a book. usually one i’m guaranteed to like- not worth the risk of the extra weight if i dont’ get into it.

my ipod & earphones.

camera.

mascara. it’s all i need if i’m in the mood to feel pretty.

a cotton wrap or scarf. it works as a fashion statement or a blanket on a plane.

sunglasses- i get headaches without em.

if it’s a long trip- pictures of home & the people i’ll miss.

my pillow. http://www.rei.com/product/719842 it rolls up in to nothing!

i think those are my essentials.

Something I don’t leave home without is hair rubber bands! Traveling or not, they are indispensable.

My husband and I have been living out of our packs for close to 20 months and I second what some other comments have said about head lamps, silk sleep sacks, ear plugs (never underestimate how important these can be, especially in Asia), etc. My husband is a dental buff, so we also stock up on good dental floss (yes, there is lots of bad dental floss out there) when we can and fluoride gel. We love our Eagle Creek packing cubes as well - one for clothes, another for medicines, another for technical equipment, etc. it makes it very easy to find things and very easy to pack quickly.

As you travel you’ll readjust, getting rid of clothes or buying them when you find the need. Good luck!

Do take a combo padlock and uber-light towel; only one pair of shoes + sandals; a change of clothes; two changes of socks and undies. Take whatever you need to stay clean, some earplugs, essential “recording” items like a camera and notebook and the rest can stay at home.

Really.

We’ve got a packing list here which we add some more electronics to for everyday life. We’ve been living out of our packs for two and half years and counting.

I have read it, but I didn’t think of that! Too funny… always know where your towel is! It’s true though

Packing Cubes - thought these might be a bit frivolous (and you can certainly manage without them if necessary), but ended up being very convenient and a great way to pack easily, keep everything organized and find stuff fast.

Small notepad/Pen - great to have when you’re running around so you can jot down notes for your blog, things you want to follow up on or look up, and record specific details about an experience so you don’t forget them later.

Toilet Paper Roll - absolutely indispensable, a constant companion regardless of what country I was in (European countries may have adequate facilities, but don’t always stock them well).

Tyvek Envelopes (small) or something similar - used these to keep important documents in like my passport, plane tickets, reservation print outs, etc to keep them dry and organized.

Bandana or similar - comes in handy a lot more often than you might think and has a wide variety of uses on the road.

Purell - may not be a necessity, but can provide piece of mind after a day or riding trains, visiting high traffic tourist sights, etc where you’re the millionth person touching the same thing everyone else just touched.

Earplugs - more than a few nights where these were life savers.

All-in-one plug adapter - I found one by kensington (at REI or Target) that worked excellently and reduced the number of pieces I had to carry and it worked in all countries on all continents.

The good news is that if you forget something, you can find a place to get it in just about every major city before you head to more remote environs.

This list keeps getting longer - soon it will be the tv, couch and my pillow. glad it’s you packing and not me.

That said, we often go off using every mode of transportation for months at a time with only a small daypack each, so we have packing light down to a science. as even backpackers wonder how we do that.

I have to agree with Christine about the fast dry towel ( although we picked a different one & they are great for hand laundry drying too), Maria with the headlamp, I usually have some TP, packet of stain remover in my pocket & handwash that needs no water.

I love this item:http://www.amazon.com/Salux-Nylon-Japanese-Beauty-Cloth/dp/B000CSF67M
Hard to explain, but they are great ….long and soft loofa-like…great for getting back in shower and dries instantly.

We have the small rick steves back for toiletries & I like that both side pockets are mesh so we can put toothbrushes & this washcloth in it thus they are protected but continue to dry on move.

Hub & I had one pair of smart wool socks & have worn them to death and they are still going strong. Love exofficio odor resistant T’s for hubby and buss off for kiddo in those areas.

We scanned albums and lots of home movies & love watching them on family fun nights..also helps keep that part alive for kidlet.

Hand held Nuvi GPS has been worth its weight in gold. Could not live without our macs (& headphones).We live digital lives ( have one pc).

small notebook & pen with you at all times, cards to give to people you meet…saves time writing it down.

raw almonds or walnuts for snacks ( healthiest nuts)…sometimes a meal if nothings open

Almost all black clothing ( even for kiddo). We love our vests instead of jackets for cold weather…kidlet is about to grow out of her worn to death black vest.

That is all I can think of off the top of my head. Carpe Diem!