Alreet!
It's stressful planning your trip, deciding where to go, finding hotels/hostels and arranging all the flights, cars, boats and trains in-between each stop can get overwhelming. But one of the things which we worry about most is packing!
Packing is important, it's the real first step towards your travel dreams. Creating an essential list and actively going out to buy items is a very exciting yet daunting task. Its also important because it's your small piece of homely comfort that you get to lug around with you for days, weeks and sometimes months.
You never want to forget something important and you definitely don't want to over-pack, because you will soon get tired of carrying all that extra weight around, no matter how important you think those "essentials" are.
We've put together a list which is sure to help you remember everything you need for your hot country travels, but hopefully will convince you to pack light!
Clothes:
3-5 Tank tops/T-shirts
2-5 Shorts/Longer lightweight pants
1-2 Skirts/Dresses
7-9 Pairs of underwear
5-7 Pairs of socks
2-3 Bikini/Swimsuit
1-2 Flip-flops
1 Hat
1 Sunglasses
1 Trainers/Walking shoes
1 Sarong (temple cover and for the beach)
Toiletries:
Hanging bag essential for shower rooms in dorms
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, moisturiser and face wash (refillable bottles)
Contact lenses/ glasses repair kit (if applicable)
Razor with extra razor heads
Hairbrush
Toothbrush/toothpaste/toothpicks
Deodorant
Sunscreen/aftersun
Nail clippers
Cotton buds
Baby wipes (essential!)
Lip balm
Birth control (if applicable)
Ibuprofen/paracetamol
Makeup (if you like...we like to be fancy)
Prescription medication
Travel sickness tablets
Hand sanitiser
Travel first aid kit
Feminine hygiene products (if applicable)
Travel Essentials:
Big travel bag (we normally take 65L Bags with us to have room for souvenirs)
Money belts (these are great but make sure to keep them safe)
Camera/camera bag
Tablet/iPad (a must-have for travel bloggers)
Dry bag (stops important items getting wet - think clothes, towel and electronics...)
Water bottle
Flashlight
Travel adaptor
Sleeping bag liner (handy for hostel beds if unkempt)
Small backpack that is safe and secure for day use
Chargers (for tablet, phone and camera)
Things you might not think you need (but you do!):
Travel washing line
Concentrated clothes wash
Plug (for the sink to wash clothes)
Microfibre towel/face cloth
Swiss Army knife (can't tell you how many times this came in handy!)
A padlock (great for dorms to keep your things safe)
Portable battery (great for charging tablets and phones on the move)
Plane Essentials (some of these things are sometimes already provided on long haul flights):
Eye mask
Ear plugs
Headphones
Travel pillow (blow up versions are best for packing light)
A book (blog post coming soon with recommendations!)
A jumper (something warm is a plus when flying, air-con can get cold on planes)
Small toiletries bag (e.g. wet wipes, toothbrush, toothpaste; liquids less than 100ml for airplanes)
Top Tips:
Somethings like mosquito nets, chlorine dioxide tablets and antimalarial tablets are only essential when visiting certain areas so we recommend researching your trip before having to purchase/pack these items.
When wearing money belts we advise keeping them closed at all times, securing them to your body tightly and not storing all your money in one place (sock money is handy).
A backpack is definitely a better option than taking a suitcase as it's easier to transport when travelling.
Take a pen and a travel journal; it's nice to have somewhere to write your thoughts and feelings down. It's also a bonus when you forget small details about your trip and you can open up your journal and remember all the things you've forgotten.
We would advise against wearing any expensive clothing, jewellery and shoes. Things do get trashed when travelling and you will be surprised how tough dirt is to get off clothing when you're washing them in the sink. We would definitely advise against wearing expensive jewellery as it is a target for thieves. Try buying some cheaper items to take with you or buy some jewellery whilst travelling - its nice to keep as a souvenir!
...And of course don't forget the most important items of all!!
Passport, tickets, travel money, cash cards, and insurance.
We wouldn't go on a travelling adventure without insurance because you never know what life has to offer you, and we advise you not to take the risk either.
These are essentials we pack with us when travelling. We try to keep it as light as possible; even this list could be cut down more. I'm sure as time goes by and we travel more, this list will reduce.
After each trip you have the opportunity to unpack at home and see which items you used and which items you didn't; make a note of any changes you would make to your packing - this will come in handy when your next adventure comes around.
Each trip is definitely a learning curve, however this is a list of possibilities to get you started, take with you what you think suits your trip. Remember to research and most importantly, pack light !
Howay, hoyin' oot time.
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