Scottevest

Pack contents, Meds, Travel Clothing:  Nowadays I have to take meds due to diabetes and some other bothersome conditions that afflict seniors.  At the suggestion of my doc, I take some vitamins as well.  Putting all those pill bottles in my pack takes up a lot of room.  My solution is to put the contents of each pill bottle in a separate Ziploc sandwich bag along with the pharmacy label that comes with each prescription.  You know, the paper they put in with the prescription telling about drug interactions, what it is used for, etc.  There is often a detachable label that you can remove and put in the Ziploc bag although I suspect the label’s intended use is to turn in to the pharmacy for a refill without turning in the bottle the meds came in.  Then I put all those sandwich bags into a gallon sized Ziploc bag.  Not only does this method give me more room in the bag, it also reduces, albeit just a wee bit, pack weight.  If you’re a Veterans Administration patient, the VA gives you a document when you complete your appointment with the most recent info from your lab tests and also a list of your meds with dosage and instructions.  I take that as well in case Customs or TSA wants to know what these pills are and why I have them.   Fortunately for me, I do not have any prescriptions for narcotics.  I suspect they like government generated documents and I’m happy to comply as long as I can bring my meds, reduce pack weight, and make room for other important things in my pack.  Most likely, your friendly local pharmacist can print you up one as well.

Clothing selection is pretty easy for me as I’m a guy rarely concerned about fashion.  A long as it's comfortable, functional, doesn't draw undue attention, and suits me (pun intended), I'm all for it.  And remember, we're talking about one-bag traveling.  I have a law enforcement background and participated in numerous surveillances in Europe.  I have learned a bit about blending in.  Blending in or, put another way, not standing out reduces your chances of being targeted as an easy mark tourist by criminals or unscrupulous vendors.  The most possible crime a traveler to Germany, for example, is likely to encounter is property theft.  To blend in, wear earth tone colored clothing, nothing flashy or with logos or sports team affiliation.  Don't wear white sneakers or exercise clothing as Europeans, especially Germans it seems, wear that sports stuff only when actually participating in sports.  Otherwise, they prefer to “dress nice” i.e. a bit conservative.  Lots of seasoned travelers will tell you to pack only a few changes of clothing.  After all, who are you trying to impress?  So what if you seem to be wearing mostly the same clothes in all your travel photos?  Carrying all that extra clothing weight and using up that pack space on extra stuff you will have to launder is not my idea of a fun time.  Along that line, I pack two quick dry “river shirts,” a couple T-shirts, an optional extra large T-shirt to be used as a pillowcase should I decide I don’t like the looks of the pillow provided at lodging, an additional pair of quick dry convertible pants (zip-off lower legs to convert to shorts), three quick dry underwear (Ex-officio is tops in my book), three pair of quick dry hiking socks, a rain jacket (very important in Germany as the weather often changes quickly), a silk sleeping shirt from nznature.co.nz and a hat. I like the Headsweats technical hat as it really cools your head and doesn't have any super-flashy logos on it.  By the way, I’m totally sold on silk sleeping shirts, long-johns, and sleeping bag liners.  They are very, very comfortable but more importantly silk is a wonderful material that will keep you warm during cold weather and cool during warm weather.  Yes, it is expensive so I have to budget for it and take special care of it, but I highly recommend it for wear and also as a sleeping bag liner.   I also take a “recon-wrap” multipurpose tube thingee which can be folded in a number of configurations to be a beanie cap, neck gaiter, helmet liner, etc.  It weighs only a few ounces and takes up hardly any space.  I can even tie it onto the pack. I always take a gamble on whether to pack a fleece vest as well.  Pack room will decide whether it goes or not. On the plane, I wear a travel vest with lots of pockets, a quick dry river shirt, a pair of quick dry convertible pants, a pair of quick dry socks, and a good pair of walking sneakers.  You see “quick dry” a lot for a reason:  washing clothes in a sink and drying them overnight.  For the gals, you really and truly can get by with about the same amount of clothing if you change your attitude toward efficiency and comfort vice the current popular style but female culture (at least in this guy’s view) complicates choices a wee bit as you will most likely want to coordinate colors and looks at the minimum.  Consider it a challenge and chance to be innovative--you'll be surprised at what you can come up with that suits you.  You may also want to pack a lightweight scarf, pashmina (multiple uses), or sarong (also multiple uses) as a head covering for when going into local churches, as a fashion accessory, and to keep warm.