Before you leave for going travelling, it is essential that you pack the items you will undoubtedly be needing; some that you will use every day without fail and those that you may only be able to purchase at home and not while you’re away staying in small remote towns and villages. It’s crucial to take with you items of importance such as the obvious high standard sun cream, but also the less obvious high SPF lip balms. Although you may not have thought about taking such an item, this is the sort of product that may not be accessible once you’re walking from one tribal village to the next in Northern Vietnam, for example. Now, while it is important to pack light, there are some items that you’re going to benefit from packing.
Waterproof Travel Itinerary
Be prepared and make sure that any important documents are in waterproof pouches or small bags, and think about photocopying a copy of your passport and keeping one print out on your person at all times, in the likes of a money belt, and other folded away in a secret compartment in your backpack. A small notebook should suffice to keep a detailed list of travel plans throughout. It’s important to think ahead and sort the plans for the smoothest journey possible. If you’re travelling in Europe and through Italy on interrail passages for example, and wish to make the start of your journey easier, then prepare early and book an airport transfer in Rome and be dropped off at the place you’re staying so you can relieve yourself of your heavy backpack. Again, prepare in advance, and have the details on airport transfers, train times and a daily budget listed down safely.
Eye Mask And Earplugs
An eye mask and earplugs will come in handy during the times you’re trying to wind down and sleep upon the plane, in noisy hostels and at times when you want to have a nap on the beach or by the pool. These two items may be small, compact and lightweight, however, the weight of their value will be incomparable when you’re exhausted and in need of an early night in preparation for an early morning flight, for instance.
Lip Balm And Sun cream
As aforementioned, you will need to take with you sun cream and lip balm with a high SPF, and if you’re relying on picking this up as you backpack around, then make sure you research the health and safety regulations in different countries, and determine whether the standard of such products drastically fluctuates from country to country. There are often chemists dotted about centrally in towns however you quite likely won’t always be within reach of one, so put the health of your skin first and do your very best to keep it safe from the sun.
First Aid Kit
This could be your saving grace if you’re hit with an illness while backpacking through the foreign plains of Peru or when staying with nomads in Mongolia, for example. Know exactly what the essentials for packing an extensive first aid kit entails and travel assured that you have the medicines in your backpack should you or others need them.