In my last post, I raved about whitewater rafting in Costa Rica.  Since it was my first time rafting, I wasn't sure what to wear, so I read online reviews, all of which recommended shorts, water shoes and a quick dry top.  With the exception of water shoes, I followed this general recommendation. However, after rafting, I learned a few things that would have been helpful to know beforehand. Had I known then what I know now, I would have packed differently. 

This is what I wore on the boat:

Pictured Above: 1. Old Navy Quick Dry Top  2.  Nike Pro Sports Bra  3. Lululemon Running Shorts  4. Merrill Barefoot Dash Glove Running Shoes  5.  Puma Ankle Socks  6. Nikon Coolpix Waterproof Camera

Pictured Above: 1. Old Navy Quick Dry Top  2.  Nike Pro Sports Bra  3. Compression Shorts  4. Keen Water Sandals  5.  Sport Sunglasses with Croakies   6. Nikon Coolpix Waterproof Camera

I'd keep the dry fit top, sports bra and camera per my note above. 

I'd replace the Lululemon running shorts with a pair of compression shorts that won't ride up the leg or threaten to stretch and fall down when swimming (or jumping into the water).  Important: If you have sensitive skin or allergies to rubber, wear longer shorts or sport leggings. You sit on the rubber raft for two hours, so take care not to irritate your skin.  The brand of shorts really depends on the person. I'd probably buy a cheap pair from Old Navy since they are going in the river.

I'd leave behind the sneakers and pack a pair of sturdy water sandals. These could have been useful for the entire trip in Costa Rica as they are sturdy enough for hikes and and canyoning  and quick drying after swimming in rivers and waterfalls.  The covered toe protects your feet from rocks and other sharp items at the bottom of rivers  and lakes.

I didn't wear sunglassses on the raft for two reasons - 1.  It wasn't sunny  2.  I didn't have croakies and I was afraid of losing the glasses.  I wish I'd worn them because the water was constantly splashing in my face and getting into my eyes. I wore contacts so I was regularly closing my eyes or making a funny face trying to adjust the lenses. 

Also, remember to pack waterproof sunscreen, a plastic bag for your wet clothes, and a change of clothes. 

For the guys:
Guys should avoid cotton clothing and go with a quick dry shirt, board shorts/swim trunks and water shoes.   Chris wore a cotton shirt and it stretched out quite a bit.  

Summer has almost officially arrived and hopefully everyone is looking forward to vacations and long weekends in the sun. Lately, I've noticed stylish travel-friendly ladies' threads in the stores, on the streets and on my favorite app, Pinterest. Here are a few pieces to consider this summer:

I noticed Better Life Bags on Pinterest and loved their story as much as their bags.  Rebecca, the owner, lives in a struggling town near Detroit. She hires local women in an effort to provide jobs in her community. She also gives 10% of monthly income to low income entrepreneurs in developing countries through Kiva.org.  The bags can be customized to match your summer capsule wardrobe and the thick straps are the key to comfort when exploring with a bag all day. Great bags, great cause!

I recently discovered Soft Joie and fell in love with the soft, light-weight material used in their garments. I purchased the Emilia Ikat print maxi dress pictured below which is so incredibly comfortable and soft that I considered sleeping in it. The material is really thin, so it barely takes up space in my carry-on and it keeps me cool on hot days. On the flip side, the thin material isn't ideal for chilly nights so remember to bring a sweater.

I love leopard print any time of year, so when I spotted a pair of linen leopard print shorts in TJ Maxx, I pounced! I like leopard print for travel because it's a fun and dressy neutral that goes with almost any color. I just wore my new shorts during a weekend visit to Nantucket (pictured below) and they were perfect for strolling through the shops and biking to the beach. I can't find the shorts on TJMaxx.com but it looks like J.Crew has a pair for sale if you can't find them at your local store.

Much of Julie Brown's clothing is travel-friendly, especially her jersey dresses which are perfect for summer destination weddings. Their Sharon wrap maxi dress (pictured below) can be dressed up or down with the right shoes and jewelry. The material is on the thicker side, resists wrinkles, and is very flattering on most body types. Julie Brown also carries tunics in bold prints that will add a pop of color to your travel wardrobe. Tunics are comfortable, multi-purpose and protect your shoulders and arms from the sun - making them perfect for summer travel.

People often ask me and Chris about our favorite clothes from our 8 month trip around the world.  Since we were each living out of a 55L backpack,  we did our best to make sure every piece was multi-purpose, easy to wash and durable; traits that are hard to balance with style.  Here are our top 10 most useful clothing items from our trip around the world:

These were my only sneakers for the entire trip and they were comfortable, light, flexible and easy to pack. After 8 months of hiking, walking, and running around the world, these Merrell shoes are still in great shape!  Chris originally packed a pair of Saucony running shoes but they quickly developed holes in the mesh so he parted ways with them and purchased a pair of sturdy men's hiking Merrells, which still look brand new today.  (As a side note, the Merrells were the only size 13 shoes he could find in all of Hong Kong, so it worked out well).

I picked up this tank at Mango in Barcelona and wore it all the time.  I loved it because it was loose fitting (thus it didn't get sweaty when I got sweaty), the white color kept me cool, it was easy to layer, easy to wash, dried quickly, and it didn't really wrinkle. I wore it everywhere, as evidenced by the pictures below. 

I purchased this Puma jacket in Boston years ago. It was perfect for my trip around the world because:

• It's made of sweatshirt material but still has lots of structure so I could wear it hiking or out to a casual dinner.
• It has a hood, which kept me warm and the two front pockets were useful for storage and as hand warmers.
• The drawstring waist is flattering and and the length made it comfortable.  
• It was easy to wash and light enough that I could squeeze it in my bag or wear many layers underneath. 
  
• It wasn't waterproof, so I carried a lightweight shell in my bag that I'd wear over the jacket on rainy days.

I couldn't find the jacket online so I think Puma discontinued this product. Please comment if you find something similar!

A scarf is a travel must.  I used this Urban Outfitters scarf every day.  I washed it regularly, dried it overnight and it never wore out.  Not one hole!  The pattern hid wrinkles and the color matched with most things. Originally, I had brought another colorful eternity scarf on the trip but eventually sent it home. While I love the way eternity scarves look, I don't recommend them if you have limited packing space.  Why?  Eternity scarves are less multi-purpose than a traditional scarf which can be used a shawl, "hood", sarong and even a substitute for a towel on the beach! 

I picked up this skirt/dress for $5 at an outdoor market in Cambodia and used it all the time. Since women are not allowed to expose their legs in the temples, the long skirt was perfect because it covered my legs, kept me cool-ish and when I left the temples I could turn it into a short skirt by tying it around my waist. I also used this as a beach cover-up/sarong as well as a beach "towel".  At night, the long skirt even kept the mosquitos off my legs.  No need to buy one of these before your trip - they are usually on sale at most outdoor markets in warm destinations. 

I picked up this dress in a German department store called Karstadt. It was the middle of a very hot summer and I needed a lightweight sundress to stay cool and somewhat stylish.  This dress was perfect. I was so tired of wearing black and white so the colorful tribal print was a nice change of pace. The best part about this dress was that it was a loose-fitting polyester dress. This meant that it was incredibly lightweight, NEVER wrinkled, and dried quickly.  It kept me cool on sweltering days and on chilly days, I'd throw on a pair of leggings, scarf and my bomber jacket for warmth. You can find Aqua dresses at Bloomingdales in the US.

These packing cubes were key. We each had 4 slim cubes in our backpacks and it made finding things so easy. We'd usually put warmer weather clothes in separate bags from cooler weather clothes so we'd only have to unpack a couple cubes at each destination. 

Two of these ExOfficio boxer briefs lasted Chris 8 months!  They usually dry in just an hour or two.  Every night he'd wash one pair for following day. 

I'm not the biggest fan of convertible pants (especially on women), but Chris loved his REI Sahara convertible pants. They immediately won him over because they come in the hard-to-find 36" inseam.  Chris found them incredibly convenient for temperature change or when he had to cover up his legs to go into a religious site.  He also loved the cargo pockets and the super lightweight material dried in a jiffy (unlike the pair of Dockers he brought). One day he left them out to dry on our balcony in Berlin and the shorts blew away, never to be seen again. Luckily we were heading back to the States for a few days shortly thereafter so he was only deprived of his pants for one week. 

Chris purchased this shirt a few years ago and it was a staple in his weekend wardrobe prior to the trip.  So he brought it along and wore it frequently, in both hot and cold weather.  The shirt has snaps instead of buttons which makes it easy to take on and off and the loose fitting cotton material kept him cool in the sun. Other benefits were that it rarely wrinkled and dried quickly. 

We are finally done packing! I probably packed my bag 25 times and had to leave behind so many things I planned on bringing, including my tripod:( But it's finally done.  Here is what I'm brining:

3  pants - Athleta Cargo Pants  & Lole Travel Pants, black leggings
2 shorts 
2 skirts (long & short)
4 tank tops
3 short sleeved shirts
1 cotton long sleeved shirt1 light weight hoodie
1 Smartwool base layerOuterwear: 1 jacket & 1 raincoat shell
Swimwear: 2 bathing suits, 1 light weight button down shirt (cover-up)
Underwear & socks
Accessories: 2 scarves, 2 belts, a few fun earrings
Bags: 1 small bag & 1 fold-up tote
Shoes:  black ballet flats, flip flops, flat (dressier) sandals, sneakers
Misc: Cameras, toiletries, contacts, glasses, sunglasses , tablet, notebook, batteries & chargers

Hmmm..now that I see it all written out, I can probably leave behind a couple tops.  Here we go again...packing attempt # 26!