Packing

So we overpacked.

Granted, we had no way of knowing that. I got all of my advice from a variety of online sources. I'll say now that a good majority of the information I gathered didn't apply to our situation while in China, so I guess the packing lists didn't either. Basically, I think packing lists are one of those "grain of salt" kind of things. Everyone has their own specific way of planning for a trip and I'm no different.

Shawn and I have done our share of travelling, so if I know anything, it's that overpacking is much worse than underpacking in most instances. When we spent 3 weeks in Italy two years ago, we bought two of the biggest suitcases we could find and filled them full. Big mistake. Try getting 80 pound plus bags (which were 20 pounds empty) up/down steep train platforms and over ancient cobblestone. This didn't count our carryons that weighed almost as much as our checked bags. Ugghh. My back hurts just thinking back on that trip. We proptly donated those suitcases as soon as we arrived home from that trip.

For this trip to China, we decided that we would not, under any circumstances, overpack. We knew we would only have 40ish pounds while in China, and I had heard that airlines were pretty strict about it. We purchased two rolling duffels from REI, each cost $99 (on sale now for $69) and weighed just over 8 pounds empty. I'll list exactly what we packed below. We also bought a duffel that folded up to the size of a hard cover book (for bringing home gifts) and two compact vanity cases, also about the size of a hardcover, for each of our bathroom/pharmaceutical items. I got small labeled travel bottles from my pharmacy for my prescriptions in duplicate so I could pack small quanitities of my very necessary medications in two different bags in case something happened to them.

Shawn packed his Merrell backpack that has no external zippers and can only be opened from the panel facing his back. In it, he packed his plethera of D-SLR camera gear, cables, chargers, critical adoption documents, laptop, and his odds & ends personal items (mostly his MP3 player, headphones, and a book).

I packed a very large zippered tote that I had planned to second as a diaper bag while in China. In it, I packed my laptop, small point & shoot digital camera, hard cover book (yeah, I know...what was I thinking), Sudoku puzzles, MP3 player, headphones, half of my prescriptions, and snacks.

We both also wore money belts. Shawn carried our new 100's for donation/fees in a zip lock bag and half of our spending money already converted to Yuan. I carried the other half of the spending money. We hated the money belts and realized that no one knew we were carrying so much money. It would have been better off in one of Shawn's security zipper pockets in his travel pants and we both would have been more comfortable.

In our rolling duffels, Shawn packed his own items and some of Ian's and I packed mine, misc. items, and the remainder of Ian's. We used Eagle Creek Cubes and Pack It system folders (pictured below). They were a Godsend. They larger size holds approx. 12-15 items and the small holds approx. 8-12 items. We each had 1 large for pants/shorts and 2 small: 1 for short sleeved shirts and one for long sleeved shirts. Ian had 2 small. One for blankets and PJ's and one for pants and tops. We used 2 cubes each for undergarments, socks, etc., and Ian had a cube for socks, shoes, bibs, etc., and one for 6 of 3 different sized diapers, wipes, and medications. The folders made packing a cinch. Just grab the folder, take out what we need, put it back. Nothing was ever out of order in our duffels.

Here's our master list:

General:

Zip Lock Bags
Small garbage bags
Extra wipes
Hand Sanitizer
Pocket Kleenex
Advil
Allergy Medicine
Alka Seltzer
Tums
Bandaids
Q-Tips
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Dental Floss
Donations
Gifts
Sunscreen
Camera equipment
Laptop
Chargers (phone, camera)
Power Converters
Gum
Mints
DVD's
MP3's & Cables
Snacks
Oatmeal packets
Cocoa

Shawn:


Pants (4)
Shorts (4)
Short sleeve shirts (4)
Long sleeve shirts (4)
Jacket or pullover
Shoes/Keens
Socks (4)
Underwear
Belt
Razor
Shaving Cream
Contacts
Eye Drops

Steph:

4 Pants
3 Shorts
1 Casual/Yoga Pant
5 short sleeve shirts
5 long sleeve shirts
1 windbreaker/light waterproof jacket
1 vest
1 light jacket for evenings (fleece or similar)
Undergaments
Socks
1 hat
Chaco & Keen Sandals
Medications
Makeup bag
Shampoo/Conditioner
Other hair product
Hair comb/brush
Makeup remover
Cotton Balls
Lotion
Face Moisturizer
Razor

Ian:

4 Outfits in each size: 18 month, 24/2T
4 PJ's
2 Jackets
6 Diapers in 3 sizes
Swim Diapers
Robeez
Toys
Bubbles, Beach Ball
Polli substitute
Books
Blanket
Shampoo/Wash
Lotion
Prescriptions
Children's Tylonol
Diaper Rash Cream
Wipes
Sippy Cups
Bottles
Disposable silverware and bowls
Bibs
Disposable Wash cloths
Cheerios & Snacks



So how did we overpack? Well, we did great in the clothing department. We each had 3 pair of REI/Columbia convertible travel pants that go from pants to shorts. I also had 2 pair of full length pants. Shawn could have done the trip with 2 pair and I could have done it with 3 (a girl has to have variety, you know). There was no need for anything else in the way of pants. They were great: resisted stains, breathable, warm in Beijing and cool in Guangzhou. It was also necessary to have the legs in Hangzhou where, although warm, we would have been inappropriate to go out in shorts or short sleeves this time of year. I actually packed 2 vests, one light and one quilted, which I needed in chilly Beijing. I was able to wear the same outfit two days in a row with the vest added one day and it was completely different.

A little TMI, but Shawn took enough of his "older" underwear to last the entire trip and threw them away as he wore them. By the time we came home, he was wearing his only clean pair, and had nothing to pack home.

Well, almost everything we brought for Ian was given to our guide to pass on to the group of families coming in the next week or to the orphanage directors. We quickly realized that he was on a soft spoonfed/bottle diet only and didn't know what to do with a cheerio. None of the snacks we brought stayed longer than our first few days in Hangzhou. The only snacks I truly needed was trail mix, fruit leather, and oatmeal packets. We didn't eat any snacks on the plane, as NWA has $5 snack boxes that are really big, 2 meals on the long leg, and another on the short leg.

Ian was bigger than we had expected, so I handed down all but one pair of his pants, which were all too small, 2 tops, 2 jackets, and a pair of shoes. I was left with 2 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve, no shoes, no jacket, and 1 pair of jeans. Luckily, we were able to shop there...However, our guide took us to an expensive shop and not the Carrefour (Chinese Walmart) where it would have been a lot cheaper. We also handed down 2 sizes of diapers and all of his snacks. We were able to get absolutely everything for him there, including Pampers, wipes, food, juice, etc. There was no real need to pack any of it.

We tossed all the toys we brought except for 2 toy trucks he liked, linking blocks, and stacking cups. He lived on the bed with stacking cups, a water bottle, and a plastic spoon, the entire trip and was very content. Otherwise, we were his jungle gyms (I call him Mr. Bowflex...he's a great workout). He hated the bubbles, and the toy cell phone was thrown across the room and never given a second glance. He wasn't interested in the beach ball either.

What else we didn't need:

We could have lived with one laptop, but we're both really territorial about where pictures are saved and who is using who's programs. We also have two different music libraries and didn't want to mess up each other's MP3 players. Still, we could have done with one.

I didn't need to pack 2 hard cover books. I'm such a dingaling. I only read part of one and wound up leaving it in Guangzhou as a sacrifice for souvenier room. If I were to do it again, I would have downloaded the books and listened to them, and maybe brought one paperback just in case.

We didn't need to pack toothbrushes or toothpaste. They was a new one every day in the room and we never used those we brought. They went in the garbage.

I didn't need any of the disposible bibs or changing pads. They were gabage and a waste of space. They went straight in the garbage on Ian's first day.

We didn't need so much hand sanitizer. Get over it. It's China, not another planet. Wash your hands hot with soap and use a little sanitizer. There really was no need to sanitize every 5 minutes, as I was let to believe from others online.

I way overpacked over the counter medications EXCEPT cold medicine, which I brought none of and desperately needed. The only thing we wound up really using of all the OTC's I packed was Tums. This stuff took up a ton of room and wasn't all that necessary. I say, take a universal cold medicine, dare I even say Nyquil, some Tums, and Immodium AD.

Don't take an army load of pocket tissue. One for each week in your day pack and otherwise use what's in the hotel.

Snacks. Take a couple of instant items for your room, but in most province capitals, you should find whatever snacks you need in the grocery stores there...even chocolate, contrary to what I was told. Snacks weigh a lot and are a real waste of space.

Videos. They were a waste of space. All Ian wanted to do was play with the laptop if we played one and we didn't want that. He wound up not watching anything on the Video-On-Demand on the plane either, so they were a waste.

Kid's Books. He wasn't interested in the least. They also took up too much room.

Swim Diapers. We didn't bring our swimsuits, so these were worthless. Even if we had, I don't know that we would have taken him in the pool at The Victory.

What we couldn't have lived without:

Plastic wastebasket liners. I used these for sealing off toxic diapers. They came in handy on the way home, too. One for each day after you have your child should be enough (unless you are dealing big issues).

Basic lotion w/SPF. It was our everything lotion and we only needed two very small tubes that we left behind when we left Guangzhou.

Chapstick. Get the plain kind and line your nose before getting on the plane. We each had our own (see the line your nose line), and used it constantly.

Gum. Good for getting rid of mystery fish breath.

REI convertible pants. I commented on these previously. They are truly the most versitile pants and should go in everyone's suitcase for a trip like this. I won't travel without them again.

Yoga pants. Shawn could care less, but these were my jammies, breakfast pants, plane pants, etc. Really versatile and comfortable.

Nike Dri-Fit pullovers. Shawn wore one in a different color every day. They're all he wore until we got to Guangzhou.

Trader Joe's Vitamin fizz powder. I took one every day until I ran out in Hangzhou...and promptly got Ian's cold the next day.

Lightweight waffle weave baby blanket. It was light to pack, but Ian attached to it right away and it is now his "go everywhere" blanket. He sniffs it when he's tired (like his sleeve) and it's the fast track to sleepytown. Come to think of it, I'd better buy a backup.

Stacking cups. Truly, they were almost all he played with. They were cups in the bathtub, Shawn and he would balance them on eachother's heads all day if I let them, and drums with anything that he could hit them with.


What we forgot:

Cold Medicine. I have never had an appreciation for it like I did when I didn't have it. This is one thing I wouldn't buy there because I wouldn't be able to read the labels, which I think is pretty important. Nyquil might also double as a sleeping aid if you need it when travelling.

Throat Spray. There is truly nothing in the world harder than trying to stifle a horrific cough when a baby is sleeping a few feet away. I seriously thought about looking up how soldiers in enemy territory do it.

Laundry detergent. We would have liked to wash a few things in the room. We never did send out laundry, mostly because I didn't want my stuff washed on hot. A double ziploc'd bag of detergent would have been helpful.

More socks. We both found that we had a 2 day wear on our socks and that was about it. We needed them in Beijing and Hangzhou, but not in Guangzhou, so a few extra would have been fine. They don't take up much room, so it would have been doable enough.

More clothes for Ian. I didn't know his size, so I really did have to guess, but I was cornered into needed to spend more money than I would have liked on outfits I'll never dress him in again, just to fend off the clothing police.


Overall, we probably did fine. I think I went into overkill mode on toys for Ian since we didn't know what he would respond to, but in the end it really was the simple stuff that won him over. Given another chance, I also would forget snacks and wait to shop for that stuff when we arrive. There are plenty of common snacks and foods. There just isn't a reason to drag around that much food. Diapers, wipes, shampoo, razors, toothpaste... it is all there, so there's no reason to lug that stuff around. Same with bottles, formula, etc.

I would download my books vs. carrying around big novels. I didn't have much time to read once Ian arrived anyway.

I also wouldn't have been so optimistic that we wouldn't get sick. It's better to be prepared in that area than suffer without.

More than anything, my advice to those preparing to travel is to be organized in your suitcase. In our instance, we used the folders and cubes and it worked great. Some people use space bags. Whatever. I just think by the end of such a long trip, you still want to see what you have without digging.

Make a master list and ask yourself "what if" for every item. If the answer is "if I need it and don't have it, I won't find it there", then take it, but if not, don't take it. You won't miss it.

Good luck to all those preparing to travel! Enjoy your trip and don't forget to leave lots of room for things from your child's province. Those are the things you'll want room for.