‘What knickers do you wear?’ I know that sounds slightly over familiar, but never under eastimate the frequency this conversation will rear it’s head during a gap/round the world trip, and you know what, it’s a valid subject.

What briefs should you take with you on your big trip? How many is too many? Which styles will I use? Which styles will I think I’ll use, but never will? The topic of packing is one that puzzles many a gap and round the world tripper and while I can’t advise you on the importance of your hair straighteners (most people said I was crazy, but I took my GHDs – I didn’t want to spend my entire trip looking like I had a badly groomed version of scary spice’s afro; that humidity can be a be a HUGE pain) I’d like to think I have a wise word or 2 about packing knickers.

Image courtesy of Sarah G

So, here goes, a list of knickers fit for travelling. But don’t take my word on things – no one died and made me queen of keks. Feel free to let me know whether you think this post is a handy run down or just total pants.

What Knickers Do You Wear?

Cute Pants

Travel comfys. Image courtesy of Stylva

Aka the inbetweeners. The pants that are the perfect combination of comfort and cuteness. The kind your mum buys you for christmas, the kind you wear probably everyday of your life to work, to college or uni.

These are the pants that you want to be wearing on a climb up that mountain in Chiang Mai, or during tango lesson in Buenos Aries because, let face it, when your trying to pluck up the courage to throw yourself off a bungee platform in Queenstown, the last thing to want to be concerned about it is a gargantuan wedgie; comfort all the way. In the interest of not over packing, 4 or 5 pairs of these is plenty.

Big Pants

Aka, Bridgets. Comfort is the name of the game with these bad boys. An absolute must for long bus and train journeys, flights and keeping your new beer belly neatly tucked away during a big night out on the town (as long as you aren’t hoping to for any hot, traveller, guy action of course – that could be a bit embarrassing)

A couple of these are enough, but you might want to be careful when hanging them up to dry in hostel dorm rooms…

Bikini Bottoms

Bikini's. How many is too many?

Probably the most important pants you will take on your trip. It’s pretty likely that at some point on you trip, you will be catching some rays on a beautiful beach somewhere. It’s very likely that you will be spending more time in your bikini while you’re away than you ever would have back home.

Choose wisely chances are these particular pants are going to be featuring in a number of your favourite Facebook profile pictures for years to come. However, the bikini debate is wide open; I took 3 for a 6 month trip (all very beach based too) but I girl I met along the way had 7 for her 5 month trip.

Fancy Pants

You know the ones I’m talking about, these are the pants you choose for a night out on the town when you never know what might happen.

These are important for travelling, as potentially, every nights is a Saturday night, but forget getting lucky for a minute; at one of the only times in your life where is acceptable not to wash, not to brush your hair, not to change your clothes, never under estimate the feel good factor a fancy pair of pants will have on your self esteem, as you slip on those jeans that look like they haven’t seen a dose of Persil since 1983. Personally, I would say 3 pairs of fancy pants is all you’ll need.

Thong

Small and slinky, thongs are a handy way to save all important space in a packed out back pack. They’re not so great on a long hike through a jungle or up a mountain – beware the dreaded chafe.

Oh and also beware of wearing a thong after a couple of days tanning, they’ll show off a bikini bottom tan line to perfection – but not in a good way. A couple of pairs of thongs will go a long way, but you won’t need any more than that.

Party Pants

Part Pants. Exhibit A

Now, this is a bit of a wild card option. Maybe you don’t own party pants if not look away now. If you do they read on, it seems we have lots in common…. My own party pants are a pair of black Y-Fronts. They have an image of 90s Baywatch legend David Hasslehoff’s face on the front and on the back they say, in huge glittery letters, ‘It’s All Going Hoff At Reflex‘. They were accquired on one of many nights out in that particular 80s club during my uni days and today, they remain as my ‘party pants’ they resurface on birthdays, hen do’s and other similar fun times – such as my gap trip.

These particular pants are just for show offs; and although I do admit to sometimes being one – it’s usually only when fuelled by a more than a few Jagerbombs. Party pants (if you have them) are an essential pack in your trip backpack wear them proudly as a badge of honour.