Pete, since the OP left his query in very general terms and hasn't offered any specifics, perhaps we could look at your situation and come up with some meaningful statements. You wouldn't necessarily need to label the specific country.....

It is interesting that none of has mentioned lugging along some cash - most places,money comes in handy....

not bad, might add
bicycle ~30lb +
motor kit ( ~11lb )
maybe for ~$300 (parts at least)
...
you could even run it on wood/coal

Also 'developing' country is a rather broad term and doesn't reflect what you might find there.

It's sometimes rather odd to see a buzzing metropolis with highrises, shoppingmalls and supermarkets, while a few miles away people are still using horse carriages and farming with only handtools.

I actually noticed it's sometimes easier to get things in developing countries. Need to let something be made on sunday? Local contact makes a few phone calls and it's delivered later that day.

OK, let me get this straight
$1000 & 75lb limit.
You will have local dress and food.
2-3 years unsupported
Developing country, but you can't tell us, or don't know, where.

I'm probably way off the mark, but the only thing that would send a person out for that long, unsupported, in a developing country, is missionary work in a country where missionary work is illegal. That means southwest Asia or the southern former USSR republics like Chechnya or Kazakhstan.

That means arid, or semi-arid with a big temperature range.

If you don't know exactly where you are going, consider backing out now.

You've got a sharp eye, Mark. "2-3 years unsupported" also made me rather puzzled.

First, is this a real scenario or hypothetical? If real, I strongly recommend you abandon the plan. If you don't already know the answer, then you probably do not have either the skills or understanding to be effective in whatever tasks motivate you to consider such a venture.

I travel a lot. Mostly in the Americas, but conversations with other travelers suggest similar circumstances to what I am about to describe.

No matter where you travel, there will be people. Many more people than you expect. If you stop anywhere, within minutes someone will be there to observe you. They live there, so everything necessary to support life is available. It may not taste good to you, or you may feel funny wearing it, but the basic needs will be there.

You need to bring things to help you obtain those necessary items. You can't bring two years worth of supplies. Seek advice of those that have traveled recently in the area. Find out how one acquires things. Cash usually works, but carrying two years of cash is a problem in itself. The solution here is not trivial. A functioning debit card for a in-county bank is one solution. I have found ATM's in very unlikely places. It is a funny world now-a-days. Very remote locations have internet access and in some secure place like a police station or community market, you will probably find an ATM.

Take a minimum of things you can obtain locally. Buy what you will need after you evaluate your situation.

I am fortunate in being to repair almost anything. I travel with a very small tool kit. Weighs about 1.5 lbs and contains a tool selection which has evolved over many years. It has become my primary “introduction to the community” item. I look for something to repair and fix it. Usually it is a simple but needed item . One or two visible projects and I can almost always become welcome in the community. And the more remote your location, the more important it is to become welcome in that community. Even if you are just passing through. Word travels faster than you do. The problem here is keeping the tools. In many places high quality tools are more valuable than gold.

You may not be skilled at repairs so try to find some skill that will help you contribute to the community.

Water is a problem. Many water sources contain things which do not affect the locals, but will put you in bed for days, or worse. I carry two small sawyer filters (active & spare) and use them...always. My favorite is a nalgene bottle with a sawyer filter inside. This allows me to fill from a source and not appear to be “scared” of the water. Every move you make will be intensely observed. Try to avoid making people think that their circumstances are sub-standard.

I have moved through many cultures and several countries. Even with experience, I find living at the community level (not in a gated “anglo” community) to be very difficult and stressful.

I would be interested in more detail about your venture.

Nomad.

These coy, hypothetical propositions are driving me crazy. So let me propose something more concrete. I and two others will be traveling to Santa Rosa Island, 34N, 120,10' W (just off the California coast south of Santa Barbara) to dig some fossils for about a week. We will be camping out, with no readily available source of potable water and we will be essentially self supporting. A ranger will probably drop in once or twice during the project.

The climate is mild (overnight temps rarely dip below 50F), but winds can be quite robust (40 knots is commonplace). The vegetation is grassland with chaparral. For this reason, NO FIRES in camp, although they are allowed on the beach about a kilometer to the north - just far enough to be impractical. The whole point of camping on site is to put our time into the excavation and work related tasks, saving about four hours driving time each day.

Communication is a bit sketchy. I am told my provider can probably be reached from accessible high points and we will have a park radio - the island is part of Channel Islands National Park.

I am no stranger to this locality - I first visited it in 1982 and I think I have a pretty good handle on what we will need. On the other hand, I'll wager that the expertise on this forum will come up with something I haven't considered that will be quite useful...

This is all perfectly legal and above board - nothing occult or sleazy. Wouldn't want to tick off the authorities....

So....What would you take?

Nomad,
would you be willing to share your tool kit contents?

Basic kit - Duct tape and WD-40. Advanced kit: Add bailing wire. The weight adds up pretty close to 1.5lbs

Yes. But I don't know how to post pictures here. I don't want to join any picture storage site.

Can someone provide instructions on how to display photos??

Nomad