So, you’re planning on going travelling – seeing the world the way it’s meant to be seen, up close and personal. You’ve booked your flights, found the best travel insurance, cleared your visas and you know exactly where you’re going. Now the only question is what do you take with you?
For backpackers, the important thing is to travel light. But it also pays to be prepared. So, assuming you know to bring some clothiers with you (unless you’re going far off the beaten track, nudity still won’t be acceptable), then these first few suggestions are essentials that any backpacker should make sure they have with them wherever they go.
1. First aid kit; this is perhaps the best travel insurance you can take, as it’s the only one that doesn’t depend on being near a hospital if you fall sick. Whilst anti-bacterial cream/spray, clean bandages, plasters and disinfectant are obvious choices, you may also consider taking syringes if you’re travelling through areas of extreme poverty or disease. Local first aiders may not have clean supplies, and at the very least having your own will guarantee your safety.
2. A lightweight, waterproof sleeping bag: You may not be planning on sleeping rough, but its best to be prepared. Carrying a decent, modern sleeping bag may seem like sacrificing a lot of premium space when hostels are supposedly available, but it’s a must for any backpacker. It’s the best travel insurance against unclean bedsheets, and it’s also a good money saver – many hostels will charge for sheets and blankets. Even if they are dirty.
3. Waterproofs; obviously, these may be less than useful if you’re backpacking across the Sahara. But if you’re travelling through anywhere during the rainy season, you’ll need them – more importantly, so will your delicate paper documents. Even outside of monsoons and seasonal rains, less developed nations can also have less developed roads – a waterproof will protect you from mud as well as water.
4. Insect repellent; actually, this is probably the best form of travel insurance – it’s a certainty you’ll be plagued by insects in nearly all of the popular destinations. Not only will you probably taste like an exotic dish to the local mosquitos, you’ll also be unprepared for the amount and variety of bugs that you see in warmer climates.
5. Plastic cutlery and bowl; obviously, one shouldn’t get carried away with this. But if you don’t take a knife and fork, you may regret it – many countries have different traditions at the dinner table, and you may get caught out if you can’t use the chopsticks. Or not want to eat with your hands. Either way, taking a plastic bowl as well will have the added advantage of being able to take advantage of some of the fare available in more rural areas, where customers bring their own dishes – and you’ll be able to ensure that what you’re eating off is clean.
6. A hat; well, not necessarily a hat. But some form of head covering is essential, be it a bandanna or a baseball cap. This will keep the sun off your head and out of your eyes, as well as preventing sweat and bugs from getting in your hair.
7. A compass (and preferably, a relevant map); it might seem a little daft, but one of these can save you hours of time and tons of stress. In an unfamiliar place where people may not be able to communicate with you, a compass is a reliable way of establishing your direction if not necessarily your location. It’ll prevent you from going in circles and in a worst case scenario, help you find your way back to civilisation if you take an ill-advised detour off the beaten path.
8. Washing line; the difference between a backpacker and your average tourist is the nature of your luggage. Your average holidaymaker over packs for a weeklong trip in a leisure resort, wearing each item once or twice before packing it away and putting a fresh set on. A backpacker spends weeks in the comparative wilderness, carrying all of their clothes with them on each journey – and not through the pristine environment of a resort either. With a washing line, you’ll be able to clean your few items of clothing wherever you go.
Hand luggage is our great ally when flying. Not only because through him we hand have our most precious objected but also because it is the perfect argument to avoid the excess baggage. Provided, of course, we are smart enough to do some tricks with our suitcases in hand.
