my essentials

beccisworld

I have a few items that I always have in my rucksak. They may sound strange but they have always come in handy for me.

SMALL BAGS. Just one or two to hold small items such as gifts, medicine, underwear, whatever. NOT plastic A) as plastic is bad for the environment and
B)they make too much noise if you are in a dorm room late at night looking for your toothbrush!.

PILLOWCASE. Can be used as a dirty clothes bag, which makes it easier to work out what is clean or not. Or it can be used stuffed with clothes or towel to use as a pillow if the hotel one provided is too small or suspicious looking.

VITAMIN B12. A good mosquito repellant as is marmite I think!. Especially good in places where malaria is present, or just if you react badly to mosquito bites.

TIGER BALM. This stuff is not only wonderful to rub on to your aching back, but also I have used it in Africa where it was so dusty that I got a cold. Wack a dollop of it onto a tissue and sniff to clear the nose. This same method can be used when sitting on a really, stuffy smelly bus or train to keep the nasty smells out. Dont leave home without it.

ONE LAST THING. Try to limit the amount of plastic bottles you use by buying big 5 litre bottles if you are staying in a place for a few days. You will drink the water, and the amount of 1 litre plastic bottles that you can through in say a month in India is astonishing. Think of the environment!.

Hope this list is useful to somebody.. or maybe its just me!.

Aaliya Sultana

And heel/foot balm. Heels get very dry/cracked when in India.

gautam

I must appriciate that fact that u care so much about the environment
If i am not rong ur kind of neat & tidy traveller..is it ???
Adding to ur post...lot of people travel to different parts of the world...so if everyone takes some intiative ...it will really affect the environs..

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"Your thoughts could be your prison"

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Kerela backwaters - by beach

mountainleaders

I think the amount of plastic bottles used by tourists is gigantic. Countries like India and especially Nepal are not equipped to handle this amount of plastic. Here in Belgium we have recycle shops and insinerators to take care of the problem.

The issue to solve would be refill stations ? Or those upside down big water coolers ? You go in with your bottle, fill up and go.

When I go travelling (Nepal), I have an army bottle that I fill with boiled water instead of the plastic bottles. I know, they use fuel or even wood to boil the water, but it is better then the plastic.

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Nepal // Construction // Worldmusic Festival // Trucking

Nick-H

12 Litre can: R50 deposit +R25 for water. Each refill R25
25 Litre can: R100 deposit +R35 for water. Each refill R35

The 25Ltr can has a tap: very easy to use or fill your bottle from. Closest to drinking water on tap without an expensive machine! If you are buying 12Ltr cans, buy a funnel as well. Actually: just buy a funnel!

Obviously neither of these are for trekking or day-or-two-in-each-place touring, but if you are staying long enough even the 12Ltr size will save you a lot of money and shopping. tip your room boy to go out and buy for you.

25Ltr lasts me 7-10 days, and I use it for washing food as well as drinking.

Prices above in Chennai, and vary according to brand. Best to stick to a major brand like Bisleri and do the usual seal checks.

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Just one member of the IndiaMike Mod Team