Twelve: Carry Your Own Shade

A hat and sunglasses are always a good idea, too. You're going to want them when you get to your destination, so save yourself some time and money and bring them from home.

Eleven: Read a BOOK!

Always carry a book. Preferably a paperback, hardbacks are big and heavy. You never know when you're going to have to wait. Or when you wont want to talk to your family and friends after seeing them 10 days in a row. When you're finished, you can trade it for something new!

Ten: Disconnect

Leave the cell phone and laptop off. You're on vacation, not at work or at home. By all means, bring them. They're good for long periods of transportation on a plane, train or bus, but are otherwise unnecessary. There are better things to do wherever you are than talking to your friends back home, reading the news or surfing the web. You can do that all you want when you're home in a few weeks.

Nine: Space

Always leave some extra room in your pack or suitcase. No matter how hard you try, you'll always end up coming home with more than you brought with you in the first place. It's good to be able to carry it with you because it's very expensive to mail things home.

Eight: Camera(s)

If you're a photographer, by all means, bring your SLR. You won't regret the great photos you'll get. Just be sure to invest in a good zoom lens, I recommend an 18-55. They're cheap and, if you get good glass, you can zoom in way more when you finally get the photos on your laptop. However, DO NOT EVER leave home without a solid point and shoot camera. There will be some places you don't want to take your expensive camera, but you'll still want to record those moments. A waterproof and shockproof point and shoot is a good investment that's easy to carry around. You can spend a little more and get a point and shoot camera that will take photos nearly as good as an SLR. They're expensive, but ideal.

Seven: Hard Weather

For weather wear, you'll never need more than a light fleece and a dedicated raincoat. I choose both because I like to have a WATERPROOF shell rather than something that is simply water resistant. Also, invest in a good fleece. For the right price, you can find something that will work for a large range of temperatures, rather than just a ten degree range. If you're not so stiff as I am on waterproof things, a good softshell will do the trick. They're usually very good at repelling water and keeping you dry, and they double as a good sweater or fleece.

Six: Undergarments

Socks and underwear? That's up to you. I buy three pairs of merino socks and underwear and that's all I take. I'm okay with wearing them over or washing a one pair every night. If you don't like that, you can bring more. Keep in mind, this is one of the major components of pack space. Fewer pairs means more room for something else.

Five: Shirts

As for shirts, three or four will do. One light, long sleeve, one short sleeve, one nice polo and maybe one long sleeve button up. I recommend merino wool. They're expensive, but you can wear them over and over again before you need to wash them. And they're way more comfortable than cotton. The idea of travel and vacation is to relax and experience. It doesn't take much more than a good personality to impress the new people that you meet.

Four: Pants

You only need 3 pairs of bottom wear. A good pair of jeans for the cool days and a night out, a nice pair of shorts for hot, lounge days and a swimsuit for the beach or pool. Denim is always a good choice because you can wear it many times before you wash them and it's very easily washable when you do finally get them dirty.

Three: Even More Shoes

The only other pair of shoes I might recommend is a pair of Vibram FiveFingers. They're a little more protective than sandals and, for those who don't like sandals, they're a light, easily packable alternative. But, seriously, keep the flip flops. You'll want them.