Backpack or suitcase: which one in which situation? What to bring, or not to bring because they sell it there?
In lesser developed countries where the roads may have potholes and be dirt, it is easier to bring a backpack. It can be easier stuffed while traveling. Like under seats, in the luggage storage space under a bus, in the storage rack above you in a train, or bound with ropes onto car roofs without slipping out. When you travel, make sure you put it in a flight bag to prevent it from getting stuck behind something and not make it to your destination. You can also use this as a rain cover, for when you walk around with it in the rain.
When traveling in Europe or the States, you can easily travel with a suitcase on wheels, there will be plenty of opportunity to roll it around without getting stuck in a pothole or two. Just keep in mind that some old hotels (like in London) won’t have an elevator, and just narrow stairs to climb up to your room on the fourth floor.
Suitcase: easier packing and unpacking, everything will stay better in place and not so crumpled.
Backpack: more compact, easier to take with you on all different kinds of roads and up steps.
Day pack
Bring a proper day-pack as well. On several (multi-)day trips you won’t be able to bring your big luggage, just a smaller backpack with the essentials for that trip. You can also use this day-pack for traveling on planes as your hand luggage.
Clothing
Some of the clothing and useful tips may just be applicable to certain countries and certain types of traveling. For a city trip in Europe, you most likely won’t need a torch, since there will definitely be some form of electricity, but in rural Laos you’ll be glad you brought one. Consider taking a torch that you recharge by squeezing or turning a wrench. For a cold weather trip in the States, you will bring more jeans and long pants, and no shorts. But for backpacking in Bali you may have it the other way around.
Just to help yourself pack, it can be useful to just make a list of what you are thinking of bringing. Then you put this list in (or next to) your suitcase or backpack a few days before you leave. This way you can see how much you can bring and perhaps take out of the pack again. Carry your back pack or suitcase around the house and up and down the stairs a bit to see if it is still a comfortable weight to drag around with you during your trip. You’ll know quick enough what you really want to bring and what you can leave at home.
Depending on your destination try not to bring too much stuff you won’t be wearing anyway. Like high heels when exploring jungles or desert. Or those oh-so-cute short shorts to a more conservative country. Or sleeveless tops for a cultural trip where you are planning to visit a lot of religious sites.
A basic back pack can be filled with:
3 t-shirts. When not enough, you can buy more there, really!
2 sleeveless tops. Great for layering or under a sarong dress.
Long sleeve top
Sweater or zip hoodie
Pair of shorts
Long pants, jeans or linen. Know that jeans can be very uncomfortable when you go to a warm country. Imagine putting on some skinny jeans after a warm damp day.
Enough socks and underwear. Once every ten days you should be able to get some washing done. Do this when you spend a few days in the same place, wash the first day – dry by the third day, or even quicker if there is a fan in the room).
Big towel and small towel. There are those special travel towels, so called quick drying and small to fold up. Unfortunately they feel like some window cleaning cloth, and never feel like drying that well. Rather stick to a good old big towel. You can always hang your towel out somewhere in your room, so they’ll be dry before you need to pack again anyway. Also: an older thinner towel will dry quicker than a fluffy new one. So it is ready to be packed when you need to leave. Or try a hammam towel: light, thin, quick drying and you can wear it as a sarong too.
Sarong. With a sarong you can make a fun dress anyway when you need it. You can wear some cute cheap necklace with it, your flip-flops or fold-up ballerina’s, and you’re ready for a party in the jungle. It is also great for overly air conditioned bus, plane or train rides. You can use it as a curtain when sleeping in a dorm room (get the bottom bunk!). You’ll easily cover your shoulders when visiting sacred places, or of course wrap them around as a dress / skirt.
Swim wear
Walking shoes. Whether you bring boots, hiking shoes or running shoes, make sure it is something you can walk on for longer time. Make sure they are comfortable and won’t give you blisters.
Sturdy flip-flops, for walking around but also for showering. Try to find some that won’t break on the first day of wearing them. Also sandals can be very useful, since many of them have a good track on the sole to even go hiking on them. They are easier cleaning after a muddy hike.
Ballerina’s (maybe even fold-up), or light sneakers. Always great for a night out, or when you don’t feel like wearing your bulkier walking shoes.
Really, you don’t need to bring that many clothes: A sink, some washing or shower gel and a line and you’re good for a few days again! There are very handy elastic travel washing lines that you can hook to any bed / window sill. They are twisted so you don’t even need pegs to hang your washing on it.
And if you don’t feel comfortable wearing the same thing over and over, just remember that most people you meet only see you once or twice. So no, you won’t become ‘that girl who only wears the same thing’. And if you do travel with somebody else for some longer time, know that they have the same limited closet that you have. So get over it, and just put on that t-shirt that is the least smelly.
Buy local
On markets in South-East Asia they sell plenty of clothing. Mind the sizes though, a medium in Europe will mean an extra large there. There are funny t-shirts, relaxing pants, scarfs, and cool jewelry that won’t cost you much. You can also have clothes made to size if you have 24 hours to wait for it.
Maaike: in Vietnam I got to pick clothes out of a mail order catalog, picked a fabric and 24 hours later I had two new shirts custom made, for less than 10$). A friend of mine had two great suits tailor-made in Thailand, ready to pick up in 24 hours.
If you like to buy these kind of things, make sure you have enough space in your bag or suitcase to take it with. You can also send it home by mail. Or else you’ll have to give things away (t-shirts you don’t wear, pants you don’t need) to create more space in your luggage. For this reason, make sure you don’t bring all your favorite clothes, in case you need to get rid of some, to make more space for new clothes and souvenirs.
If necessary, you can always post souvenirs, guide books from countries you’ve left and unused things back home, especially when you’re traveling for a longer time.
Useful in your toiletries bag:
First of all, if you haven’t had a leaking shampoo bottle in your bag, you haven’t really traveled…. All joking side, there are a few tricks on how to save space and prevent leaking from your toiletry bag.
– A soap bar shampoo from Lush is very useful. The soap is compact and the shampoo can’t leak in your bag all over your clothes.
– Soap bar body wash from Lush, same story.
You can buy most of your toiletries in your destination country as well. You should beware that in Southeast Asia most of the shampoos are specifically for dark and black hair, as a blonde you may want to think twice before buying one of those.
Maaike: I never dared to buy a local shampoo in Asia, afraid that my hair would end up a vomit-green color. So, a Godiva Lush Bar in a little tin was the way to go for me.
– A stick deodorant will be better than aerosol. Besides the flight risk with the aerosol can, your bag may also be stored on top of a bus or truck in the blazing sun while you are traveling for 6 hours. So yes, rather bring a stick deo. There are even ones with some sort of salt crystals that your can refill with some bottled water and you’re good for another couple of weeks.
– A general face and body cream and maybe some small tube of anti-wrinkle stuff if you can’t go without. You won’t want to be lugging around the usual day cream, night cream, serum, eye gel and the other 8 creams you put on your face daily. When the general cream you bring already has an SPF, it will be very useful too.
– Make-up: trust us, you won’t put on a lot of make up, especially in hot countries. When traveling for a longer time, you’ll see that you probably won’t be putting anything on after a while. It is too much of a hassle putting it on in the morning and taking it off at night. So maybe you could only bring mascara and an eye pencil (maybe a few colors to mix it up), and some concealer if needed. A lip stick (or other stick make up) may melt a bit in the heat, so be careful when wanting to slide some on.
But, most importantly, just bring what you feel comfortable with. When you bring a certain cream, just because it is easier packing, or a certain shampoo that doesn’t leak, but you don’t like the stuff, or it makes your hair frizzy or unruly, rather bring your favorite stuff.
When going on shorter trips, see if your favorite brand has mini’s or travel sizes. Or buy the travel sized containers and put your favorite shampoo and conditioner in those. Rituals has great body wash foam in mini containers that are good for a week of traveling. And you can even use some of it to do a quick undie-wash halfway the week. Remember, you are the one who has to carry your backpack or suitcase most of the time, so don’t put any unnecessary weight in.
Useful things to bring:
– A torch. Preferably a head lamp, since you’ll have two hands free. Just in case the electricity runs out.
– A small first aid kit (see Stay healthy)
– Some tape. For fixing small holes in mosquito nets or your backpack.
– Extra battery (batteries) for your camera. You never know when the battery of your camera runs out, so make sure you have an extra full one to grab when you’re on the go and really want to snap that pic.
– Emergency poncho. Stuff at least one of those in the bottom of your bag, because one day you’ll be so glad you have it with you. Even if it is only to keep your bag and camera equipment dry. When you go to a country where you expect lots of rain or it happens to be rain season, bring a good rain jacket with you. A lot of times rain season will just mean a heavy rain fall between 4 pm and 5 pm, and the rest of the day it is dry.
– Some waterproof bags to keep your valuables dry. Like your passport, insurance information, traveler’s cheques.
– A small tube of travel laundry gel. To do a quick basin wash of some underwear and one t-shirt if you haven’t bumped into a washing machine for a while.
– A few small carabiners (clip in hooks). These can help keeping your valuables connected to you. Before somebody grabs your camera or your wallet, let it be connected to your wrist or your bag.
There are also thin, small cables that you can wire through your bag and attach it to something. For instance, a radiator in the dorm room or a pole in the night train will do. Also close your bag off with a pad lock, to prevent people from being able to easily access it while you sleep. Don’t feel too embarrassed for wanting to keep your own stuff safely with you.
When traveling in South-East Asia it can be useful to bring a pad lock. Some bamboo huts you’ll stay in, will have a possibility to lock it with your own pad lock. Oh, and don’t forget to have the spare keys somewhere with you, just in case you lose the main set.
– A sleeping-linen. This way you’ll always have your own fresh pair of sheets to sleep in (as long as you wash it every once in a while).
– Take something with you to back up your photo’s. Like a small external hard drive. Or download your pictures to an online storage, like a cloud-server. That way you won’t lose your precious memories. Make sure to back up regularly, just in case something happens to your camera or phone.
