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Tag: backpacking

  • What to Take Backpacking

    What to Take Backpacking

    So you’ve decided to take a trip backpacking. This is quite the adventure and you are going to have to be well prepared for such a time away from home and in the wilderness. You are going to want to make sure that you have covered all of your bases so that you will have the most easy and worry-free trip. The important thing to remember is to plan well and then follow the plan.

    Creating a good list is your first step. Think about where it is that you are going and what it is that you are going to need while backpacking. Are you going hiking? Are you staying overnight? Are you going with friends and sharing the burden of the food preparation? Knowing the general sweeps of your itinerary is a really good start, and then following this general formula will ensure success.

    1. Outdoor gear: Will you be sleeping in a tent and will you be needing warmer clothing for cooler weather? These considerations will be very important in order to ensure that you will have everything you need.

    2. Indoor gear: Will you be spending time indoors? You may need to pack lighter clothing for times that will be spent indoors or in restaurants along the way.

    3. Swimming gear: Will there be lakes or rivers along your route? If so, you will need to make sure that you are bringing a bathing suit and towel.

    4. Technical gear: Are you responsible for bringing a tent or for bringing a sleeping bag and mattress? If you are, you will have to be sure to pack that (if you are backpacking, be sure that it is compact).

    5. Food: Are you bringing food with you or eating along the way? Will you need to bring a stove to cook your food or will you need to bring materials to start and keep a fire going? These are all things to consider.

    Whatever your trip is, be sure to know exactly where it is that you are going, what kind of weather is expected, what your friends are bringing, what kind of terrain is expected and where you will be staying. Knowing these things in advance will help you to pack well and be efficient with your use of space.

    A last consideration is to remember that sharing space with your friends is essential. You need to communicate with them so that you don’t end up all bringing the same thing. If you need to bring a stove, one person should bring it – not everyone. If you need to bring pillows, you may need to decide that you will bring only one or two pillows and share them, alternating people who get the pillow each night to save space in your backpack. If you are bringing food, make sure that you have discussed who is bringing what and that you have enough for each day and night. Planning and communication with your fellow backpackers will be your keys to success.

    Above all, enjoy your trip and stay safe!

  • Travel by Backpack!

    Travel by Backpack!

    A friend of mine was going on her first backpacking trip and needed some advice about what to bring. I looked in her backpack and the first thing I found were fake eyelashes. Those definitely wouldn’t be going! Then we looked through her ten-pound bathroom bag and I told her to make some decisions. Did she really need two types of shampoo or three half-bottles of sunscreen? Some things had to stay behind.

    Not everyone is as bad a packer as my friend, but it can be tough to know what to take on a backpacking trip. Taking too much will give you back problems, but leaving something out might get you stuck on the beach in hiking boots. Finding the right balance in your luggage is a matter of sticking to the necessities and knowing what you can find on your travels.

    Stick to the necessities.
    Good shoes are crucial. You’ll be traveling with lots of weight and you don’t want to get so sore you can’t walk by day three. A good pair of running shoes is usually your best bet. Hiking boots get really hot and they’re heavy to carry when you’re not wearing them. Also, most backpacking journeys have some resting time on the beach, so take some flip flops.

    Weather is unpredictable all over, so be sure to have warm and cool clothes. But don’t take much! Three or four t-shirts is enough. If you’re going somewhere hot, you won’t need more than one pair of pants along with your shorts. A sweatshirt or a light jacket is a necessity even in hot countries, and a bathing suit might prove useful even in cold places. Top it off with a few pairs of underwear and some socks, and you’re all set for clothes!

    Next, you need some bathroom supplies. Hostels might not have everything, so you should have the basics: toothpaste, a toothbrush, soap, shampoo and a towel. Sunscreen, bug spray and aloe for sunburns are good ideas, too.

    When in doubt, take less.
    Whether you’re in Brazil, Croatia or England, you can buy toothpaste or an extra pair of socks. Some people actually prefer to buy their clothes on the trip, since they can be much cheaper than they are at home. Also, never forget that where there are travelers, there are laundromats. If you only have four changes of clothes, that doesn’t mean you have to wear the same underwear for three weeks. There will be opportunities to wash them.

    Have money ready.
    You never want to carry around enough cash for your entire trip. You should have a debit card and ideally a credit card, too. These days, you can find ATM’s in pretty much any big city in the world. There are times when your debit card might not work or the bank listed in Lonely Planet isn’t there anymore. In those cases, American money never fails. Virtually anywhere you go in the world, people will take U.S. dollars.

    So keep things light, have some U.S. cash and a debit card and you’ll figure out the rest. If your clothes get a little muddy, that’s all part of the adventure.

    And of course, don’t forget your passport!