So, yes, pack less. But then -- what the hell, when you’re blasting into the unknown? I started my trip in North America, but knew I’d also be packing for New Zealand (cold), sub-Saharan Africa (hot), Australia (humid), Europe (all of the above), and Southeast Asia (spiders). And you will encounter weirdness beyond what you can predict. I saw a gas station serve a full pancake breakfast and a busker play “The Final Countdown” on a full-sized harp. But across 30-plus countries, I never met a backpacker who regretted packing too light.