Travelling tips
I’m looking at an enormous pile of stuff that I’ve somehow got to try to cram into a suitcase. Hum.
Anyway, I’ve been thinking about travel tips. I’m sure that you’ve all got your own essential rules when travelling, but here are a few I’ve gathered over the years, tuned to stays in somewhat remote areas, doing field work:
- Always plan for the worst. Losing anything you’ve brought with you is going to be a pain. However if your passport, tickets or other important documents get stolen/go up in flames, you’re going to have a lot of work to do to convince the authorities that you ever had them. So I take a belt and braces approach: I scan all the important documents, then print copies to take in a different bag from the actual documents, and also upload the documents (as PDF files) to a web server. I’ve just started using Strongspace⢗-developed by people at TextDrive—-and it’s a fantastic way to keep this kind of stuff safe and secure while you’re away. If all my possessions are lost, I can always get the authorities to let me log on to my Strongspace and download copies of my stuff. You can also use it to backup on the road, which will be useful if I manage to find some network access somewhere.
- There’s some kind of unwritten rule which states that however leak-proof you believe your bottles and jars of liquids to be, the effect of changes of temperature and pressue will prove you wrong. I put all containers of liquid inside one of those zip-up, airtight plastic bags, just in case.
- In fact, I use those zip-bags to keep together all the little things that tend get lost in your suitcase or rucksack. When you’re horribly jet-lagged on arrival and rummaging blearily in your luggage to find a particular cable or socket adapter, you’ll be glad that they’re all in one easy-to-find bag.
- Special breathable, lightweight, packable clothes are wonderful, but they’re also very expensive and likely to get ruined if you spend your days crawling around in the wilderness. I use Army surplus stores for a lot of my field work clothes. They tend to be very tough, have lots of pockets and are extremely cheap. I also look on the recycling of Forces uniforms as a kind of ‘swords to ploughshares’ thing.
- You can never have too many bandanas. They can keep the sun off your head or neck, keep the dust out of your mouth and nose, and they’ll also work as emergency towels, bandages or slings. They are lightweight, cheap (a stall in the indoor markets sells them for £1 a go), and you can scrunch them into a little corner of your luggage.
I think that’s about it—-what are your top tips for maintaining your safety, comfort and sanity when you travel?
1
Get your teeth sorted before you go! Always some have some US Dollars - no matter what the political complexion of your destination they'll always accept Dollars - I bet Bin Laden still trades in Dollars!----- If it's a stay such as a week, I always pack provisionally for one more day. If you suddenly find that you ran into a swamp and needed to change socks twice in one day, or (as has happened to me) find that you need to stay for one more day, then you'll be grateful that you packed a bit of excess stuff
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-- Andy
by Andrew Ho @ 31/08/2005 5:09 pm • Permalink •
2
One tip I read somewhere and found very helpful:
"Put out everything you need, take the half and more money."
I have used this concept many times in the past, it makes travelling much lighter and you will find that you really don't need that much stuff.
Also a padlock can be quite useful in some corners of the world.
Have a good time!
by Barbara @ 31/08/2005 6:08 pm • Permalink •
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When working in Central America (Belize) I used to carry a 'muggers wallet' - a wallet with $20 or so of cash in it. I carried the wallet so it could be proffered to any knife or gun wielding mugger intent on petty crime.
If carrying proper sums of cash I'd place it in a waterproof bag and strap it to my thigh using tubular bandage.
I like Ortlieb Document Bags for stashing things in.
Fantastic tips regarding document retrieval - I'd never even thought of that!
by Kev @ 31/08/2005 6:09 pm • Permalink •
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Roll all your clothes, it really does help. But DON'T pack any underwear, socks, hankerchiefs, etc. Then after you've finished packing, zip up your suitcase, pick it up by the handles and drop it on the floor about five times. Then unzip it, keeping it as it was, and you'll have anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of room at the top of the suitcase to put the the small stuff in.
I personally recommend this only if you don't plan to carry your suitcase around very much, as you can get a LOT in with this method and it can jack up the suitcase weight by anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds (seriously!).
by Erika @ 01/09/2005 12:10 am • Permalink •
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I am a very experienced unpretentious traveler, but I still always carry too much clothes because I´m always trying to be flexibly prepared for most circumstances.. I have managed too ditch the concept that I may suddenly be the guest at some super formal venue or ocassion, but trying to outguess the weather is a continual losing mental battle resulting in waaay too much "just in case alternatives". My best tip is to divide your trip things into 3 catagories: 1. Money passports, health documents, credit cards and TICKETS, I carry these on my body because they are essential to comfortable survival and continued travel, almost anything else can be replaced somehow. I may leave the bulk of these items in a hotel safety box if I am stationary for a while and the "hotel" is relatively secure. In the "old days" I used too sleep with these things at the bottom of my sleeping bag. I always know where these things are at. 2. Carry on luggage (daypack) essential and important things that I would prefer not too loose even if the rest of my luggage is being sold in the bazaars of the Khyber Pass, ie. my camera, exposed and unexposed film, super thick (at least 2) relaxed reading books, notebook (w/adresses etc.), FLASHLIGHT,, posibly a good guidebook, medicines prescription and otherwise, I may on occasion have things like toothbrush and hair brush also but these things take up room and are easily replaceable, Sometimes though a roll of toilet paper can be very essential, but not (hopefully) on the flight home. This bag contains the things I most need for during actual travel (sometimes a !/2 bottle of brandy or some such for local moral/shopping situations, sundown relaxtion or bungalow convenience) and the things I would most like to return home with, I keep a good grip on this but it gets lightened depending on wether I have a temporary "secure" homebase or not. 3. Actual luggage whith clothes (and such no-nos as tools and knives) which I feel would enhance my stay in foriegn climes but if rerouted around the world or should i magically disappear could be replaced, luckily I`m not a stylish person so strange native apperell substitutes though disconcerting would not be traumatizing.
by john(jc.) @ 01/09/2005 6:09 am • Permalink •
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The things I always do are :
A) pack at least one change of clothes in my carry-on bag. That way should my main luggage take (ahem) "an alternative routing" I'm not stuck in the same clothes for 48 hours.
B) rarely (if ever) look at a map while walking along in a city. It marks you as a tourist, and therefore likely to be carrying valuable stuff (camera, passport etc.). If I need to find out where I am/where I'm going, I'll duck into a shop, or cafe.
C) the aforementioned "muggers wallet" is brilliant - you never want to need it, but on the one occasion you do need it, it's great.
I love the idea of backing up your documents - I'd not thought of that either. Cheers for the link!
by Lyle @ 01/09/2005 7:09 am • Permalink •
7
Ice axe, head-to-toe Gore Tex, good boots, Leatherman, personalised first-aid kit, chocolate, thermos, more chocolate, GPS, more chocolate, two pairs of mittens, fingerless gloves if you need to manipulate stuff, goggles, shades, knife and bandana. Admittedly most of this stuff may not be that helpful in the tropics.
Otherwise the muggers wallet and a good first aid kit (include something against diarrhea).
by Ian @ 01/09/2005 8:09 am • Permalink •
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I put tampons in every bag I take with me, whether my period is due during the stay or not. It's just the one thing I don't like buying in a foreign country and I'm prepared for accidents that may happen.
by Frances @ 01/09/2005 9:09 am • Permalink •
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Great tips everyone! The muggers wallet and strapping wads of cash to your leg might well come in handy. This time I've been fairly sparing with the clothes (one advantage of going to a hot climate), and taken an old Body Shop bottle filled with clothes washing liquid so that I don't stink too badly as a consequence. I've also had to make some hard footwear choices; I'm wearing my leather hiking boots and taking sandals and flip-flops---the trainers have to stay at home.
I have, however, got a lot of equipment, First Aid kit and books to take, so it's a pretty tight fit. And one problem about taking the old Emperor instead of my sleek laptop is that my carry on baggage weighs a tonne. I just hope that they don't weigh it---I'll do that thing where you have it casually slung over one shoulder when you check in, trying to pretend that it weighs a mere couple kilos.
by bsag @ 01/09/2005 9:10 am • Permalink •
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#1 tip is to take your mind off work. That is so key on any vacation that people take.
by James Belize @ 10/02/2008 12:00 am • Permalink •
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