Packing Tips:

onlinepreetu

For a perfect Trip it is necessary that you take along with you JUST what you need and what most of us do is taking way more then what is basically required and this results in unnecessary dragging and stress. The thump rule of backpacking should be avoiding this statement “JUST ONE THING MORE” or which may otherwise become a real pain and one thing which should always be kept in mind is “IF IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL DON’T BRING IT”: according to me one should pay more attention towards:



1) Whether the passport is valid
2) Whether all your vaccinations are done
3) Working credit card and travelers cheques is with you or not
4) Whether you have all the medication you need with you or not

what say guys...

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TimMakins

Choosing what to take and what to leave behind is a fascinating work of research, that I have been slowly perfecting over the years. Deciding what is an essential, like your passport and money, is easy enough. Debating the sub-essentials, like mosquito net or torch, takes a little longer. Then there are always items that, although not essential, will make your trip easier or more enjoyable, and might therefore be taken along if only for those reasons, but of course you are the one who has to carry them, so only you can make that decision.

I would encourage everyone to adopt a fluid packing-list, one that changes as the trip progresses. You can specifically take items that you intend to discard along the way - for instance, a Westerner can bring plenty of toilet paper (the comfortable sort, not available in India). as it gets used up, the space in your bag can be replaced with souvenirs. Similarly, make a concious effort to leave behind worn clothes, shoes, toiletries, towel, etc. before the final flight home. This will give you much more space for packing items you have purchased.

If you want to cut things right down to the quick, you could follow the example of holy-man or sanyasin, with their staff, blanket, and begging-bowl. And its not just the people of the Orient - I was once travelling in the far north of Norway and met a girl who was spending a couple of months seeing Europe. She had a small rucksack - inside it were a jersey and a toothbrush!!

People who wish to take slightly more than that might be interested in my own Packing List, complete with comments:

http://www.mapability.com/travel/pack.html

Tim in Ireland

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LauraMC

Great list Tim! There are a few things I would modify:
I would differ on is sandals. I have a pair of birks on right now at work and I can smell them. Thats not so good when you're travelling and sweating profusely. I would recommend a pair of Chaco-type sandals which have the thin webbing rather than Tevas which have a lot of webbing and velcro which traps moisture and smell. Plus with Chacos you can wear them in the water.

With Immodium - get the quick dissolve. That advice was specifically given to me. With regular immodium, sometimes your stomach upset may be so severe that the tablet wont stay down long enough for it to be dissolved.

I would also add these motion sickness bracelets. They work on your pressure points and look like little half spheres. I get pretty nauseous on planes and bus rides and I swear by these. Gravol or anti-nausea pills make me drowsy.

shineface

another question about what to bring to India. I'm checking out other India travel forum websites (in Korean language) and everyone in this side of the world says backpackers absolutely can't do without sleeping bags in India because of the mosquitoes and bedbugs...hmm...am wondering whether this is a universal truth. If I don't want to lug around a big fat sleeping bag, does that mean I should plan to stay in "mid range" accommodations? thanks for your help.

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LauraMC

Depends where you're going in India and what time of year. I went in January last year and stuck to southern India and found Delhi a bit chilly at about 10 degrees. Most hotels will provide blankets though they're a bit dingy. I only brought a silk sleep sheet with me and I was fine the whole trip. If you're going to places that arn't as cold, I would stick with a sleep sheet (silk preferably as its lighter, more compact and a nice comfort to have even when you're staying in budget hotels) and then just layer up with microfibre clothing and some socks. If you're trekking outdoors... try to invest in a down sleeping bag thats rated to 0C and can compress to the size of (a big fat) loaf of bread. The ones I'm thinking of are light and easily compressible. Synthetic fill is heavier and not as compressible. The only thing with that is they're usually more expensive and you would be less willing to leave that behind to make room for souvenirs.

LauraMC

Sorry. didn't fully read your question before replying. I stayed in budget accomodation (which to me was between 300-500 rupees a night travelling solo). They are a bit grungier than mid-range but just use a sleep sheet. If they don't sell good sleep sheets in Korea, sew one together out of light weight cotton. Make sure that you sew a flap on the underside of the sleep sheet to fit the hotel's pillow (so the pillow and potential bedbugs don't come in contact with you when sleeping) and make sure your bedsheet cover comes up at least to your chin. If you make one out of old sheets, you can throw it away when you're done.

Nick-H

You should be fine in mid-range-plus accomodation.

And remember that here in the south sleaping bag would be far too hot.

Some people use a sleeping bag liner, or even get one made here from silk.

Only a net protects you from mosquitoes.

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shineface

ok..sounds like I think something to sleep on/in. i was thinking of travelling superlight--as in just take a few shirts, my camera kinda thing for a 7-week-look-around-nothern-india. how much are we talking about when we say a "mid-range plus" hotel?

TimMakins

[attempt at Korean greeting]An-nyong-ha-say-yo[/attempt at Korean greeting]

Well, taking a silk sleeping bag liner won't fill much of your bag - they are very small and light. I bought mine online here: http://jagbags.co.nz/products.htm and was very pleased with the quality and durability of construction.

Hotel costs - Well, speaking as an ex- major guidebook researcher, I would say there is really no answer to this. In India you can pay anything from 1-500 US dollars a night, and the standard varies in every range. I have seen excellent hotels and guesthouses for 5 dollars a night, and terrible ones for 200. Just looking at the outside of the hotel, and the reception area is usually an accurate representation of what the rest of the hotel, and the bedroom will be like. If you are happy with that, go and look at the room. Note that discounts are often available if you ask. Better still if you can think of a good reason.

Doh-man-nah-yo.

Tim in Ireland