With ten days left until I leave, my packing list becomes longer, and then get cuts down, and then longer, and things get assigned to different bags, and then things get dragged back out of storage boxes, and soon enough I don't want to deal with it and you don't want to read about it. I started my packing list a month before my departure date, and it's gotten more refined; it's now color-coded based on what's going in which bag, and sub-organized based on what's going in the smaller containers within each bag. (Toothbrush and travel-size going in my toiletry case in my carry-on versus toothpaste going in my suitcase; SCUBA boots, gloves, and hood going in a mesh bag in my dive bag to cushion my fins.) Everyone has their tactics for minimizing travel anxiety. For some people, it's showing up to the airport three hours early, leaving time for every possible thing to go wrong. For some it's packing everything you could possibly need, ever--bug spray for a trip to Antarctica, anyone? My dad manages it by waking up early to pack in the half-hour before he leaves for the airport, then strolling through security twenty minutes before his flight takes off. I should add that I think his sheer confidence scares the universe into cooperating, because I've never known him to miss a flight. For me, it's overplanning. It usually works out pretty well--I've had many a potential incident averted because I had an extra copy of my ticket or knew exactly where everything was in my carry-on bag. But preparing to leave the country for longer than I ever have, I'm coming up against the same problem I did when I moved 3,000 miles from home for college: the urge to stock up on enough of everything to last the trip.
I know that this is pretty silly: I'm signed up for reports from the U.S. Travel Advisory system, and I haven't received any notifications about shampoo or coffee shortages in Ireland. But there's that lingering nervousness that something I rely on won't be available, and I think that's a common anxiety. So for anyone going international in the future, I thought I'd address when it's good to stockpile like you're bracing for the zombie apocalypse, and when you should take a step back and remind yourself that yes, most countries do have Advil readily available.
Bring: Prescription medications, or medication that isn't easily accessible where you're going. Bring enough of your prescriptions to last the trip, and if there are over-the-counters that you rely on, make sure you can get them easily wherever you're going. I had trouble finding Dramamine when I was in Ireland last summer, so since things with wheels are my kryptonite, I pretty much cleaned CVS out. A side note: make sure they're all legal! Some common medications in the U.S. are prohibited in other regions, so take the time to look it up.
Don't bring: Six months' worth of painkillers, allergy medication, or anything else you can find in any drugstore.
Bring: Enough basic toiletries (shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant) to last until you can find a drugstore.
Don't bring: Full-size bottles of every conditioner, body wash, and face scrub you own. If suitcase space is at a premium, it's not the worst idea to pack travel-size bottles, then buy more once you arrive.
Bring: A small amount of your favorite (nonperishable) snacks, if they're not available where you're going (again, make sure they're legal!). When you're homesick a couple of weeks into the trip, some familiar candy can legitimately help.
Don't bring: Peanut butter or Nutella, specifically. Yes, it's true that they're hard to find in Europe. Yes, I know people who've missed them while abroad. And yes, they will be confiscated at the airport.
That said, there are some things that, as I found out when I was in Dublin last summer, legitimately aren't easy to access in Ireland. Namely, iced coffee, peanut butter, and vegetables other than carrots and potatoes. I'm shamelessly stocking up on those by inhaling as much iced chai, Reese's, and spinach as I can. I plan to leave for Ireland hyped up on caffeine and full of greens, and I don't regret it for an instant.
In general? Trust that since billions of people outside of the U.S. seem to be doing just fine, you can probably bring the essentials and trust that either you can find the other things you're used to having, or you'll survive without them for a few months. When it comes to packing, that irritating mnemonic is true: when in doubt, leave it out.
And if you're packing for the zombie apocalypse? Look elsewhere for advice--you're on your own, and I won't be sharing my Reese's.
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