Rule #1: No rolling suitcases. One 40–50L internal-frame backpack + one day bag only. Pack for 5–7 days and do laundry on the road. If in doubt, leave it out — every extra kilo slows you down and reduces what you can do.
Before You Fly — Pre-Departure Checklist
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Documents
Scan passport, insurance card, visa(s), and booking confirmations
Email scans to yourself and to Prof. Johnson (johnsonl@illinoistech.edu) before departure — in case of loss or emergency abroad.
Verify passport is valid for the full trip duration
Confirm any required visas are in hand
Contact the appropriate consulate if uncertain. Letters of program participation available from Prof. Johnson with advance notice.
Banking & Money
Notify your bank(s) of travel dates and countries
England, Wales, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden. Verify international use policy and fees — they can add up quickly.
Confirm you have at least two payment methods
Keep them physically separate — one on your person, one in your main pack. Do not attach either to your phone.
Health & Insurance
Verify health insurance covers you abroad
If on IIT Student Medical Plan, contact the Study Away Office to arrange an extension. If on personal insurance, confirm coverage and claim procedures before departure.
Obtain proof of health insurance (wallet card or letter)
Required for some visas. Bring it with you.
Consult your doctor re: prescription medications for travel
Ensure supply lasts the full trip. Confirm pharmacy label is on the container.
Shoes & Kit
Break in your walking shoes thoroughly
Do this weeks before departure — multiple long walks in the actual shoes you're bringing. New shoes on day one = blisters by day three.
Assemble and review drawing kit — confirm all required supplies are packed
See the Studio & Drawing Supplies section below. All sharps and fluids go in checked baggage when flying.
Chicago Pre-Departure Sessions
Attend: Studio visit — Erik Gustafson woodworking (Tue 26 May, TBC)
Attend: AIC "Close Looking" workshop (Thu 28 May)
Attend: Group review (Tue 2 Jun)
Attend: Final studio session (Wed 10 Jun, 9:00–14:00) — earliest departure after 5pm
Do not book flights that require leaving before the studio session ends.
Bags
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40–50L internal-frame backpack with waist belt
No rolling luggage — this is your only main bag. Pack to ~2/3 full capacity.
Day bag / small backpack
For camera, sketchbook, food, water, and daily essentials. Keep it packed and ready to go.
Rain cover or protective sack for main pack
Reduces damage and pilfering when flying. Alternatively, tighten all straps before checking.
Packing cubes or mesh bags (3–4)
Makes morning pack-up much faster. Suggested: clothes / toiletries / docs+cables / dirty laundry.
Breathable bag for dirty laundry
Keeps dirty clothes separate in your pack.
Reusable cotton tote bag
Useful for grocery runs, markets, and daily shopping.
Clothing
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Laundry strategy: Pack for 5–7 days and rotate. Dryers are uncommon in European hostels — plan to air-dry overnight. Quick-dry and merino fabrics dry fast. Hand-wash essentials in the sink; the thin rope in your bag becomes a laundry line between bed posts or hooks. Clothespins are in the Miscellaneous section.
Core — pack for 5–7 days, plan to do laundry
T-shirts / tops (4–5)
Quick-dry or merino preferred — both air dry overnight.
Trousers / pants (2)
One durable walking pair + one lighter option. Avoid heavy denim.
Underwear (6–7 pairs)
More than shirts and trousers — they're light and worth having extras.
Socks (6–7 pairs, including 2 thick/wooly pairs)
Thick wooly socks keep feet warm even in rain-soaked shoes — essential for Scottish days.
Sleepwear
Required when sharing hostel rooms.
Layers — the key to this trip
Lightweight raincoat / waterproof shell
Most critical piece of gear. Must be thin, lightweight, and packable into a daypack pocket. Wind-resistant. Essential for Scotland.
Mid-layer: fleece or light sweater
Nights and Highlands can be 40–50°F even in summer. This goes under your raincoat.
Cool-weather hat (beanie or similar)
Scottish coast and moors can be genuinely cold and windy.
Footwear
Sturdy, grippy walking shoes — fully broken in
You will walk a lot on varied terrain. Break these in thoroughly before departure — do not show up in new shoes.
Flip-flops or sandals
For hostel showers, evenings, and any shared bathing facilities.
Documents & Money
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Passport (valid for duration of trip)
Keep on your person at all times — inside pocket or money belt, never outer pocket.
Scanned copies of all documents emailed to yourself + Prof. Johnson
Do this before departure — passport, insurance, visas, booking confirmations.
Any required travel visas
Proof of health insurance
Wallet card or letter from carrier. Required for some visas.
At least two payment methods (cards)
Keep them separate — one on your person, one deeper in your main pack. Do NOT attach to your phone.
Bank notified of travel dates and countries
Verify international use policy and fees before departure.
IIT HawkCard (student ID)
Eligible for museum discounts at many venues throughout the trip.
SYHA / Hostelling Scotland membership card (if booked)
Saves money across Glasgow, Edinburgh, Portree, and Fort William stays.
Small amount of local cash (£ GBP, DKK, SEK)
UK is largely contactless but occasional rural vendors cash-only. Get DKK / SEK on arrival or use ATM.
Health & First Aid
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Prescription medications (full trip supply, pharmacy-labelled)
Enough for the full duration. Clear pharmacy label on the container.
Pain reliever (aspirin / ibuprofen / paracetamol)
Antidiarrheal medication
Stomach upsets are common among travelers; plan ahead.
Antihistamine
Allergies and hay fever are common, especially in rural/coastal areas.
Motion sickness medication
Coaches, vans, ferries, and winding Highland roads. Take proactively.
Blister plasters / moleskin
You will walk a lot. Address blisters immediately — don't be a hero.
Band-aids / plasters (assorted)
Elastic bandage / knee support
Sore knees and twisted ankles are common. Wrap early, not late.
Earplugs (several pairs)
Hostel dorms, noisy hostels (Cardiff!), Scottish 18-hour summer daylight. Essential.
Eye mask / sleep mask
Scottish midsummer days stretch past 18 hours — it does not get fully dark. Bring this.
Small sewing kit
For clothing repairs on the road.
Hand sanitiser (travel size)
Tissues / pocket pack
Toiletries
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Toothbrush + toothpaste
"Clean rinse" shampoo (travel size)
Pro tip: a basic rinse shampoo can wash your body, hair, and clothes — one bottle, many uses.
Soap / body wash (travel size)
Deodorant
Razor / shaving supplies
Small quick-dry travel towel
Not all hostels provide towels. Compact microfibre is best.
Sunscreen (travel size)
Long days outdoors, especially in open Highland landscapes.
Lip balm
Wind and cold are drying, especially on the Scottish coast.
All liquids in TSA-compliant containers (≤100ml/3.4oz)
Fluids in checked baggage if flying mid-trip (required for sketching supplies too).
Toiletry pouch
Keep it all together and accessible.
Studio & Drawing Supplies
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Checked baggage only: All sharps (X-Acto knives, scissors, needles) and fluids (glue, inks, watercolours) must travel in your checked bag when flying — not carry-on. Keep your drawing kit in a cigar box or small shoe box-sized container that can be transferred easily.
Sketchbooks — required
Book-bound sketchbooks × 2 (not spiral-bound)
150+ pages of plain heavyweight paper (no lines/grids/dots). 140–150gsm typical; 180gsm luxurious. No smaller than A5 / 5"×8". Portrait, landscape, or square — your choice, but nothing over 8"×8" or 6"×9" (awkward to hold while drawing standing).
Sennelier USK Urban Sketchbooks × 2 (4"×6" accordion/concertina)
Purchase this exact model for consistency across the group. Available from Blick (dickblick.com/items/sennelier-urban-sketch-book-6-x-4) or Amazon (B00EFC879K). Used at specific sites to record a full day's observations on one side.
Loose-leaf inserts (~20 sheets, 8.5"×11" to be cut down)
A variety of opaque and transparent paper types plus fabrics. About half should be vellum; prepare a range of transparencies, thicknesses, stiffnesses, surface textures, and tones. Used for overlays, fold-outs, pop-ups, cut-throughs, and paste-ins.
Storage
8.5"×11" plastic envelope (for loose-leaf inserts)
Keeps paper and fabric dry; slip chipboard backer inside to keep it rigid.
Pencil boxes or pouches × 3
One for daily drawing tools; one for remaining supplies + scissors/glue; one for stitching threads and works in progress. Keep sharps safely stowed and graphite away from linens.
Tools & Drawing Media
8.5"×11" thin chipboard (lightweight cutting mat)
The back of a vellum pad works well.
X-Acto knife + spare blades and/or small snap-off knife
No big knives. Checked baggage only when flying.
Small sharp scissors
Checked baggage only when flying.
Small (~6–8") 30°/60°/90° aluminum triangle
Acts as a cutting and tearing edge.
Small bottle of white glue + glue stick
Checked baggage only when flying.
Double-stick tape (archival, clear) + clear tape (archival)
Kneaded eraser + hard eraser (white)
Pencil sharpener (with shavings collector)
Graphite pencils — soft and medium leads (B through 6B)
Ink pens — fine, medium, and thick (archival)
Coloured pencils — good quality, ~6, variety of colours
Water-soluble markers — ~3, variety of colours and weights
Additional mark-making media of your choosing
Hard conté crayons, soft graphite sticks, blender sticks, pastel pencils, wax crayons, marker/acetone blender pens, burnishers, charcoal sticks, watercolour set, etc. Bring what you know and/or tools you want to learn.
Stitching & Textile Supplies — required
Embroidery needles (multi-pack)
Can be shared across the group.
Black and white thread — strong cotton
Can be shared.
Embroidery floss — multiple colours
Can be shared.
Small (4"–6") embroidery hoop
The metal ring of a mason jar lid plus a rubber band works well.
Thread snips or small scissors
Thread wax (optional)
Can be shared.
Fabric swatches — muslin, canvas, colourful scraps
Cut to match sketchbook sheet/spread size.
Knitting needles (US7 recommended)
Yarn — one skein, wool, DK/3 weight for US7 needles
Crochet needle (optional)
Camera & Reference
Camera or phone with good camera
Multiple lenses preferred — the telephoto lens makes it much easier to keep shadows off your page when documenting sketchbook spreads. Consult Prof. Kowalczyk about integrating photography into your toolkit.
Extra memory cards / charged batteries
If using a dedicated camera.
Guidebook(s) for key stops
Keep in day bag for reference on the go.
Tech & Electronics
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Mobile phone
Keep cellular roaming OFF — use Wi-Fi only. Do not attach your card to your phone.
Local prepaid SIM or eSIM (UK)
Cheaper than carrier roaming for emergency calls. Set up before or on arrival.
Phone charger + cable
UK/EU universal plug adapter
UK uses Type G (3-pin). Denmark/Sweden use Type C/F (2-pin). A universal adapter covers both.
Portable power bank
Long days out without access to power outlets. Keep phone charged for maps and transit.
Headphones
For long train journeys and overnight coaches.
Leave at home
Laptop
Leave it. You won't need it and you'll resent carrying it.
Tablet
Leave it. Same reason as above — adds weight with no meaningful benefit on this trip.
Daily Carry (Day Bag Essentials)
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Refillable water bottle
Carry and refill constantly. Fill before setting out each day. Do not buy plastic bottles.
Packed lunch + snacks
Group sessions do not stop to buy food. Come prepared every morning.
Raincoat (always in day bag)
Weather changes fast — especially in Scotland and Wales.
Sketchbook + drawing kit
Passport (inside pocket or money belt)
Payment card(s) + small cash
Miscellaneous & Pro Tips
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Pocket knife (non-locking blade)
Locking blades are illegal in the UK. A Swiss Army style knife or similar is fine. Useful for assembling lunch.
Thin rope or paracord (~3–4m)
A laundry line strung between beds or hooks transforms a hostel room. Genuinely useful.
Small padlock
For hostel lockers where available.
Reusable shopping bags (2)
Plastic bags are charged in the UK — have your own.
Sunglasses
Long outdoor days, especially at northern latitudes where the sun stays low and glaring.
Small notebook for budget tracking
The travel doc recommends writing each expenditure in your sketchbook — "it has a sobering effect."
Clothespins / pegs (4–6)
For the laundry line and hostel drying racks.