People have already asked me what they could send or do to help. I'll probably post a seperate "wish list" once I arrive of goodies and other useful things, but the toiletries and food stuffs on my packing list that will eventually run out (i.e. floss, toothpaste, face soap, powdered drink mixes, etc.) are always very appreciated as well. You can never have too much of these. So let's get started.
Just so you are aware, I have to fit everything into two checked bags and a carry-on. The two checked bags can weigh no more than 80 lbs total, with no more than 50 lbs in any one bag. For my two checked bags, I have one standard 27" suitcase and a 60-liter internal frame backpack (North Face Terra 60 Pack). For my carry-on, I have one of my favorite purchases, my solar backpack that can charge any electronics or batteries that I bring (Voltaic Backpack). Despite the hefty price (PCVs do get 35% off, thanks to me), I am so glad I got this. No matter what my electricity situation is when I get there, I can be guaranteed portable and efficient power for my electronics. Now that I've discussed my bags, I can now dive into actual items. Again, this list isn't complete as of yet, so don't look at it and wonder why I'm not bringing this or that. I'll probably be bring "this" and at least two of "that." Here we go:
CLOTHING
- 1 pair of good Sandals (Chaco Z/2)
- 1 durable but cheap digital watch
- 2 pairs of Rx eyeglasses, 1 pair of Rx sunglasses
- Shower shoes
- Running shoes
- 2 hats
- 2 pairs of jeans
- 16 pairs of underwear
- A couple belts and ties
- 2 pairs of casual shorts
- 1 pair of athletic shorts
- 8 button-down shirts (short and long sleeved)
- lightweight jacket
- 5 pairs of slacks
- 7 t-shirts
- A couple pairs of socks
- Swimming trunks
TOILETRIES
- 2 tubes of toothpaste (Colgate with Cavity Prevention)
- 4 toothbrushes (Oral-B)
- 2 packs of floss (Oral-B Satin)
- 4 sticks of deodorent (2 Gillete and 2 Degree for Men)
- 2 bottles of face soap (Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask)
- 1 bottle of hand sanitizer
- 1 bottle of bug spray with 23% DEET
- Haircutting razor (thanks Mom)
- Assortment of OTC medications
- Plastic soap dish
- Nail clippers, tweezers, etc.
- Lip balm (Burt's Bees)
GEAR
- Multitool (Leatherman Blast)
- Bungee cords
- 2 water bottles (Nalgene)
- Compass and thermometer keychain
- Mosquito tent (Tropic Screen Room Mosquito Tent)
- 2 carabiners
- Sleeping bag (Marmot Aspen Ultralight - available only at Dick's Sporting Goods)
- Umbrella
- Headlamp (Princeton Tec Fuel)
- Comfortable mountain bike seat
- Bike helmet
HOUSEHOLD
- 2 flat full bedsheets with 2 pillowcases
- Pillow
- Oven mit/pot holders
- Kitchen knife
- Towels
- 10" light-weight frying pan
- Vegetable peeler
- Can opener
- Spatula
- 4 paring knives
- Knife sharpener
- Mesh laundry bags
- Travel sewing kit
- Box of safety pins
- 3 cutting sheets (like thin cutting boards)
- Small mirror
- Ziplock bags (various sizes)
- Plastic tupperware (various sizes)
- Scissors
ELECTRONICS
- Laptop computer (Dell Inspiron 600m) - 4+ years old
- Digital slr camera, lenses, memory card, and batteries (Canon Digital Rebel xti)
- Portable DVD player (Sony 8-inch DVP-FX820)
- DVD collection
- iPod nano and speakers
- Rechargable batteries (AA and AAA) and charger (Duracell Mobile Charger)
- A few blank CDs
- Hand-cranked radio
- Cheap, portable speaker for Ipod (Altec Lansing Orbit)
- 2GB flash drive
MISCELLANEOUS
- Duct Tape
- Games (2 decks of Indiana Jones playing cards, UNO, frisbee, etc.)
- Eyeglass repair kit and cleaning supplies
- French/English dictionary
- West African guide book (Rough Guide to West Africa)
- Powdered drink mixes (Kool-Aid singles)
- World map
- Map of West Africa
- Pictures and picture frame
- Computer lock
- Handheld fan
- Gifts for host family
1 comment:
Another book to consider is Burkina Faso - published by Bradt Guides - Authors: Manson and Knight. Got it and a nice country map of BF from Amazon.
My son Brian is in the group that went to BF just before you - in June '08. I have a parent's perspective blog at http://pcvparent.blogspot.com/
There are links there of all the bloggers from the June class. You will gain lots of real-life, recent expertise from them.
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