I apologize for the sparse updates. Balancing graduate school, 2 jobs and settling in to a brand new city has been thrilling but exhausting, and my focus has been on those things. I have not forgotten about you, though, dear readers!
As you know, I went to Costa Rica! I rocked out on a surfboard, climbed some volcanoes, got myself some sloth besties, swung like Tarzan, and a whole lot more that I haven’t told you about yet.
A beautiful day to inhale noxious fumes! Just kidding. Mostly.
The end product of this–other than the frickin’ awesome time I had–will be a guidebook for solo female travelers to Costa Rica with Go! Girl Guides! If you’re as excited about this as I am, let us know!
Anyway, as a packing aficionado, I was puzzled as to how to start packing for a 7-week trip to the tropics.
This photo is courtesy of my buddy, Jennifer. I guess the only thing I didn’t think to pack were rubber waders and thigh-high soccer socks…(For the record, the Tortuguero National Park made us wear them…it’s complicated.)
I wanted to be sure that I had a lot of water resistant or quick-dry clothing. After all, it’s not called a RAIN forest for nothing! I also needed comfortable activewear and versatile shoes so I could do all the ziplining and hiking and jungle exploring I wanted. Last, but not least, it was important that I pack light. I rode a LOT of buses in CR, and was always able to keep my stuff secure because my bag was small enough to fit below the seat in front of me (with my daybag on my lap).
Here’s what I came up with, and it worked out just fine! 🙂
What I Packed For Costa Rica
Clothes:
2 pair pants (1 pair black yoga pants, 1 pair quick-dry, convertible
Ex-officio pants that I absolutely fell in love with and highly recommend)
1 pair quick dry running shorts (black)
2 pair swim suit (it’s good to have 2 in case you go to the beach 2 days in a row and the first doesn’t dry in time)
2 t-shirts (1 solid blue, 1 quick-dry solid purple)
3 tank tops (1 solid burnt sienna, 1 solid black, 1 solid white)
2 dresses (1 convertible patterned skirt/dress, 1 patterned sundress–nice to have at least 1 dress if you plan on going out dancing)
1 quick dry long sleeve shirt
1 cotton cardigan (gray)
1 lightweight waterproof zip up jacket
7 pair underwear
4 pair socks
Accessories:
1 dorky & cheap plastic poncho
1 sunhat with a full brim
1 sarong (doubled as a beach towel)
1 quick-dry travel towel
Footwear:
1 pair flip-flops for beach & hostel showers
1 pair black flats for going out/city stuff
Toiletries:
SUNBLOCK!
bug repellent
Pepto Bismol/salicylic acid
Immodium/loperamide
mini First Aid kit that includes tweezers, bandaids, antibacterial ointment and gauze
travel size toothpaste
soap
shampoo (FYI, Lush and a few other companies have awesome solid shampoos and conditioners that are super for travel but are a bit pricey. Don’t leave them behind in a hostel bathroom, though. You’ll be sad.)
Optional:
contact solution (you can buy this at optometrists’ shops and huge supermarkets but it can be trickier to find and nearly impossible to find travel size)
spare contact lenses (if you have your prescription, you can also buy these there)
glasses/glasses case
dramamine if you get motion sickness! The Beatles could have written The Long And Winding Road about Costa Rica…
Ever been to Costa Rica? What did you pack?
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