Packing list for an Overland
You’re not sure what to pack for your overland? How many T shirts, socks and undies?
Don’t want to look silly by bringing the wrong things/too much?
The best option is to do the same as the experienced Leader/Driver.
If you looked in his bag this is probably what you’d see.
One pair of shorts for day wear, also doubles up as swimming trunks as that is the only time they’ll be washed.
Socks – 2 pairs. One pair to wear if it is cold. One sock from the other pair to filter dirty diesel, the other one to soak and place around your water bottle to keep it cool.
Underpants – 2 pairs. One to wear whilst the other one is drying.
When a shower is taken, the dirty pair are taken off, and after your body is wet and soaped, this pair are wiped all over you like a wash cloth to impregnate them with the soap and then rinsed off with the rest of you to get them clean.
They are then hung on the wing mirrors to dry.
The underpants should be ready bought with a baggy front section. This not only impresses any females who see them drying but doubles up as a handy pocket to retain large amounts of local currency.
Note – Bank notes stained by your urine seeping onto them are a handy revenge to give to the surly bureaucrat at the border or Embassy.
One pair long trousers for mossie protection and posh nights out where you go to a bar other than the one on the campsite.
Jumpers/Fleece – one only, very rare you’ll wear this and tends to be used as a pillow with your sleeping bag.
Note – if you do need to wear it, best to check first for drool marks after night time usage. This can be quite embarrassing as they tend to look rather like semen strains (so I’m told).
T shirts – three. One to work on the truck, one for everyday use if not too many beer and food stains, one from Victoria Falls to impress the group as you’ve had it made up with the map of a fictitious many month Trans Africa route you said you’d did.
Footwear – 1 pair “Teva” type sandals for everyday wear, 1 pair ankle length fell boots for bush walks and wearing as posh for Embassy visits.
Thermos cup/collar – handy to keep coca cola cool. Coke used in copious amounts to keep stomach bugs at bay and for de-greasing engine parts.
Towel – one medium sized to wrap around the gearstick in the cab to stop all the hot air rising up from the engine.
Toiletries – 1 bar soap (usually taken from the last hotel you stayed in as a treat in between trips) and shampoo (also from the same hotel, usually in sachet form), unscented if possible so that you don’t smell too much like a girlie and also to be less attractive to mossies.
Note – some overland Leaders like to shave their heads as short as possible for low maintenance. If you do the same then the shampoo can be left out and a quick rub over your head with the soap impregnated underpants will serve as an able substitute.
Dental floss – also serves as emergency clothesline but usually used to remove goat meat and biltong from teeth.
Toothbrushes – two. One to clean teeth, one to clean the engine parts in conjunction with the coca cola.
Sunglasses – 1 pair to be worn at all times of day and night on top of head, never over eyes so that girls can always see your steely blue gaze. Or placed on top of baseball cap on your head.
Note – keep lookout for sellers of caps with the peak at the back. These are rarely seen as normally you can only buy the caps with the peak at the front.
1 wet razor (never to be loaned to the more attractive of the species when asked “I forgotten the razor to shave my legs, can I borrow yours?) The next thing you know, they’ve done their bikini line and you’ve ended up with a bloody face and a toilet bag full of female pubes.
But if you do, then insist on examining their work.
Several condoms – make good sterile finger dressings and serve as emergency water carriers.
Of course you’ll never use them for anything else anyway, not with your smelly underwear, stained T shirt and fleece, grubby shorts, dirty toenails, dragon breath, badly cut hair, scabby face and feet smelling of diesel.
Pack your bag like this and not only will it be very light and portable, you’ll fit straight in to the overlanding scene.
Have a good trip.
You’re not sure what to pack for your overland? How many T shirts, socks and undies?
Don’t want to look silly by bringing the wrong things/too much?
The best option is to do the same as the experienced Leader/Driver.
If you looked in his bag this is probably what you’d see.
One pair of shorts for day wear, also doubles up as swimming trunks as that is the only time they’ll be washed.
Socks – 2 pairs. One pair to wear if it is cold. One sock from the other pair to filter dirty diesel, the other one to soak and place around your water bottle to keep it cool.
Underpants – 2 pairs. One to wear whilst the other one is drying.
When a shower is taken, the dirty pair are taken off, and after your body is wet and soaped, this pair are wiped all over you like a wash cloth to impregnate them with the soap and then rinsed off with the rest of you to get them clean.
They are then hung on the wing mirrors to dry.
The underpants should be ready bought with a baggy front section. This not only impresses any females who see them drying but doubles up as a handy pocket to retain large amounts of local currency.
Note – Bank notes stained by your urine seeping onto them are a handy revenge to give to the surly bureaucrat at the border or Embassy.
One pair long trousers for mossie protection and posh nights out where you go to a bar other than the one on the campsite.
Jumpers/Fleece – one only, very rare you’ll wear this and tends to be used as a pillow with your sleeping bag.
Note – if you do need to wear it, best to check first for drool marks after night time usage. This can be quite embarrassing as they tend to look rather like semen strains (so I’m told).
T shirts – three. One to work on the truck, one for everyday use if not too many beer and food stains, one from Victoria Falls to impress the group as you’ve had it made up with the map of a fictitious many month Trans Africa route you said you’d did.
Footwear – 1 pair “Teva” type sandals for everyday wear, 1 pair ankle length fell boots for bush walks and wearing as posh for Embassy visits.
Thermos cup/collar – handy to keep coca cola cool. Coke used in copious amounts to keep stomach bugs at bay and for de-greasing engine parts.
Towel – one medium sized to wrap around the gearstick in the cab to stop all the hot air rising up from the engine.
Toiletries – 1 bar soap (usually taken from the last hotel you stayed in as a treat in between trips) and shampoo (also from the same hotel, usually in sachet form), unscented if possible so that you don’t smell too much like a girlie and also to be less attractive to mossies.
Note – some overland Leaders like to shave their heads as short as possible for low maintenance. If you do the same then the shampoo can be left out and a quick rub over your head with the soap impregnated underpants will serve as an able substitute.
Dental floss – also serves as emergency clothesline but usually used to remove goat meat and biltong from teeth.
Toothbrushes – two. One to clean teeth, one to clean the engine parts in conjunction with the coca cola.
Sunglasses – 1 pair to be worn at all times of day and night on top of head, never over eyes so that girls can always see your steely blue gaze. Or placed on top of baseball cap on your head.
Note – keep lookout for sellers of caps with the peak at the back. These are rarely seen as normally you can only buy the caps with the peak at the front.
1 wet razor (never to be loaned to the more attractive of the species when asked “I forgotten the razor to shave my legs, can I borrow yours?) The next thing you know, they’ve done their bikini line and you’ve ended up with a bloody face and a toilet bag full of female pubes.
But if you do, then insist on examining their work.
Several condoms – make good sterile finger dressings and serve as emergency water carriers.
Of course you’ll never use them for anything else anyway, not with your smelly underwear, stained T shirt and fleece, grubby shorts, dirty toenails, dragon breath, badly cut hair, scabby face and feet smelling of diesel.
Pack your bag like this and not only will it be very light and portable, you’ll fit straight in to the overlanding scene.
Have a good trip.