I’m almost always under packing for my travels – hoping I can fit everything I need in my backpack without needing to lug anything else around. That said, I put in quite the effort to be conscious about the activities we’re going to embark on, and the places we’ll be visiting – and whether the clothes I bring will be appropriate for these things.

I literally have a whole itinerary in my head, and the possibilities on my travels, just to make sure I have at least one apt attire for those possibilities. Depending on the length of my stay, I tend to make sure I have one attire that could be worn for a fancy night out, while the rest are casual and interchangeable day/night attires…and I consider the climate/current season of the destination. That’s it, really.

Everyone’s different, of course. Freedom of choice~ And we’ve seen travellers who obviously could care less about whether their attires matched the occasion. It’s admittedly entertaining to see from time to time. I’ve seen scantily clad tourists in the winter, visiting Vatican City, a lady in a rainbow low cut body hugging super-mini dress at the Killing Fields (You wouldn’t wear that outfit to a funeral of a loved one, so why here?), and various interesting outfits at the temples.

I just wonder sometimes what goes through their minds, when they picked their outfits for the day, or for the entire trip itself. “This might impress the gods”, “Too many people – but all these neon will lead my friends to me”?

Whatever it may be, it does little to convince the (stricter) guards who’d happily give out black plastic “coats” for these guests to wear – not meted out much in the Angkor Wat, at least.

I’m actually pretty okay with the shorts. But shorts, and a tube top that is two sizes too small, is another thing altogether.

Vatican City

What do you think? How do you plan for packing? Chuck everything in, think later? Think first, pack later?