Packing List

Here's our packing list again:

ECUADOR 2010: PACKING LIST!!

Each student is allowed one checked bag and one carry-on. Not by the airline, but by me. We want to keep things as simple as possible, and nobody needs two bags for eight days.


A. 2 pairs of pants.
NOT:
* Jeans. Jeans get wet, and heavy, too fast in the forest around Mindo (where you do not want to be in shorts, because of scratches and bugs). They also get wet, and cold, too fast in the mountains. And they’re not considered good form for going out to performances and such. Khaki-colored, semi-formal is best.
* Form-fitting or low-cut. This is a more formal country than the US, and we will be entering churches, Presidential palaces, monasteries, and museums at a moment’s notice. When you leave the hotel on any given day, you should look nice enough to do any of these things.
* Skirts / dresses. I’m not entirely banning them, but I do not want to be asked to decide which length of skirt is too short, which dress is too plunging, etc. I can’t stress this enough: Dress conservatively and bring as little as possible. If we get there and you need more clothes, they are widely available and inexpensive, and buying some will give you an excuse to go interact with Ecuadorians.


B. 3 collared shirts, or their equivalent, formality-wise, for girls.
Short-sleeved (it gets hot in Quito during the day), but button-down, nice shirts. Polo shirts would be fine.

C. 3 T-shirts.
In Mindo, we will be walking in the heat and the mud. You will get dirty – if you don’t, you’re doing something wrong. We will probably also be playing pick-up soccer in the park in Mindo, so some athletic-type torso-wear is great to have.

Why not more shirts? Why not more pants…? Because they’re bulky, you’ve only got one suitcase to work with, and each of our hotels will do your laundry for something like 25 cents per piece. They return it to you pressed and folded the next day. You don’t need to be lugging around wet, dirty clothes, so re-use!

D. 1 set of long underwear, top and bottom.
This is pretty much just for the mountain hike, but it’s going to be very important there. It could get cold and wet up there, and you’ll regret it if you don’t bring this little item along. They can also double as pajamas.

E. Pajamas.

F. Strong, durable, tough walking-style street shoes. Good treads, good ankle support, good for a whole day of walking. Not flashy, not over-high (running shoes, for example).

G. Rubber boots, calf-high. Indispensible for the Mindo walking, and I plan to bring them on the mountain hike as well. They can be bought in Ecuador easily for $7.00.

H. One set, sturdy formal shoes. All occasions are thus covered.

I. Socks – 8-10 pairs, at least 2 of them hiking-style, insulated socks.
It can get cold in the mountains, and it can get wet; similarly, the jungle can get wet. Socks are one place where splurging by bringing more than you need can really pay off. Dry socks are one of the greatest boons to mankind. They’re like good offensive linemen: You don’t worry about them or appreciate them until you don’t have them.

J. Belt. Wear a belt on your semi-formal, khaki-style pants, and tuck your shirt in, and you’ll be formal enough for just about anything in Ecuador. And you’ll be comfortable, too.

K. Watch, with an alarm. We need to be able to meet up at the hotel at a particular time, either in the morning or later on during the day.

L. Fleece vest. Warm, can be opened, can be easily removed and wadded into a pocket of your bag once the day gets too hot.

M. Fleece jacket. This, plus the vest, and you should be warm enough in any situation in Ecuador.

N. Except wind and rain or fog on the mountain, where a plastic raincoat will help. A raincoat or a poncho – I plan to bring both. The poncho can be difficult in the wind, but is great for stuffing in a bag for a trip in the city, where it will rain every day. Besides, the belt you’re bringing can come in handy for keeping the poncho down.

O. Hat against the cold. Again, on the mountain hike, it may get cold, and so I plan to bring a stocking cap. I may never need it, but if I need it and don’t have it, I’ll regret it.

P. Hat against the rain. I plan on having both with me in the mountains, and the rain one, certainly, in the forest in Mindo.

P. Hat against the sun. Baseball caps are OK for the nose and the eyes, but they leave the neck and the ears exposed, and this is arguably the strongest sun on Earth. You need to be protected from it. A rim all the way around is the best way to go. There are great hats that double as both.

Q. Sunblock. Self-explanatory.

R. Insect repellent. “Hey, aren’t they different insects down there from up here? How do we know mosquito repellent will work?” Well, because mosquito repellents don’t really repel. They block the mosquito from being able to smell you. They’re really more of a cloaking device. And if a mosquito can’t smell you, neither can other insects. That’s the theory I’m working on, anyway.

S. Umbrella. For carrying around with you on our jaunts through Quito, and possibly in- town in Mindo. (But not on the hikes. They won’t work well there.)

T. A day-bag. School-style bookbags will work well – for the hike to the mountains, and for the road trip to Mindo. We will be leaving our big luggage in Quito, under lock and key at the hotel, for those trips, and will need to bring along 2-3 days’ worth of clothing to Mindo and our gear for the all-day hike on the other trip. But for walking around in Quito, I recommend…

U. A shoulder-style, one-strap bag, like a computer bag. It can easily be swung around in front of you on the trolley, is comfortable and flexible, and holds enough stuff for your strolls in the city. Backpacks are far too easy to pick-pocket.

V. A camera – but a cheap one. You risk the loss of gi-mungo cameras. (The one camera we’ve lost, by the way, was not stolen. It was left in the back of a taxi.)

W. Toiletries. Bring enough for your own needs while there – you don’t want to trust the vicissitudes of culture and economics when your own health and comfort is at stake. Bring plenty.

X. Hand sanitizer. I will be bringing a lot, but you should have some on you at all times. It’s a big country, with lots of people, and you don’t want to be getting sick.

Y. Shower flip-flops.

Z. Swim gear. There will be a pool at the Mindo hotel.

AA. Towel. The hotels provide them, but sometimes it’s great to have one in the airport, or in case you really need it and the hotel’s are all in the wash. I’d carry it in the carry-on.

BB. Underwear. You should probably bring some of that, too, I guess.