What to pack when hitchhiking
Rolling clothes as seen in the photo is great for freeing up space in your pack. Also, do NOT forget baby/cleansing wipes.
My first extended trip saw me travelling across Europe from Amsterdam all the way to Romania. I had absolutely no idea what to pack, which resulted in me throwing out a great deal of unnecessary junk that I’d only laugh at bringing now. Here’s a rundown of essentials to pack for your trip (assuming it will be relatively warm).
- Three light t-shirts
- Two pairs of shorts
- One fancy shirt
- One pair of jeans
- Seven pairs of socks and seven jocks (underwear)
- One jumper / hoodie / pullover
- One pair of shoes
- A book (I always bring On the Road by Jack Kerouac)
- Sewing kit with needle and thread
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sunglasses
- Moisturiser, sun cream, other toileteries
- Bars of soap (always handy)
- Electric razor
- Toilet paper (highly recommended)
- Always remember to bring a few tea bags
- For the love of everything sacred, do NOT forget to pack baby/cleansing wipes
Everything else is optional. As I’m blogging, I’ll bring a laptop bag with added space for my camera. I’ll also bring a separate bag for food and water which, though heavy and laborious, means I can carry more.
Three t-shirts may sound like quite little, but I’ve found if you’re willing to sacrifice a shower you’ll save an amount of space. It’s easy over-pack; it’s not easy carrying around useless junk. You have to be relentless and highly critical when packing.
Wash when you can, but I wouldn’t worry about getting some good “traveler’s must”, as one driver called it. I’ve met hitchhikers and travelers who’ll wear clothes until it falls off their back. A bit of grime never hurts.
For more tips on hitchhiking and how it’s done, check out 6 tips to start hitchhiking.
