What to pack for Istanbul in January

13 rain days a month finds every seam. A real shell, not a windbreaker.

Lows around 39°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Tap water isn't safe here. A filter bottle beats buying plastic twice a day.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 6:00pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

For temples, mosques, and churches that check at the door.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

Lows around 39°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.