Today’s topic for Road Trip Wednesday over at YA Highway is: You’re packing for a month on a deserted island. What, as a reader and writer, must be in your backpack?

This topic is kind of funny, because I just found out that you can eat most parts of a palm tree and make soap out of the bark last night!

The first things that come to mind are all very practical; I do too many road trips/camping trips to not be prepared. So I’m going to do two backpacks: One full of things I’d need “as a writer” and one for things I need “as a human.”

As a human (well, not just any human – one that’s white as copy paper and scared of the dark), I’d want:

• Lots of sunscreen. Do they sell it by the gallon?
• Eight pairs of sunglasses – because, even on a very small island, I’d still manage to lose them
• A cup – I’m so uncoordinated that trying to drink from anything else wouldn’t turn out well
• Matches – For all I write about fire, I’m pretty horrible at building one – much less starting one without a source of flame!
• A bucket – do you know how useful a bucket is? The answer is: very. In fact, I’ll just carry all this stuff in a bucket; forget the backpack
• A solar-charged lantern – Did I mention I was scared of the dark?
• Pocket-knife – One with every possible tool on it.
• Hatchet – In my down time, I’d learn to throw it like a lumberjack.
• A blanket – I’m probably the only person who would get cold on a tropical (I’m assuming) deserted island. If it’s not tropical, I’m not going.
• Maybe a hammock – sleeping on the ground kinda sucks.
• Whatever room is left in the pack – fill it up with rum. Probably 151, because it’s the most efficient by volume/weight. (See! practical. Even when talking about alcohol)

As a writer, I’d want:

• My very pretty new Myths & Legends book (seriously, it’s GORGEOUS. and chock-full of both well-known and little-known myths)
• Notebooks – ones with very thin paper. I prefer to write on a computer, but I don’t think that’s practical on a deserted island.
• A space pen with plenty of refills – I imagine you don’t always have perfect conditions for writing with a plain ole Bic all the time.
• A waterproof (maybe fireproof?) bag/box to keep all this in – With my luck, I’d have three novels written and then ruined in the rain on my last day there.
• One or two of the “classics” that I can’t get through because they’re so incredibly boring – Maybe I’d be bored enough to make it through and finally get what all the hoopla is about.
• Whatever room is left in the pack – fill it with wine. For me, wine goes better with writing

What about you? What would you pack? (try to keep it to things that would fit in a backpack – otherwise, I’d just bring a house with super generators and AC and comfy beds and a personal chef…)