What would you bring to a remote tropical island?

I’ve always been intrigued by the question of what to take if I were stranded on an island. This is not because of some prophetical nature and knowing many years in advance that I would someday live on a small pacific island and need to answer this question. I am not an oracle and if I were I would play the lottery instead of claim it to be a tax on people who are bad at math. My interest in this question no doubt comes from having seen the Swiss Family Robinson movie too many times. It has always been my secret wish to live on an island and build an awesome treehouse before being rescued to the mainland. This, and my mild obsession with survival techniques from books like the S.A.S. Survival Handbook and shows like Survivor Man led me to say “sure honey, it is alright with me if you accept the offer to teach English at the College of Micronesia in Pohnpei. Let me just Google where that is first.”

Making A List and Checking It Thrice

We had six months to prepare. That is plenty of time to get everything in order when you know what you’re getting into. First came the research. We ordered books, contacted people on the island, watched YouTube videos and looked at pictures on Flickr. While looking at pictures with us, our five-year-old daughter exclaimed, “Rainbows live there!” Our two-year-old son for some reason is convinced that the Chuck E. Cheese Museum is there, what ever that may be. I am guessing this is based on his sister’s excitement and a combination of his love for Chuck E. Cheese and museums. So, we all had our preconceived notions with which to make a list.

This all fit into six suitcases, four carry-ons and eight flat-rate postal boxes. My superhero talent is being able to fit 10 pounds of stuff into a five pound container. It would be nice to be able to run like the wind or see through walls, but I will take what I can get. I have a system… shirts are stacked open upon shirts and skirts upon skirts and then folded together thereby limiting the outer surface area. Each person has two large bags of clothes and a bag or two of under clothes which are stacked in the same manner. When you need to get out an outfit, you need to pull out all the bags, but the good thing is, stacking limits wrinkles. Once you arrive at your destination, hanging most items and rolling t-shirts is the way to go, but if you need it in a small space, trust me – stack it.

This is apparently what I would bring with me to a tropical island...

The List:

Health and Beauty - minus electric items (electricity on the island comes from diesel burning generators and is costly in multiple respects.) Haircutting scissors and comb, toothpaste and brushes, razors, shampoo, conditioner, gel, deodorant, nail kit, polish and remover, sunscreen, bug spray, aloe gel, miniature of these items for traveling and any medicines and vitamins we might need.

Emergency- like an epipen, ear drops, eye drops, probiotics, vitamins, bandages, anti-biotic ointment, Benadryl (topical and oral), charcoal pills, corticosteroid, analgesic, baking soda, hydrogen per oxide, anti-histamine, anti-fungal, cough and cold remedies and headache med. My waterproof first aid kit contains a little of all of these plus iodine, rubber gloves, plastic tubing, a sterile needle and thread, alcohol prep pads and mini-leatherman. This I carry at all times (remembering to put the knife and all weather matches into checked luggage) as well as a compass, whistle, flashlight combo.

Additional Equipment- grapefruit knife (for getting the meat out of coconuts), rubber bands, portable water purification system and/ or plastic tubing and sheeting, quick-dry anti-microbial towels, hammocks, rope, fishing line and large hook. The clothing we packed in plastic travel bags and is almost all cotton with some waterproof nylon exceptionsA waterproof travel bag/purse houses my camera and iPad with cover and case. The iPad2 takes care of photo albums, magazines, address book, the List, many books, movies and games. We brought our computer, speakers, router, external hard drives (with back-ups in storage stateside), one guitar, small toys for the kids like legos stacked to be as condensed as possible, some books, a plastic home file folder, ventilated anti-microbial hiking sandals, croc flip flops (leather is not recommended) and…

Cooking Supplies– chef’s knife (only because I am partial to mine), metal tongs, flavorings: curry blends, Cajun blends, five-spice blend, turmeric, cardamom, garlic powder, onion powder, a few honey bears, chocolate, sesame, paprika, cayenne, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, thyme, basil, oregano, summer savory, peanut butter, dry beans and peas, oatmeal, and spirulina powder, echinacea, and molasses. I also packed birthday candles, powdered sugar, baking soda and powder and dried yeast.

Craft Supplies- assorted cardstock and foam sheets, hot glue gun and sticks, plastic gems, googly eyes (never leave home without them;), envelopes, paint, paper and stickers.

You know, just the bare essentials:)