It would seem that between September and October travelling is at its most popular. Not particularly surprising given the fact that whilst England is beginning to get greyer and greyer by the day - other far-flung countries are coming into that perfect 'holiday' climate. India is not too hot but just finished its monsoon season, South East Asia is wet but again not excruciatingly hot, and Australia is soon to be entering its summer.
Travelling is almost as iconic a student past-time as slacking off studying until the very last possible second and maintaining an unhealthy blood/alcohol level. Gap years are incredibly important in not only the opportunity of seeing new and amazing places, but also in maturity. Many young adults, myself included, have sought great benefits from the individuality and challenges found whilst travelling. It grants new perspectives and a far greater understanding of the world as a whole.
Of course, travelling is not only a student past-time - as many thousands of people of all ages pack up in search for something more than the European beach destination. And, no matter the age, there are some things that are vital for a successful and enjoyable trip.
It is very easy to get lost in the idealistic imaginings of a perfect trip, bouncing from one place to another, with nothing but your own imagination and bank balance holding you back, but the reality is once you have booked your flights, the real organisation happens.
Working at Blacks Outdoor Store it amazes me how often I have served customers as a last minute panic buy, hours before departure. And it is not simply little essentials, much of the time it could be bags, jackets, boots etc. It seems all to easy to forget the 'essentials' when the 'essentials' simply do not include the genuinely vital things in the minds of many.
So first off, you need a bag. Take into account how long you will be out there for, but remember one main factor, if you can pack for 3 weeks - you can pack for 3 months or more. Where ever you go in the world, there will be facilities to get your clothes cleaned within at most a 3 week period. And if not, get some travel wash. Easy to use and small to carry.
There are three main types of bag to consider when travelling: The giant holdal, the versatile single compartment bag, and the trekking bag. Depending on the kind of accomodation you will be staying in will decide on what you go for. If you are staying put in one place for your trip, take a holdall. If you are in hostels, hotels etc but moving around relatively often - take the single compartment bag, and if you are always on the move and need all your things on you all the time, take the trek bag. Always have a daysack to keep your valuables on you and nearby, most single-compartment bags have them attatched asextra storage space you can detach if needs be.
65L is pretty much the standard size for a good travel bag, only take a bigger size if you are staying in one place or confident in your ability to move it easily and quickly. You can fit everything you will need in that size of bag. Quote me on it. If all your clothes or things don't fit, you have something there you don't need.
Shoes: Are you going to be on your feet all day? Is it going to be hot? Chances are the answer to at least one of these questions will be yes, and to either one - you will need more than just your average pair of trainers. Get some comfy walking sandals or boots depending on circumstance. Yes, they are ugly and you look silly in them, but believe me when I say you will look far sillier complaining all day about your feet and then feel far sillier when you can't go out in the evening because your feet hurt so much. By no means do not stop taking a nice pair of shoes for a night out or just a few days, but remember you really don't need that many pairs of shoes. One pair of shoes, boots, heels etc. take up as much room as at least 3 pairs of underwear. I think we both know what would look worse (not to mention smell worse) between wearing the same pair of shoes for 3 days in a row or wearing the same pair of pants...
Mosquito spray: Take it. Get a plug in for your room at night and a bottle per month of your travelling. Don't bother with the weaker spray, the 100% DEET isn't nice but does no damage. Simply spray on your wrists, ankles and kneck in the evening and 90% of the time you will be fine. If you are anything like me and get bitten constantly, DEET is your best friend whilst travelling.
That about wraps it up for this week, although I'm sure there are thousands of other things I have forgotten to mention. Much like packing for a trip - the more you think about what you have forgotten the more likely it is you will never remember it until you set foot in your first hotel with no towel...
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