Through November 2006 until August 2007 I solo backpacked through India, Nepal, Thailand, Burma, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. Before I left I extensively researched which items I should take and, more importantly, what I could get by without. I wanted to be as mobile as possible and so took only a basic 33 litre pack. In retrospect this was a very good idea. When you’re trying to squeeze yourself onto a rammed bus in India you will love the fact the your pack will fit under your legs. I genuinely found that I wanted for nothing that I could not easily pick up, usually for much less that I would have paid in the UK. However, there are of course a few things that I would change for when I travel again.
It is important to research the climate for your destination and pack clothes appropriately. There is nothing worse than not sleeping because you’re cold! Planning this is more difficult than it sounds because the elevation of the area also has a significant effect on the temperature. Even warm climates have cold areas. My classic example is in South India where in Cochin at sea level the temperature was well above 30C but a mere day’s bus ride up to Munnar (1600m) in the Nilgiri mountains and it had plummeted 10 degrees. Out of sunlight hours that can become as cold as 5-10C which is easily enough to give you a bad night’s sleep if you’re not prepared. My solution to this occasional situation was to buy a THIN and cheap blanket. Surprisingly it is more than enough to keep you warm at night and is so cheap as to be virtually disposable. I paid Rs. 250 (£3) for my blanket and it was an absolute lifesaver.
It’s vitally important to remember that in Asia clothing is really, really cheap. If you’re a budget traveller (and most of us are!) then you can save a good bit of cash by buying your clothes out there. Nepal is a fine example. If you’re going trekking in Nepal and need to purchase trekking gear then do it in Kathmandu. The tourist centre of Thamel houses a multitude of trekking shops selling mostly cheap but reasonable quality knock-offs of brand name trekking gear. If you’re a budget backpacker and you need kit this is the place to get it. There are a few things I wouldn’t buy there; a long-term purchase like a pack or gortex jacket for example but hats, gloves, thermals etc. are great buys… especially if you haggle! India and South East Asia are also great for cheap clothing purchases. Almost always cheaper than the UK (unless you buy £3 t-shirts from H&M like me!)
Clothing
- 2 x t-shirts (You can buy these INFINITELY cheaper than in the West)
- 2 x vest tops (As above but also very compact)
- 2 x trousers (1 warm pair with moisture wicking for trekking and cold areas, 1 pair VERY thin cotton for hot climates)
- A pair of shorts. (Thin, Thin, THIN! Forget your thick stylish-at-home winkle pickers. You’ll regret them in the heat.)
- A short sleeved shirt (Smartish in case I need to look presentable at any point)
- A long sleeved shirt (Thin cotton to keep the sun off without getting too hot)
- Swimming shorts
- A fleece (Waterproof, windproof and breathable – Absolutely ESSENTIAL in all climates – Get a string tie bag and use as a pillow.)
- 4 x Underpants (Moisture wicking is good as are very thin lycra or similar in the heat.)
- 4 pairs of socks (I ended up ruining every pair)
- Sandals (Buy in Asia. I made a $2 pair of flip-flops last 5 months.)
- Trekking Shoes (Do take sturdy boots if you’re trekking a lot. My trail runners got absolutely WRECKED.)
Day Pack
- Country Guide (Footprint or Let’s Go HIGHLY recommended)
- Digital Camera + spare battery
- iPod (Bring the cable and charger – Leave some space on it for backing up your camera photos)
- Mini Compass (Lifesaver when you arrive confused in a new place)
- Anti-bacterial Hand Hygiene Gel (Awesome stuff)
- Insect Repellent
- Small supply of pills (Diarrhoea, sleeping, anti-malarial, paracetamol)
- Mini post it markers for marking the guide
- Earplugs (Get latex ones that completely block out the sound. These are lifesavers)
- Travel Documents (Flight tickets, passport, vaccination records, another $50, insurance docs, etc.)
- Journal / Notebook
Main Pack
- Clothing from above list minus what I’m wearing onto the flight.
- Large Trek Towel (Really compact, light and all-round well worth the expense)
- Silk sleep sack
- Medical kit (See below)
- Wash bag (See below)
- Additional pills
- Sewing kit
- Deck of cards
- Chargers and cables for iPod and camera
- Worldwide mains adapter
- Old toothbrush for cleaning things.
- Mobile phone plus charger (In case of emergency and as an alarm clock/calender.)
- Mini Swiss army knife
- Journal and pen (To log anything interesting so I can write it up on here!)
- A small head torch
- Aquapak camera case (Hmm.. This did save the life of my camera once but you can’t take underwater photos)
- Sunglasses
- Hidden emergency cash (Other account bank card, cheques, £50 traveller’s cheques, $70 USD)
- 2 x elastic bungees (A thousand uses – Washing line, securing pack ontop vehicles, compressing sandals.)
- Combination lock and cable.
- Small padlock
- Roll of toilet paper (Annoyingly takes up too much space…you could learn to use your hand – I did!!)
- A couple of books (You will swap and buy secondhand as you go along)
Medical Kit
- Sticking plasters
- Antiseptic wipes
- Sterile single use scalpel
- Steri-Strips
- Micropore tape
- 2 x Syringes
- Strong painkillers
- Stretch bandage
- Rubber gloves
- Safety Pins
Wash Bag
- Shampoo (Can be used to wash – Just lather it in your hair)
- Moisturiser
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Razor+blades (Use disposables when it runs out)
- Anti-histamine ointment for insect bites
- Deodorant
- Condoms (Bulk pack, obviously)
- Small scrubbing brush (Your feet will get filthy)
Buy When You’re There (as you need)
- Thin, light and cheap blanket – look for what the locals use
- Flip-flops
- Extra layers of warm clothing (except for expensive items like fleeces)
Everything above save my fleece and sandals fits into my Eagle Creek packing cubes and the compactness is pretty impressive. It’s amazing what you can squeeze in when you roll clothes tightly and the cubes interlock into the pack space. I took got one full size cube, two half sizes and one quarter size. That’s enough to fit in everything without cramming!
Tags: Backpacking, Packing, Tips, Travelling
