o3.o9.2o18 • useful travel stuff
1. quick drying towel
if you are planning to spend some days at the beach during your journey you should definately bring a towel with you. however as a backpacker your space is limited. so here is the perfect solution: a thin but large towel, easy to fold & very quick drying !! my recommendation: `sea to summit´ towels with micro fibre technology .. they are available in three different sizes & various colors in almost every outdoor & sports shop.
2. mosquito repellent
when travelling through southern countries where there is the risk of malaria or dengue you should always be aware of mosquitos. the best way to protect yourself is to use a repellent spray on skin & clothes. `nobite´ offers very effective & comprehensive protection sprays in practical travel sizes & is easy to use. so if you want to go safe you should bring this with you & as you can see in the photo we use it quite often :))
3. sheet sleeping bag
especially in south east asia it is common to go by train. it is faster than going by bus & mostly much more comfortable. when going by train you can choose between travelling during day to enjoy the view or during night to save money for the stay in a hostel. if you decide to go by night train you should book a sleeper so you get a small bed in a cabin with 4 (vip sleeper) or 6 (2nd class) people. by the way i would recommend booking the vip sleeper :)) anyway you should make use of a cotton or silk sheet sleeping bag in order to avoid contact with the old & grubby blankets !!
4. money belt
my neighbour who travelled a lot in the past gave it to me before i went off to south america .. since then i always have worn it on my journeys. the money belt is more than just a normal belt .. it`s a secret place to keep your money safe. there`s a small zipper on the inside where you can store important papers, money or tickets. you should always be careful when travelling !!
5. belt pocket
it is important to hide important documents like your passport, credit card, insurance paper etc. in a safe place. if there`s no safe in your room the best option is to carry them with you. the belt pocket can be fixed on your belt and hidden on the inside of your trousers. so in contrary to a belly pocket you can`t see it which means more security for you & your stuff. however don`t forget to take it off before washing your trousers !!
6. backpack lockers
always lock your backpacks !! especially when going by plane, train or bus you can not always look after your baggage as it is mostly stored externally. so if you want to avoid robbery lock the zippers of your backpack. furthermore i recommend that you put over the rain cover so your bag won`t get dirty. even your daypack should be locked during city walks !!
7. reusable cutlery
if you like to eat fresh fruits at the beach you will need a knife. if you like to spoon out the half of a watermelon you will need a spoon. and if you want to eat anything without having to use the chopsticks you will need a fork. reason enough to bring some plastic or aluminium cutlery with you .. just in case :))
8. toilet paper
no joke. in most of the toilets in southern countries you won`t find any toilet paper. sometimes you can buy 4 to 5 slices of paper in front of the toilet for about 1 $ .. they know how to make money :)) however i think the easiest way is to bring a role of toilet paper with you. furthermore i would take some disinfection solution with me .. just to keep it hygienic.
9. washing powder
when travelling for several months you will have to wash your clothes a few times. i would recommend to bring some washing powder to clean stuff like underwear, bikinis or towels in the sink .. the easiest way though is to take your clothes to a laundry. most of the hostels offer a laundry service but often the laundries in the cities are cheaper !! but be careful ..check for missing pieces when you pick up your stuff .. there might be something missing.
