What to pack
The cardinal rule for successful travel is: travel light.
Quick navigation: Essential stuff | Very useful stuff | Useful stuff |
Do you really need those hiking boots in Copenhagen? Or those stilettos for a biking trip through Andalucia? Words to the wise:
Essential:
• Passport
• Travel insurance (make sure you take a copy of the policy and all the emergency numbers you might need)
• Travel tickets (make sure you know check-in times and confirm your bookings)
• Inoculations and proof (some countries won’t let you in without the right jabs)
• Money (cash, debit card and traveller’s cheques with cancellation phoneline numbers)
• Credit card (for emergencies only, with cancellation phoneline number)
• Receipts for any pre-bookings you’ve made
• First aid pack (most chemists sell pretty good miniature packs for under £10)
• Guidebook/phrasebook (Lonely Planet are hard to beat for the budget traveller)
• Photocopies of all important documents – invaluable timesavers if you lose the originals
• Prescription medicine (ie. inhalers, insulin, etc. with a doctor’s note identifying what they are)
• Spare glasses/contacts (if you wear them)
Essential depending on where you’re going:
• Visas
• Malaria tablets (you usually need to start taking them three weeks before you go)
Very useful:
• ISIC Student Discount Card (vital for saving you lots of money)
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, loo roll, moisturiser/after-sun, feminine hygiene products
• Medicines: something to stop the runs, anti-bacterial cream; painkillers; anti-histamine cream, rehydration salts, water purification tablets, etc.
• Good luggage (think solid – you don’t want it falling to pieces on you – and lockable)
• Day bag (a small rucksack usually does the trick)
• Travel wallet (a discreet bag that lets you wear money/documents close to your body)
• Sun protection (sunblock, sunglasses - equally vital if you’re going to hot or high places)
• Insect repellent (the best way to avoid getting insect-borne diseases is to not get bitten in the first place)
• Padlock (keep the spare keys in a safe place)
• Swiss army knife (with essential corkscrew and bottle opener)
• Towel (you can now get really good lightweight and super-absorbent travel towels)
• Notebook and pen
• Passport-sized photos (three or four – of yourself!)
• Condoms
• A good all-round multivitamin (to offset lack of sleep, dodgy diet and too much partying)
• Sleeping bag (get the right weight for the climate)
• Calculator (for working out bills, currency conversion)
Useful:
• Camera and film (although film may be cheaper at your final destination)
• Walkman (vital for long journeys, although may attract thieves)
• Books (ditto, minus the thieves)
Clothing: We’re working to bare minimum with this list. You’ll have to make your own adjustment for local climates and customs. Remember, it’s better to layer-up in cold climates than pack lots of bulky coats.
• 3 t–shirts • 1 sweater/sweatshirt or other warm top
• 1 swimming gear • 5 pairs of pants and socks
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of jeans or other “rugged” trousers
• 1 hat (sun stroke is horrible – similarly, you lose 20% of your body heat through your head)
• 1 pair of trainers or other comfortable walking shoes
• 1 pair of sandals or flip flops for hygiene’s sake as much as anything!
Quick navigation: Essential stuff | Very useful stuff | Useful stuff |
Do you really need those hiking boots in Copenhagen? Or those stilettos for a biking trip through Andalucia? Words to the wise:
- research your destination before going
- get some local knowledge by talking to anyone you know who’s gone the same route
- read up on the regional climate – it might be summer, but you
don’t want to arrive in monsoon season
- check weather conditions before heading off by visiting the
Met Office
- check up on local customs – it’s best to avoid offence if you can!
Essential:
• Passport
• Travel insurance (make sure you take a copy of the policy and all the emergency numbers you might need)
• Travel tickets (make sure you know check-in times and confirm your bookings)
• Inoculations and proof (some countries won’t let you in without the right jabs)
• Money (cash, debit card and traveller’s cheques with cancellation phoneline numbers)
• Credit card (for emergencies only, with cancellation phoneline number)
• Receipts for any pre-bookings you’ve made
• First aid pack (most chemists sell pretty good miniature packs for under £10)
• Guidebook/phrasebook (Lonely Planet are hard to beat for the budget traveller)
• Photocopies of all important documents – invaluable timesavers if you lose the originals
• Prescription medicine (ie. inhalers, insulin, etc. with a doctor’s note identifying what they are)
• Spare glasses/contacts (if you wear them)
Essential depending on where you’re going:
• Visas
• Malaria tablets (you usually need to start taking them three weeks before you go)
Very useful:
• ISIC Student Discount Card (vital for saving you lots of money)
• Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, loo roll, moisturiser/after-sun, feminine hygiene products
• Medicines: something to stop the runs, anti-bacterial cream; painkillers; anti-histamine cream, rehydration salts, water purification tablets, etc.
• Good luggage (think solid – you don’t want it falling to pieces on you – and lockable)
• Day bag (a small rucksack usually does the trick)
• Travel wallet (a discreet bag that lets you wear money/documents close to your body)
• Sun protection (sunblock, sunglasses - equally vital if you’re going to hot or high places)
• Insect repellent (the best way to avoid getting insect-borne diseases is to not get bitten in the first place)
• Padlock (keep the spare keys in a safe place)
• Swiss army knife (with essential corkscrew and bottle opener)
• Towel (you can now get really good lightweight and super-absorbent travel towels)
• Notebook and pen
• Passport-sized photos (three or four – of yourself!)
• Condoms
• A good all-round multivitamin (to offset lack of sleep, dodgy diet and too much partying)
• Sleeping bag (get the right weight for the climate)
• Calculator (for working out bills, currency conversion)
Useful:
• Camera and film (although film may be cheaper at your final destination)
• Walkman (vital for long journeys, although may attract thieves)
• Books (ditto, minus the thieves)
Clothing: We’re working to bare minimum with this list. You’ll have to make your own adjustment for local climates and customs. Remember, it’s better to layer-up in cold climates than pack lots of bulky coats.
• 3 t–shirts • 1 sweater/sweatshirt or other warm top
• 1 swimming gear • 5 pairs of pants and socks
• 1 pair of shorts
• 1 pair of jeans or other “rugged” trousers
• 1 hat (sun stroke is horrible – similarly, you lose 20% of your body heat through your head)
• 1 pair of trainers or other comfortable walking shoes
• 1 pair of sandals or flip flops for hygiene’s sake as much as anything!
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