Travel tips
If you travel light it can be difficult keeping your clothes fresh, especially in hot climates. Here are some tips to make life easier for you, fresher for your nose and better for your clothes.
Washing your own clothes
When traveling light, washing a few clothes everyday is the best way to stay on top of it.
- When you have a shower, wash the clothes you are wearing. Hang them straight up to dry. In hot climates you get through more clothes, but they dry quicker.
- Soaking clothes for a few minutes in soapy water is better than thrashing clothes hard for 10 seconds. Soaking removes more smells and makes clothes last longer.
- Take the clothes to be washed in to the shower with you. Get them wet, apply the soap all over, then leave to soak in a ball whilst you shower. After a few minutes rub the clothes reasonable well and then rinse.
- Buy a small tube of travel washing gel. Or use soap or shower gel as these freshen clothes well.
- Only wash clothes when you can dry them. Don't was a load the day before a long trip and leave them in your backpack all day. If you have to then keep the wets clothes in plastic bag and dry as soon as you get to your next bed.
- Carry a washing line in your backpack, you'll rarely find one in budget or simple accommodation.
- Once in a while take all of the clothes you are not wearing to a laundry and pay someone to cleans your clothes nicely. Most will get them back to you by the end of the day. In Asia especially, it will be cheap and your clothes will be better for it.
Pay someone else
In somewhere like Asia it doesn't cost much to have someone wash your clothes for you. This is a good option if you have quite a lot of clothes, or a group all chip in. In India laundry is done aggresively, but very clean, so hand wash anything delicate.
Long haul flights on Boeing 747, and similar aircraft, are unique. These tips will help make the long journey easier.
747s tend to operate on journeys of 5 to 16 hours, which is a long time. They hold typically 400+ passengers in economy, business and first class.
On board entertainment
Modern 747-400 series aircraft, used by the top airlines, offer incredible on board entertainment. On-demand systems beam the movie, TV program or music of your choice to your personal screen and headphones. This makes the journey pass much more quickly.
In flight meals
Most flights include at least 1 hot meal. Flights longer than 5 hours will include more meals, drinks and snacks.
Extras pack
Quality operators will provide you with an extras pack which includes items to make the journey more pleasant. These include:
- a blanket
- a pillow
- an eye mask
- toothbrush and toothpaste
- headphones for the entertainment system
- a pair of socks
Business class upgrades
If the flight is full booked, and there are more economy passengers than seats the crew will normally move people from economy class to business class. This normally happens when checking-in. If you want to try for a free upgrade just ask. You will need to be relatively smartly dressed, with shoes, no shorts and preferably a shirt.
Best seats in the house
The best place to sit is typically near the front of the aircraft. You will be served your meals first, and the ride is typically more comfortable. The closer to the wings you are, the nosier the journey.
Most modern travelers like to get online and catchup with home and what's going on in the world. In just about every country you will find Internet access stores, cafes or shacks. They vary greatly and it's worth looking around. Here are some tips to get the most from your money, avoid pulling your hair out, and prevent losing your precious photos:
- Morning time is best - Almost everywhere gets busier as the day goes on, so visit early in the day to get a comfy seat and the best possible speeds.
- Do it yourself - If you want to upload camera photos, use a USB stick, etc, and are confident in what you are doing, insist you do it yourself. Many Internet access place staff are employees with no real knowledge of computers. People have lost photos because of silly mistakes before.
- Make sure it works - Don't put up with a keyboard with keys that don't work, or a mouse that has a mind of it's own. Tell the staff it doesn't work. This will prompt them to (eventually) fix it.
- Got you own laptop? - If you have your own laptop look out for cafes offering free WiFi. A cup of coffee can be stretched to an hour, and will cost you about the same as an hours Internet access. Some bigger Internet access places have zones for laptops, with a power socket and a network cable you can plug in.
What to take, what not to take? When going on a long backpacking trip it is difficult to choose what to take. You want to travel light, but you want a few luxuries as well. I'll explain how you can carry less, but still have more with my suggested kit list .
Suggested backpacking kit list
Here are the essentials for backpacking light
- Travel pack - I'd suggest a modern travel pack, rather than a traditional backpack, as these zip open like a suitcase allow easy access to your stuff. Get one with a clip-on day pack to make life easy. 60 liters is enough for traveling light. Read more about travel packs and backpacks.
- Day pack - Get
a strong pack that will carry everything you need for a day out. 15 or
20 liters is normally enough. Buy one with a travel pack to make life
easy. Keep in it:
- Sunscreen - for the sun
- Insect repellant - for insects
- Camera - for photos
- Notebook - in case you need to jot down something important
- A little local currency - in case you find something unexpected
- Wash bag - A small waterproof wash bag. Fill it
with:
- Soap - it's easy to carry than shower gel. You can also use soap to wash clothes.
- Flannel - a small piece of clothe to wash yourself with when the showers don't work or there is no not water. Put your soap inside the flannel to keep the inside of you wash bag clean.
- Deodorant, toothbrush, toothpaste and all the normal stuff. Don't forget sun screen though.
- Clothes - if you wash them regularly you really don't
need many
- 1 pair of trousers - lightweight trousers for hot countries(south Asia), 2 pairs if wearing them everyday in cooler environments (e.g. Europe in winter)
- 1 pair of shorts - 2 pairs for hot places, don't bother for cold places.
- 2 t-shirts - for casual dress
- 1 long sleeved shirt - for smart dress, visiting temples and covering up from the sun
- 4 sets of underwear, just in case you can't wash them everyday. Just 1 pair of socks for hot climates.
- Jumper or fleece - even in hot climates there are cool evenings.
- Rain coat - thin storable item for hot climates, something warmer for cold places.
- Footwear
- 1 pair of shoes - a comfortable pair with grippy souls for long walks. Even in hot climates shoes are useful for trekking, cycling and cities.
- 1 pair of sandals - flip flips or strap on sandals for hot climates
- Double bed sheet and a pillow case - much budget accommodation has less than great bedding. The pillow case doubles as a pillow if you fill it with clothes.
- Towel - travel towels are compact and dry quickly, but you only need a small or medium size.
- Guide books - get a good guide book for every country you visit.
- First aid kit - essential for any trip
- Penknife - for picnics, opening tins and bottles and for making repairs.
- Torch - for dark alleys, power cuts and huts on the beach. Head torches are a good option.
- Candle and lighter - in developing countries power cuts are common.
- Toilet paper - the majority of the worlds population do not use it.
- Notebook and pen - for important information and filling in visa forms.
- Padlocks - for you backpack zips, hotel rooms and lockers. Combination locks are generally better as you can't loose the keys. Also good for couples as no keys are required.
Hot climates
- Mosquito net - if there is a risk and you are staying in budget accommodation.
- Swimming gear - something to go swimming in.
Cold climates
- Sleeping bag - provided bedding is often not enough
Luxury items
A few luxury items can make a big difference
- Knife, fork and spoon set - for picnics and when cutlery is not customary.
- Small plastic cup - for the hotel room or a day.
- Camera - a digital compact camera is the best option for most.
- iPod or MP3 player - fill it with music before you leave home. Make sure you can charge it. Useful for storing photos.
- Travel speaker - for sharing your music with others.
- Book - for long bus rides or lazing in the sun
- Washing line - for drying your washing in budget accommodation.
- Power adapter - if you have any mains powered items. It's normally better to buy locally, especially in Asia.
- Inflatable pillow - for long bus journeys.
Solar showers are popular in Asia and other parts of the world. In areas where gas and electricity are unavailable or irregular, solar showers are used to ensure a supply of warm water.
Solar showers are much better for the environment as they are utilizing a renewable energy source. The downside is that it normally takes a couple of hours of direct sunshine for the water system to warm enough to take a comfortable shower.
Solar showers are generally used in southern and south eastern Asia, where the daily hours of sunshine are roughly the same everyday, with the sun rising at 7am and setting at 6pm. For a warm comfortable shower one generally has to wait until 10am as before this the water can be cold. Most hotels and guesthouses using solar showers have a hot water storage system, so there is often warm water several hours after the sun has set.
Solar water heating systems are becoming more popular in the west and more developed parts of the world. Partly to address energy consumption, and also to save money.
I hope over the next 10 years the majority of the world will be using solar energy to heat water. The sun is a wonderful energy resource and I think it has much more potential to provide us with heat and electricity.
Stomach upsets, often called Delhi Belly, are a common problem travelers suffer,
particularly in developing countries. This is primarily because of food
hygiene standards, such as cooks and waiters not washing their hands. Some
stomach problems also come about when we change to a new diet, but this eases
with time.
Its normal when you start a trip to have a few tummy troubles, especially if visiting somewhere like India. Take it slowly with the spicy food, and within a few weeks your body should be able to cope with anything.
Stomach troubles and intestine problems can range from simple diarrhea to extreme stomach pains, vomiting and diarrhea. Here are some tips on what to do if you do get unwell, and tips on how to avoid the problems in the first place.
How to deal with stomach problems when traveling
If you get unwell you probably have bacteria in your system. Your body will try and get rid of the bacteria as quick as possible. These tips will help.
- Rest - stay in bed, do very little. Re-hydration is one of the most important factors, so get lots of water and fruit juice from a reliable source.
- Go with the flow - if your body wants to flush itself out then let it happen. Imodium and similar drugs just bung you up. Only take them if you have to travel, otherwise just keep visiting the toilet.
- Keep eating - even though you might not be able to face food, you need to eat something. The best thing to eat is plain boiled rice, bananas and lassi drinks. Rice and bananas are easily digestible and full of energy. Lassi drinks are made from yogurt or curd which contain natural antibiotics. These antibiotics will fight the problems in your stomach and intestines. Stick to this plain diet and avoid spicy foods for a few days after you get back to normal, .
- Get antibiotics - if the problems remain after a few days go to a pharmacist and ask for antibiotics. These will fight the bacteria in your system. The antimalarial drug Doxycycline is a strong antibiotic (thats how it fights malaria) so keep taking these, but not on an empty stomach, so eat rice and bananas first.
- Wash you hands regularly - its surprising how you can introduce bacteria to the body without knowing.
How to avoid stomach problems when traveling
Its much better to avoid stomach problems than to deal with them. Here are some tips that should help.
- Drink a lassi a day - lassi drinks contain natural yogurt or curd which contain antibiotics. Drink one a day, at lunch time, to build up your antibiotics. Don't drink too many as they can bung you up.
- Avoid tap water - only drink bottled water - check it is sealed as many people refill bottles from the tap and resell them. Or drink water from a safe source,such as a safe refilling point which are more common in Asia now. When buying bottled water check the seal in the shop. It is been opened demand a replacement. If you later find the bottom has been opened tip the water away.
- Wash you hands regularly - and especially before meals. It's surprising how you can introduce bacteria to the body without knowing.
- Avoid street food vendors - I know the temptation is too much to resist, but the most likely place to be served contaminated food is at street stalls. I eat at street stalls though, but only from those that have clean utensils, show some hygiene levels, and particularly those where locals eat. If women with children buy from a street stall that's the best recommendation you can get.
- Check restaurant kitchens - Its fairly easy to gauge a restaurants food hygiene from the waiters actions and the conditions of the kitchens. If you are not sure about a place don't eat there. You can always ask to see the kitchen. If you think thats a bit forward order a drink only and then try and get a look at the kitchen on the way to the toilet. In the toilet check for hand washing facilities. If there aren't any where are the staff washing their hands? Time to pass on the food.
- Avoid too much spice - eating too much spicy food can upset your stomach and cause different problems. Take things slowly at the start of the trip, and build up to that all Indian diet.
Don't get put off from traveling because of these problems. They are rare, and as your trip goes on they will ease.
Many people consider females travlers to be at the most risk from problems. Whilst this might be true, the male traveler also has a few problems to deal with. Here are my tips for male travelers.
Traveling alone has advantages and disadvantages. Whilst you can see and do more things more quickly, you are often a greater target for thieves. It can often be more expensive when traveling on your own. My tips will help make you safer, happies and you'll spend less!
Know a little can help a lot when you are traveling. Here are my travel tips to make your trips easier, less stressful and more fun.
