Backpacker Q&A
What to pack in your backpack
Packing is always a huge challenge when travelling. You don’t want to over-pack, but how can you be sure you’re not forgetting that one little something that it’s impossible to buy at your destination? Well, this months backpacker Q&A session has been completely devoted to our stacks of inquiries about what really are the essentials when travelling.
Q. I’m going on an extensive 6-month tour of SE Asia and I’m looking to keep my budget to a minimum. Therefore I’m trying to pack as much as I can so that I don’t have to spend anything while there. Any tips?
A. Well, over-packing on a long-haul trip is worse than packing enough for two weeks when you’re only going over night. So the first thing you need to do is drop your more is less mentality, you’re not saving yourself anything by doing this. It’s only giving you more to lose, forget, fuss-over and curse at while you’re on the road that much longer.
Next, depending on when you’re going you’re going to want to have very loose, easy breathing clothes. If you come from a colder climate originally you’re less likely to have these sort of items. But rather than going out and buying them at home, it’s better to just wait, pack, extremely light and then buy what you need when you get there. Even on tourist heavy Kohsan Road you’re going to be spending next to nothing.
Next bit, toiletries. Incase you have yet to be informed, you’re going to be encountering squat toilets and almost nothing but squat toilets for the next six months. Should you require further elaboration, a squat toilet is a hole in the ground that you squat over and once you’re done you clean yourself with the bucket of water that is at your feet. There is not flush, there is no toilet paper, there is no sink to wash with afterwards. And until you get used to it, it’s pretty difficult just to remain upright when you’re doing this. So unless you’re prepared to immerse yourself fully, you’re going to want to bring some toilet paper with you everywhere. Especially if you’re leaving the major sites as it gets that much harder to find somewhere to restock.
Q. I heard from a friend that when she came home from her last trip, she was made to throw our most of the souveniers she’d brought home with her. What’s that all about and what can you do about it?
A. It’s true, it’s illegal to bring certain foreign items into countries. Each country has it’s own set of rules and regulations. In the instance of Australia, each state has it’s own set of rules. The reason behind this is to protect to local flora and fauna from being damaged or destroyed from the foreign or alien species. Therefore it is advisable to check with your own home office before leaving to understand what you can and can’t bring home with you. Generally speaking any fruits, vegetables, animals or minerals which are completely foreign to your homeland will be a danger to your society and so they are better left at home.
