Okay, so I realize this is actually my third post on packing for work travel. Previously I wrote about how I packed for my first field comms visit in 2022, and last year I wrote about what I packed for my month-long deployment to Bangladesh.

I can’t remember how I would pack for work trips before. I’m sure I overpacked, just as I tried to pack appropriate outfits for each day and each activity I expected during each trip. You’d think I would have it all figured out by now, but I can’t say I do.

What to wear?

I suppose, for someone who’s always anxious about being insufficiently prepared, each trip is a new test of my packing habits (dare I say talents?). In the past few years, I think I’ve made better packing choices, not only in the selection of clothes I bring, but also the amounts, and even my choice of luggage, both check-in and carry-on. But these choices will always be challenged by the unexpected or unknown: what will I be doing? What’s the laundry situation like?

Bangladesh was a challenge. There were two big events I was not expecting, and so I didn’t have any shoes that were appropriate. I wasn’t sure how much time I would spend in Dhaka versus Cox’s Bazar, if I would spend more time in the office or in the camps, or in our hospitals. I also didn’t have enough clothes that were appropriate, and I didn’t realize how easy it would be to just buy the clothes there.

But just recently I was in Iloilo for a five-day work trip, and I knew what to expect for each of the events we had scheduled. I think I was much better prepared this time, not just in terms of clothes and footwear, but also equipment and comforts from home.

Below: My Bangladesh outfits

What I packed

Whether it’s a work trip or a vacation, I always bring power strips. I brought one to Bangladesh. For this trip, I brought two: one for use in the hotel, and another for use in the convention where we had a booth. It helps to have the one with USB ports on them, for all the gadgets we all bring these days. Of course, don’t forget all the other things you might need for a work trip, like adapters and charge cables, power banks and other cables like HDMI ones.

I remember reading somewhere that you should always have a pouch with all your toiletries in it, so you can just grab it and throw it in your luggage. It also helps to keep it stocked with travel-sized tubes, bottles and variants of your favorite toiletries. Of course this means your usual deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, facial wash, toner, moisturizer, lotion. Hotel toiletries are perfect for this, and after you use whatever the hotel provided, you can just reuse the same bottles and fill them with your preferred products.

I also like to pack a small spritzer filled with whatever scent I’m using currently, as well as two sanitary napkins, lip balm, and minimal makeup: a concealer stick that can be used for the whole face, brow mascara, and two shades of lip and cheek tint–one for a bit of contour, and the other for color. I also had a moisturizer that had SPF 50, so this was my sunblock as well.

There are things I always pack for survival mode, though since I was just traveling within the country I didn’t bring too many of these: basic meds like painkillers, emergency snacks (crackers and candy), and a water tumbler full of iced water. Because of the insane heat, I also packed an umbrella in my check-in luggage, my favorite hat, and sunglasses. I skipped the rain jacket, but I packed a very light cardigan in case it was cold in the convention center (it was not). I also packed a few eco bags, which are useful when going out to dinner, buying supplies, or transporting stuff from the hotel to the event venues.

What did I wear?

I am so happy to say that I packed just enough clothes for this trip!

This is an old pet peeve. I always overpack, and I get annoyed. So for this trip, it really helped that I had specific events to plan for, and I already had ideas for appropriate clothes.

Since we were attending a convention full of medical doctors, I thought it would be appropriate to dress like I would for an office setting. I packed blue dresses for each day of the convention, and my vest for identification. I also packed only one work shirt, for the event I would be hosting. I packed one spare outfit for each day, in case I wanted to get changed before going out to dinner or drinks.

Because my bras are huge and take up a lot of space, I packed only Uniqlo bra tops for my spare outfits. I also love these for traveling, because I hate underwire. Oh and my spare outfits were all shorts, because this heat wave was all over the country. My light cardigan was a very versatile beige, so it would have gone with any outfit.

And I am so proud of the fact that I only packed one extra pair of footwear: my sandals! I wore my Rob & Mara brogues for the flight, because I knew they were comfortable, but they would also be presentable enough for the convention. For our downtime, I brought the sandals that I had brought for Bangladesh last year.

I also realize I have a uniform for my airport outfits: Uniqlo bra top, jogger pants, closed shoes (hiking boots when going to the field, brogues when I flew to Iloilo), and an infinity scarf. I first did this when I flew to Butuan in January 2022, for the Typhoon Rai emergency response. It seems to be my default! (See picture, top left in the grid below.)

Below: Iloilo outfits

But why is packing so stressful?

I realize planning what to pack, weeks before my actual departure date, is a way of managing my anxiety about traveling. I realize that the work we do means we have to be prepared for emergencies, and I like to be prepared for emergencies, be they personal, family, natural or man-made. I realize the fact that I packed pretty well for this last trip means I’m doing a better job of managing my anxieties and expectations, and learning to be more emotionally prepared for whatever it is I may not have planned for.

So now, I wonder, will I be able to pack sufficiently for my next trip? What packing (and clothing!) challenge will my next detachment bring? And more importantly, how will I be able to manage my anxiety while preparing for wherever I go next?