Now that I’ve been traveling in India for a month, I’ve thought of things I really have needed, and not needed, in my luggage. Here are my thoughts (hopefully other participants on the program will make similar posts about packing):
Generally, bring the least amount of stuff you can. Although we spend long periods of time in three cities, we also have times when we travel independently across the country. It is really hard to mail things from one city to another, so you’ll end up needing to carry anything you have on buses, trains, airplanes, etc. So pack as light as you can!
Here are things I am glad I had: a large backpack with a waist strap, a small day back pack with a waist strap, 5 lightweight pairs of pants (all clothes should be made out of material that air-dries quickly), 5 lightweight short sleeved shirts, 2 long-sleeved shirts, a couple pairs of socks, a couple of handkerchiefs, one lightweight sweater, one lightweight rain jacket, swimming trunks, one compact/quick-dry towel, maybe one sheet and pillow case (low cost hotels often dont offer sheets), one pair of really comfortable sandals that are easy to get on and off, one pair of really comfortable hiking shoes, smartphone to be used for wifi/camera/music/google maps (even if you cancel or pause your US phone plan and take the sim card out, these four essential things will still work in India), earplugs for noisy overnight buses/trains, swiss army knife, small flashlight, large bag of medicine (more on this elsewhere), small first aid kit for daily back pack, water bottle that doesnt leak, extra eyeglasses/contact stuff if needed, sunglasses, a hat of some kind, a converter with multiple outlets for charging more than one thing at a time, a small lock and short chain for securing cabinets/closets in hotels that don’t have lock-boxes, a money belt or holder that hangs around your neck under your shirt for money/passport, books you dont mind giving away once you’re done with them.
Here are things I did not need: more clothes (lots available in India), many toiletries (almost everything available all over India), large Lonely Planet Guide (too heavy, instead photocopy relevant pages before you leave the US), more than the two pairs of shoes described above.
Happy travels in India! : )