List of essentials and a few tips

A few tips on daily life (section constantly being updated)

Communication - after a few failures, I came to the conclusion on how to call home if you don't have an internet device.

Food - how I ate, what I settled on, and how much money it costs.

LIST OF ESSENTIALS

For travel

(I also want to make an album with photos of my 'correct' gear)

A large vertical notebook (A5) for notes, for the backpack flap. A small notebook for the thigh pocket for quick notes. A set of mechanical pencils and a box of leads. One pencil is always in the thigh pocket.

Mobile phone (with charger)

• internet gadget (dictionary, !maps, schedules and prices, communication via Skype; I didn't have one)
  Camera (I had a Canon PowerShot A590)

Batteries (AA Sanyo Eneloop - they work wonders. I haven't even charged them in Russia yet - a month and a half on one American charge, they work great in the camera)

A couple of 4GB flash cards

Octopus tripod

Watch (so you don't waste your phone battery. I didn't have one)

Flash-drive player on batteries with a few gigs of your favorite music and headphones (I had a 1GB one - that's not enough, you start getting sick of your favorite songs =))

Backpack

Sleeping pad

Sleeping bag

Sturdy liter bottle with a good lid and wide mouth

Large and lightweight rain poncho (I didn't have one, though there was no night rain either)

Umbrella

Flashlight

Knife

Razor

Small mirror

Towel

Soap

Face wash

Deodorant in a crush-proof case (I had a plastic stick, it kept getting crushed - had to throw it away)

Dental: toothbrush, paste, floss

Sunscreen, UV protection (I didn't have any, but they say it's good for your health)

Sandals! (expensive and comfortable. Your mood directly depends on what's on your feet - that's a known fact)

Beautiful windbreaker jacket (I'm incredibly happy that I took a red North Face hiking windbreaker to the States instead of a regular city jacket)

Fleece hoodie (comfortable, warm, and pleasant - often served as a pillow =))

Fleece scarf

Woolen hat

T-shirts, thick cotton, for sleeping and traveling in transport (I had 3)

Light, beautiful short-sleeved shirt

Hiking shirt (for when you have to walk far and it's hot)

Underwear, 4 pairs

Bucket hat?

Swimming shorts

Sturdy hiking shorts to the knee with pockets

Trekking socks (necessary, for example, for descending into a canyon, when you have to walk far, in short)

Warm, loose sleeping socks for the bus

To the States, to live and work

Backpack, school-type (2 months every day with me to work and everywhere)

Small sports bag

!Laptop

Alarm clock. One that doesn't tick in the dark like mine, may it rest in peace.