The Vital Things
- Backpack / Luggage
- Clothing
- First Aid/Medical Pouch
- Toiletries Pouch
And Don't Forget:
- Copies of your Important Documents.
- Plastic Zip Bags
- Laundry Pouch
Check-List
Pre-Travel Preparations
You are probably wondering about all of those tiny
pre-travel details nobody seems to have clear answers to. The stuff you
have to do before going and things you’ll have to buy (and not buy)
can disrupt your peace of mind like a pebble in your flip-flop. Trekker
metaphors notwithstanding, pre-travel preparations can be as maddening
as they are exciting. [more
on this]
Backpack Selection & Tips
You will want to select a backpack or “traveler pack” well. A backpack is still the most popular and convenient method of carrying gear since it is the only practical way of carrying your gear around in, lets say, sand. Fortunately, in most places, those of us with backpacks no longer have the "backpack equals hippy" and "hippy equals trouble" connotation we used to have. [more on this]
Travelwear
Don’t concern yourself too much about what clothes you will need to bring, since most of your clothes will wear-out after a few months of traveling and you’ll have to replace them anyway. Wherever you travel to, there will be clothes for you to buy—and usually for a lot less than at home. If, however, you are a difficult person to fit, then select your clothes carefully by shopping at quality gear stores, because finding them abroad may be difficult. Bring lightweight but durable clothes. Light cotton, hemp and linen are good, but denim should be avoided because of its bulk and prolonged drying time. If you are going to a cold, expensive country (like Norway or Japan) in winter, then pack your down jacket. Otherwise, you can get what you need there. [more on this]
Travel Gear (non-office)
I cannot emphasize enough the importance of traveling as light as possible. It is better to start with too little rather than too much, but not so little that you have to forgo comfort. A small—to medium-size pack is all you will need. If you hit cold weather, and you are wearing everything in your pack and it's still not enough, buy some clothes. Below is a sample list from our ebook (Quit Dreaming and Go!) travel gear check-list. (Our sample on-line version of QDG is available for your use at no charge.)