You would be amazed at how much actually fits in the backpack. The first rule of travel is PACK LIGHT or you will want to throw your pack down the million flights of stairs that are encountered while travelling. Something I read in the Lonely Planet years ago sticks in my head whenever I start to pack: Saw your toothbrush in half if you have to save weight and space. Elevators are usually non-existent, extremely small, and very scary. Hostels and places you choose to stay seem to be further from the bus station than the directions you were given. Having to hold your backpack on your lap on a crowded bus for extended periods of time can be deadly. All of this adds up to not bringing much on your trip. Take what you need only. If you find you need anything else... buy it. I usually take extra of items that can be difficult to find like camera batteries.

My backpack: I have two. The first has been on all my trips and was purchased from the helpful people at Eastern Mountain Sports. It is like a small overnight suitcase with backpack straps attached. I think it is 4000 cubic inches, but I am not sure because I bought it five years ago. It has been through hell and still lives to talk about it. (That is only from what I have seen. I cannot even imagine what goes on behind the scenes in Honduran airports on airlines like Taca..)

The other backpack I have is smaller, 3300 cubic inches, but has lots of pockets and zippered spots to organize stuff and make it easy to reach without digging around (not fun on a dirty street or bus station). It is from Eagle Creek. It all depends on whether I can fit all my junk into it. Although I will feel like I am leaving an old friend behind if I take my new one. Average weight: anywhere from 25 to 45 pounds depending on how many presents I have bought recently.

I also bring a daypack. A small backpack that acts as a purse, camera holder, pillow, weapon, and water carrier. It is leather and very worn in. I never go anywhere without it while travelling. It alone can weigh up to ten pounds.

The usual contents are: camera, journal, Lonely Planet, water, book to read, discman, long-sleeved shirt, a small bag with tissues, lip stuff, small money, dramamine (motion sickness), Swiss Army knife (very useful), bug spray, suntan lotion, hand creme.

Sleep stuff

1. Silk Sleep Sheet: I bought a silk sheet that rolls up into a very tiny ball from Walkabout, a great travel gear company. This is the first time I have brought something like this so it may go out the window the first month if I don't use it. But I have stayed in some pretty shady places where the sheets were, well, not cleaned anytime in the last decade.

2. Sleeping Bag: Purchased last year (Target believe it or not for $30) for my Zimbabwe trip. Came in very handy while camping on cold nights as well as chilly nights in non-heated hostels. It is bulky but not really heavy. It was not expensive so again - out the window if need be.

3. Bug Tent: What the heck is that? Well, I have two fears: big waves and spiders. The first is easily avoided by not going swimming in the ocean when there is big surf. Reason for fear: had near drowning experience as a fifteen year old and almost had to be rescued by lifeguards - also almost lost bathing suit in pounding surf.

Spiders and other huge bugs cannot be avoided in developing countries. I know, I know spiders are good; they kill the "bad" bugs. Reason for fear: inexplicable. Maybe in a past life I was bit by a black widow or maybe I was a fly who was killed by a spider. Anyway, I purchased this tent from Walkabout. It is a small "tent" that goes over my bed and folds up into a very small pack. It will also help with mosquitos and flies because I don't think I have ever stayed somewhere that had SCREENS on the window, an important concept that doesn't have any merit outside of developed countries. Sleep is very important to me and if this can help, well, than it is worth slugging it around South America. The choice: take extra clothing but sleep with unknown bugs hanging over my head, or sleep soundly and wear the same clothes over and over. Hmmmm, do not even have to think about it. By the way, the only reason I bought this for this trip is because of the bug situation I encountered in Honduras a few years back. When I turned the lights out in my room, it was happy hour for all insects. Going to the bathroom was not even an option as that seemed to be where the major party was.

4. Inflatable pillow: very small but useful when camping or if pillows were made during the Flintstone era.

Clothing

1. Legwear and Armwear

one pair of comfortable loose pants, like sweats but are part nylon so they dry fast

one pair of jeans - do not usually take jeans because they are bulky and take forever to dry, but cannot imagine not having jeans for a whole year and jean shopping in South America is not something I want to experience. It is hard enough at home.

one pair of pants I had made in Vietnam - the best travel pants I own and they only cost 5 dollars. I have no idea what material they are but they do not wrinkle, dry quickly, are loose and comfortable, and roll up into a very small ball

Two pairs of shorts

2. One dress I bought in Morocco - same reasons as my Vietnam pants

3. Various shirts -- probably two sleeveless, one short sleeve, and one long sleeve - layering is key

4. Long sleeve travel shirt that doubles as a jacket- also has two secret zipper pockets where I keep money and passport while on planes, trains, and buses. This is absolutely indispensable.

Shoes

1. Tevas

2. Hiking shoes plus two pairs of socks

3. Pair of sandals that can give my Tevas a rest and are a bit nicer to look at

Finances

1. I have saved 16,000 dollars to be used as spending money. This should be more than enough. I budget 50 dollars a day plus an extra thousand for the Galapagos. It is very inexpensive to travel in Ecuador, Bolivia, and Peru - probably 25 dollars a day. I have divided my money into cash, traveller's checks, and money left in my savings account that I can access with my ATM/Visa/Debit card. This is the best exchange rate and the least time consuming way to change money. It is like going to the bank here but foreign money comes out- brilliant! I have 5,000 dollars in traveller's checks; I will bring some and give some to friends to bring with them when they come and visit me.

I keep my money, passport, and plane ticket in a money belt that I wear UNDER my clothes most of the time. Occasionally, I will hide this in my backpack where I am staying if the area I will be walking around in is shady. However, I put some emergency money and copies of my passport in certain spots throughout my backpack in case my money belt ever goes missing!

Miscellaneous

1. Sarong -- used as a towel and beach blanket. A regular towel is too bulky and takes too long to dry.

2. Baseball hat

3. Toiletries - annoying, heavy bag that is indispensable

4. Personal CD player and CD's - cannot live without, especially on extremely long bus rides with loud passengers

5. Small First Aid kit- something that I really do not use except the bandaids when I cut myself shaving which is often. But it is good to have.

6. Anti-malarial medication -- Larium taken once a week - a very controversial drug that can have side effects like psychosis, paranoia, and depression. I took it last year in Zimbabwe and was fine.

Ok, that is really all I can think of without listing the small stuff. This all fits into a backpack with a bit of room to spare. People have asked me, "How do you pack for a year trip?" My answer is the same as I would pack for a week trip. If I need anything that I do not have, like warmer clothes, I buy it!