no help, as clearly written by a man who suggests just popping to the nearest charity shop for a jumper if you need one.  Oh.  Dear. God. Stress.

Still, this is about strategies for the freak outs, not the freak outs themselves, so how did I do it?

Step 1 - Research:

Initially I was all, 'I'm going to Canada, must have snow boots!' I quickly realised that Vancouver in September is much more likely to require wellies and I am in fact chasing the Summer for the whole trip. (Go team!)  So the first step is to look hard at where you're going, what you're likely to do there and what the climate is like when you're due to arrive.  All the Rough Guides and Lonely Planets have year climate tables, as does Google.  For me this narrowed my focus to Spring/Summer clothes, with an emphasis on staying dry.

Most backpacking lists are all about the middle-of-nowhere travellers, where they don't have mirrors and you never need to see your thighs in hiking trousers, but over half my time will be in major metropolitan areas in which I do not want to look like a cross dressing Bear Grylls.  This is where I think it's best to pay attention for a week or so to what you wear on a daily basis.  One of the best pieces of advice I read was, if you don't wear it at home, you won't wear it abroad.  I never wear cargo pants at home, so regardless of how many packing lists they turned up on they aren't happening.

This is also where I turned to my favourite fashion blogs, Fashion Grunge and the Sartorialist, for ideas about a capsule wardrobe with personality.  Nina Garcia's The One Hundred, also really helped me think about the classic items that will look good no matter where you are - bateau tops, ballet flats, dark denim.  Lots of black, because according to American travel sites, us Europeans wear a lot of it and everyone wants to look European. Done.

Make up a Pinterest mood board so you can see how everything fits together.  I chose my signature colours, black, white, denim and red, and worked everything around them.  Made it so much easier to whittle when the criterion was that everything had to layer and match everything else.  Look at people's Six Items Or Less challenge wardrobes for ideas on how to accessorise a small number of clothes to feel like a whole wardrobe.  I must also give special mention to Sarah over at YesandYes for her Definitive What To Pack Post.  She's clearly more hardcore than me, but it was a great place to start!

Step 2 - Planning:

So here is my list of items and justifications.  You can see them all in glorious technicolour over on my aforementioned Backpacking Packing Pinterest board.

Bamboo leggings, yoga pants, long sleeve tee, zip sweat, vest top, socks, thongs x 7.  All black for obvious style and dirt disguising properties.  Bamboo because it is either warm or cool depending on what you need it to be, dries quickly and doesn't smell as fast as cotton.  It also feels like being silkily hugged by your clothes; none of the faint itch of merino.  The leggings are for running or sleeping in.  The yoga pants are smart enough with ballet flats for long flights.  Everyone needs a black vest top in their life and the zip top is warm but not bulky.  Thongs to avoid VPL with all the stretchy trousers going on.

T-shirts - petit bateau, white, grey, lace stripe, peace vest. A classic stripe tee is instantly stylish no matter where you are, ditto white and grey plain tees.  The black and cream lace and peace ones are my wildcards.  I love these shirts, bought them in Lille, they squish to about the size of a 50p piece and make me feel sexy.  I can't do too classic, too much or I won't feel like myself.

Denim - dark skinnies, levi cut-offs, shirt. Skinnies to wear tucked in boots or rolled up with flats.  Dark as it's smarter.  Cut-offs - 'nuff said really. Classic.  Denim shirt to bring a bit of the East London hipster with me. Can't wear it here anymore without being a try-hard, plus good layering piece.

Jumpsuit, multiway dress. I love jumpsuits.  I hate my legs so dresses really aren't my thing, but jumpsuits I heart greatly.  That said, this multiway dress from American Apparel is a traveller's dream, as it can be worn so many different ways I lost count, even as a skirt or a halter top. Amazing! It's actually flattering, too.  Both are a whole outfit in one and both can be dressed down for the beach or up for partaying the night away.

Pac-a-parka. Small, light, but my ex-Girl Guide self can't leave without a waterproof.  I've tried to make sure it's not completely ugly.  Red to bring an easy flash of colour.

Salomon Crossmax. I'm a runner and I don't want to lose it over 6 months, but regular running shoes aren't helpful for other things. Cue the Salomon Crossmax which is designed to be half road, half trail equipped, so no need for hiking boots either! Whoop!

Ballet flats, Vans, Havaianas, D&G's. Ballet shoes are timeless classics, but I got these with punk studs for a bit of personality.  Vans, because they have slightly thicker, read more comfortable, soles than Converse.  Havaianas as the most comfortable flip flops around.  Do not even think about packing 'walking sandals', even the supposedly cute ones are hideous. Do not go there.  And you should have one pair of heels, shiny heels.  Yes I know most purists will roll their eyes, but I'm going to New York! I'd be letting Carrie and Co. down hugely if I didn't have just one pair of expensive heels to strut around in. 

Biker jacket, All Saints cardi and biker boots. Because I'm a little rock chick at heart and these are my staple, don't-go-anywhere-without's.  Also warm and comfy.  I'll wear the boots to travel in.

Scarves - red leopard, floral.  Big enough to double as sarongs or towels.  They instantly make you look pulled together even if you're only wearing a t-shirt and jeans.

Ray Ban Wayfarers

Arm Party

Bikini

Black cross body bag in which I can fit my Kindle.  I don't go anywhere without a book, but I want my normal bag to be no bigger than necessary and I'm not wandering around Seattle with a daypack. Gah.  Cross body to keep hands free and zip up to deter pesky thieves.

Lastly and irresponsibly, gold sequin waistcoat.  I know, I know, but I like sparkle and sparkly things and it's very small but adds a ton of glam. And I'm a muppet. But a shiny muppet. Yes.


Step 3 - Purchasing:

Once you've got a list of things to look out for, the fun begins! But if you're like me and have a very limited budget, this stuff can really add up.  So be canny about it.  Take what you already have and love to wear.  I hid some of my favourite t-shirts so I could get excited to wear them again. Also, I started planning early enough that I caught the end of last year's Summer sales for the bamboo base layers and saved about £60.  Finally, I can't say it enough - Ebay, Ebay, Ebay.  Gap Always Skinny jeans? 99p RRP £39.  Those shiny designer shoes? £30, RRP £350.  Seriously, get in there!

Now I was going to take my trusty Karrimor 65l friend who has been up hill and down dale with me, but it is far, far bigger than all my stuff, so I've invested in a new Osprey Farpoint 40 (the s/m is actually smaller than 40l). Pics of it all packed up to follow, mostly as otherwise no-one who has ever travelled with me and my mega-bag(s) will believe it happened...

So, friends, that's it for the style part, stay tuned for electronics, toiletries and miscellaneous.  Oh my.

Read part 2 here:

http://katysordinarydays.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-go-backpacking-with-style-gear.html