What's in your rucksack? (or wheely case, etc.)

[eastwestdivide]

What essentials do you pack for multi-day trips away from home?

For my jaunts round Europe, I have a moderately-sized rucksack - small enough to fit an HST overhead luggage rack, and seen in this pic on a German IC


and inside it, a roll-uppable day rucksack for days when I'm out and about but coming back to the same hotel overnight.

- In secure trouser pockets:
passport, today's tickets, phone*, wallet, cash etc.
- In the rucksack side compartments:
water bottle, umbrella, sometimes mini-tripod.
- In the lid compartment:
hat, sun cream, painkillers, spare pen, plasters, small tablet computer.
- Elsewhere:
cameras (SLR and compact), near the top for easy access.
zippable plastic folder with itinerary, print at home tickets printed out, the odd map if I'm planning some walking/cycling.
chargers, plug adaptor
spare lithium AA batteries (very light and good power to price ratio, and they can power both my cameras, SLR and compact).
clothing (easy-wash, quick-dry) - no more than 4 shirts/sets of underwear, and two thin wool jumpers for layering purposes.
washing powder in a 35mm film canister**
lightweight fleece usually slung over the top and held on by the lid - I once took a fleece round Europe for two weeks and wore it on only one occasion, which was on returning to England.
roll-uppable waterproof jacket.
zippable plastic food bag for toiletries etc (takes less space than a wash bag and more squashable).
leaving a small amount of space for emergency biscuits, and any food supplies for the day.

*phone preloaded with travel apps for wherever I'm visiting, notably the DB app and the Rail Planner euro timetable app from the Eurail/Interrail people.
**I've never yet had a border inspector ask me what the white powder is!

Any more tips and tricks from the seasoned rail travellers out there?

 

[shredder1]

I have a few rucksacks depending on where I am going, ie day trips, Europe for a few weeks,a few days in the UK, apart from the essentials like shaving, tooth paste etc, blister plasters, sock and underpants are thrown after about two days if I`m overseas, I use a large SLR which wont fit in the rucksack, so this has its own bag, but fine for cabin baggage, T-shirts that can be thrown after a few days and spare lenses, Kindle Fire for booking accomodation on the fly, I should get a smart phone really, debit card and spare credit card carried elsewhere.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Good to see the old IR Abteilwagen still going - could do with a refurb though!

 

[eastwestdivide]

Good to see the old IR Abteilwagen still going - could do with a refurb though!

Yes, it was a bit 1980s pastel - in 2013! Think it was a Strasbourg-Munich EC service.

 

[sprinterguy]

Above all else, ALWAYS know where your towel is!

 

[fowler9]

I have a 40l Osprey Nebula rucksack. I will use it for everything from day trips (It squishes up quite small with clips) to cabin baggage for a weekend to a week away to six months away. I have my iPad mini, my kindle, a small camera, chargers and adaptor, a travel towel (Sometimes a large and a small), a spare pair of Cragghoppers walking trousers (I have the other pair on), underwear and t shirts for 5 days unless I am away for less time, a fleece, a bar of soap just in case, a pad and a pen.

 

[cambsy]

I have a 15 inch Laptop back pack, Smaller Addidas back pack, couple of holdalls, and use the one which suits particular trip, if day trip and no Ipad on me then use smaller Addidas back pack, if IPad with me then use Laptop backpack, and basic essentials of Iphone, IPod Nano, earphones, pop drinks, plug and various charging cables, sunglasses, if more than a day out, then if can I fit everything in my Laptop backpack, can take good 2 days worth of stuff, underwear, t shirt, towel, sponge bag etc plus essentials, and for my upcoming 7 day 1st class ALR, I will take my laptop backpack and holdall, as will on top of essentials, take changes of underwear, couple t shirts, jeans, various tops etc so covered for all weathers, waterproof goretex anorak, jumper or hoodie, as a lot of my trips involve coach travel, which has restrictive space for luggage, I travel light as posssible, and also saves lugging too much around.