A packing review: The best (and worst) things I packed for Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India

I’m back with the second part of yesterday’s post highlighting my recent India trip packing list.

For some reason, my packing content always does really well. I’d like to formally thank my neurotic tendencies for that.

When I was preparing for my trip, I spent a good amount of time scouring the web for blog posts and packing lists from people who had also ventured to India (with a single backpack!) for yoga teacher training.

I did find a few posts that helped me out a bit, so I figured I’d take a second to check in and share some reflections on my packing list.

Just in case this info helps someone else!

This is a little long, but I spent six — almost seven! — weeks with all of these belongings. By the end of my time in India, I was so sick of wearing certain items of clothing, and sick of carrying around a few things that I hadn’t touched at all on my journey.

If you didn’t catch yesterday’s post detailing what, exactly, I brought — as well as how I packed it — you can read that here.

The following post is just a quick recap of the best things I packed, the things I packed that I didn’t use, the things I wish I’d packed, and the things I didn’t pack that I didn’t really miss.

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THE BEST THINGS I PACKED

My iPhone 15. I’m really glad AirTel (the Indian telecom company I used for cell service_ is eSIM compatible, because my iPhone continues to be one of the best travel devices, ever. I’m particularly grateful for the high-quality camera, which not only captured phenomenal photos from the trip, but also helped me zoom in to see some of the white board lessons in the ashram from the back row.

My journal (and pens). I’m still an old-fashioned writer, and I wrote in this every single day.

Anker external battery pack. This was great for both keeping my phone juiced during travel days and long sight-seeing days, and for carrying around my ashram to charge my Apple Watch with during lessons.

Beyond Yoga dress. No, I couldn’t wear this calf-length dress during asana practice, but I wore it for everything else. Diwali dancing at the ashram, exploring Pondicherry, beach-side walks in Goa, travel days — everything. I didn’t need a bra (I paired it with my Cakes Body nipple covers) and while the top did bare my shoulders and chest (not appropriate for India), it was so easy to just toss a scarf, crop top or button-up overtop of it. It has pockets, it’s lined and it’s wrinkle-resistant.

Loop earplugs. India is loud. I have the “Experience” earplugs, which deaden sound (without totally muting it) and these were great for loud ceremonies, concerts, hostel nights, overwhelming traffic jams and parties.

My hanging toiletry kit. I will sing the praises of my toiletry bag forever. It’s TSA-compliant. It folds in half or packs flat. It’s easy to clean. It has a hook so it will hang anywhere in a bathroom. I do not travel anywhere without this thing.

An S-Biner. This is a completely unexpected item, but I am so, so glad I clipped one to the outside of my pack. While I usually carry a few carabiners just in case, my S-Biner saved the day SO many times. Not only did this thing work like a normal carabiner clip, it also hooked through my nylon backpack‘s zipper as an extra security measure, and clipped my bag up in sketchy situations (like public bathrooms) to keep it clean.

Head lamp. This was really useful during ashram power outages to fumble around in our room, and it also came in handy during unexpected Diwali henna art sessions.

Cuffed loose black pants. These pants came in so clutch during my entire trip. They were perfect on travel days. Perfect to practice yoga in at the ashram. Perfect for city exploration days. They were modest and functional. If you’re going to India, I highly recommend loose pants with fitted ankles. I felt like these were baggy enough to hide my backside and legs, and the cuffed ankles meant my pant legs weren’t hitting me in the face during one-legged down dog. The were also easy to manipulate for sketchy squat toilet situations and ocean wading. Plus, they have pockets!

Long white button-up. I brought an extra-long, extra-baggy white button-up shirt with me, and I used this several times a week. It was a nice modesty layer while I was out in the cities since it covered up my arms, chest and legs fairly well.

Plain black leggings. I didn’t wear these outside of the ashram (unless I was wearing the above long white button-up), but I wore these several times a week at the ashram.

Nice underwear. TMI, probably, but we had to hand wash and line-dry our clothing at the ashram. I’m glad I bought new, nice underwear prior to my trip since they were hanging outside for everyone to see.

WHAT I PACKED THAT I DIDN’T USE (OR USED VERY LITTLE)

Facial toner. It was super humid during my trip, so my skin wasn’t as dry as it usually is back home.

Laundry detergent. It was actually really easy to find single-use packets of detergent all over India, and our ashram provided us with detergent as well.

Spare iPhone. I’m glad I packed this because if my iPhone broke or got stolen, I would have needed it. But (luckily) I didn’t end up using it.

Trail runners. I wore these a grand total of three times. I thought I’d need them hiking up and down the hill to the ashram, but I ended up being able to do this in my Birkenstocks easily enough.

Grayl water bottle. I was able to find filtered water pretty much everywhere, so I just ended up using this like a (really expensive and heavy) water bottle short of one time I filtered water at a waterfall with it.

Pelican phone case. I brought this hoping I would, at some point, go river rafting on the Ganges, but that sadly never came to fruition. It sat unused in my travel bag for our whole trip.

My baseball hat. I rarely wore this.

My SmartWool base layer. Ryan and I had discussed heading up into the Himalayas to backpack, camp and hike, so I brought a merino wool baselayer just in case we ended up doing that. But, we never did, so it sat unused in my pack. Regardless, I’m glad I brought it, because it’s never a bad idea to have a base layer just in case.

My wide-legged pants. I wear these constantly here in Flagstaff, but they were just impractical in India. The polyester was stifling in the humid weather, and the wide hems just dragged on the ground (and through cow 💩, ugh). I wore these my first full day in India and immediately realized how impractical they were when I landed in Dehradun and was confronted with squat toilets in the airport. I think I wore them exactly two times. My loose pants with cuffed ankles just worked better.

A real bra. I also only wore this a small handful of times. I wore my sports bras and bralettes most of the time I needed a bra of sorts.

My swimsuit. I mentioned it in my Goa post, but I felt way too uncomfortable to take my clothing off at the beaches. I only wore this once to go swimming at our Anjuna hotel.

My Kindle. I normally read a ton when I travel alone — on buses, trains, planes, at coffee shops — but I kept myself busy reading yoga books at my ashram or journaling during my few free alone moments. I barely touched my Kindle at all during my trip to India.

Inhaler. Short of hiking up and down the hill to get to my ashram, I did close to zero cardio during my trip. I was also a lot closer to sea level in India than I am in Flagstaff, so I didn’t struggle to breathe as much as I usually do.

Rain jacket. Luckily, it didn’t rain at all during my trip! I’m still glad I brought this, though. Just in case.

My Trtl travel pillow. I literally forgot this at the ashram, so I didn’t even have it for the second half of my trip. Would I have used this on the return trip if I hadn’t forgotten it? Probably.

WHAT I DIDN’T PACK THAT I WISH I DID

Foam rollers and massage balls*. I saw another student whip out a lacrosse ball on week two and I was insanely jealous. I was super sore just a few days into training and was missing my foam roller so hard!

A backpack for classes*. I got really sick of hauling my tote bag (full of heavy books)up and down stairs, and around the ashram’s campus.

A zip-up hoodie or fleece*. While I did use my puffer jacket a few times when it got chilly at night, I do wish I’d had something a little quieter — like a fleece jacket — to wear during savasana. My puffer jacket was so loud in the ashram!

Tall socks. I brought three pairs of running socks thinking I’d be wearing my trail runners more than I actually did. But, since I just wore Birkenstocks everywhere, I wish I’d brought crew-style hiking socks instead.

Birkenstock Arizona sandals (instead of my Mayari sandals). While I did wear my Birkenstocks every single day during my trip, I do wish I’d packed my slides so I could have worn them with socks.

School supplies*: Highlighters, more pens and Post-it flags. I made this same mistake during Peace Corps, too! I didn’t pack any school supplies.

Zit stickers. My skin struggled a lot with the new environment and diet, and I found myself wishing I’d brought just a few hydrocolloid sheets with me.

Ear plugs for sleeping. I used my Loop “Experience” earplugs a ton, but didn’t bring any softer earplugs for sleeping. There were a few times I’d wished I’d brought heavier-duty earplugs for sleeping.

*Would I have brought this stuff if it meant sizing up from my single travel pack? No. But, if I did have the room, I totally would have brought these things.

WHAT I BOUGHT THAT I USED EXCESSIVELY

SCARVES. I knew full well I would be buying and using multiple scarves, so I didn’t pack any. I bought four in various weights/ warmths. I used them all repeatedly and brought them all back to the U.S. with me. I used them to cover my shoulders and chest in public, to cozy up during savasana at the ashram, to wrap fragile items in my luggage and to double as blankets/ pillows on chilly flights.

Full-sized toiletries. I didn’t bother packing full-sized toothpaste, conditioner, bug spray or lotion knowing I’d be able to find these easily enough in India.

A cash wallet/ change purse. I am so used to living in a cash-less society that I always forget to bring a wallet that can accommodate bills and loose change. I ended up receiving a small zip-up cloth bag during my shopping that ended up serving as my “wallet” for most of my trip.

WHAT I DIDN’T PACK THAT I DIDN’T MISS

Excessive footwear. I wore my running shoes exactly three times, but other than that, I wore my Birkenstocks every single day. I’m glad I didn’t bring any additional shoes.

Scarves and accessories. I figured I would just buy these in India, and sure enough, I bought tons of scarves, earrings, bracelets, etc.

Hair tools. I was able to borrow a hair dryer from my ashram roommate the few times I needed one, which worked perfectly.

Excessive makeup. I barely wore make-up and I didn’t miss the products I didn’t bring.

A tote bag. Our ashram gave us one of these on day one, so I’m glad I didn’t bring a second.

Bose headphones. I really do love these on flights, but it wasn’t worth hauling them around for almost seven weeks just so I could bookend my trip with them. I’m glad I left them behind.

A yoga mat or props. Our ashram gave us mats and while they weren’t the nicest quality, it was nice to not have to lug my own mat to and from India.

Hiking boots. See the above note re: shoes.

A cardigan or lightweight cover. All the scarves I bought worked perfectly when I needed something in-between a tank top and a puffer jacket.

Excessive food and snacks. I brought a few protein bars with me just in case, but I was able to find incredible snacks (for cheap!) everywhere in India.

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So, that’s the review! If you’re planning a trek out to India for some yoga training (or a retreat of some kind), hopefully this will help you!

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