What to bring to Korea

I'm departing Thursday, August 21.

Seems like now would be a good time to think about packing.

I've set aside some clothing, packed my camera, camcorder, tape recorder and notebook and now I need to start thinking about the practical things.

Hopefully I'll be able to preempt any packing disasters by referring to existing recommendations regarding what one should take to Korea.

I've talked to a few friends who either live there, are visiting currently or have been before and I've also run a standard Google search for "what to bring to Korea."

Items to pack

Apparently, they don't use deodorant here. I've heard the temperatures will rise well out of my comfort zone and the humidity during the summer may place a permanent layer of moisture on my skin, so I'll bring along at least three sticks of my brand of choice for my four month stay. I've read the prices aren't cheap for deodorant in Korea and it's convenient enough to pack.

Friends have told me toothpaste is limited to several brands, none of which are the standard Crest of Colgate.
I'm bringing my own. I'm rather fond of Crest. My mouth loves it.

For the care of one's more private needs, I've read in several places that condoms, bras and tampons can be difficult to find in the necessary size. These items can be packed with little expense to suitcase so I'd recommend bringing them along if they'll be useful.

Clothing was mentioned on several blogs, but mainly for those who require larger sizes for tops and pants.
Luckily, my birth parents are Korean (I am assuming) and I'll be able to buy clothes in my size in Korea.

What's more of a concern is packing clothes for the weather; I don't want to buy a new winter coat when I have a perfectly good one already. As far as I can tell, the weather in Seoul is much like the weather along much of the Eastern seaboard: hot and humid during the summer and bone chillingly cold during the winter.
Pack accordingly.

Apart from the weather, I've heard one might do well to pack several more clothing items.

Thongs, apparently, are nearly nonexistent in the Korean market.
Sheets are questionable, so I brought those along as well.

I ended up with two suitcases and two carry-on bags full of electronics.

Apart from the Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop I am using now, I brought along this gear.

• Nikon D50 DSLR


• 17-35mm F2.8 lens


• 28-80mm F3.3 lens


• 50mm F1.8 lens


• Nikon Speedlight SB-600 flash


• Olympus digital voice recorder


• JVC digital camcorder


• Sony "cybershot" digital camera


• Infrared and polarizing filters for lens

These tools will help me update my blog with some unique content, which will be coming shortly.

I've uploaded a few pictures already, which can be viewed on the slideshow to the right.