Beach Gear
Following is a list of gear that may prove useful (and some that will
not) over the long run if you spend a lot of time on the beach. In
addition, some gear, like sunglasses, lotion, body oil, and sarongs are
more useful, or used more often at the beach.
Extras --
Take at least one extra pair of swimmers and an extra sarong
if you will spend much time at the beach. You may wear nothing more
than swimming suits, tops, and sarongs for weeks, and one sarong will be
your beach blanket.
Beach Towel -- A big fluffy beach towel is the ultimate waste
of space; don't even consider taking one, unless you are
just going to one beach resort for a couple of weeks. A thin piece of
cloth like a sarong works
fine, washes out easily and dries quickly. Tuck the corners into the
sand to keep it from blowing away, and wear it back to your room. You
can lay on the beach without a towel as long as you go in the water to
wash the sand off when you need to, but this is not as much fun on fine
coral sand which sticks to you tenaciously.
Inflatable Mattresses -- Don't laugh! I've seen travelers
carrying
these in the Philippines. They are fine for two weeks in Hawaii, but
hardly something you want to carry around. The people I met gave theirs
away after a month on the beach, which is fine if that is your intention
for the start of a trip. But they are just too bourgeois to fit in.
Hammock -- This is a luxury, even on the beach, unless you
are traveling
in southern Mexico and Guatemala where hammocks are a way of life.
(Yes, I spent 3 months sleeping in a hammock in southern Mexico,
and this is also the best place to buy them.)
I could write a chapter all about hammocks, but I will save it for the
next book. The tiny little nylon "backpacking" hammocks are absolutely
useless for anything other than an emergency. The only comfortable
hammocks will take up plenty of room in your rucksack, so unless you are
also using your hammock as a bed, it is a luxury. I once took one to
the Philippines, enjoyed it on the beaches, and sent it home from Hong
Kong.
May, '03: OK, OK, here (by sparce demand) are my few
Hammock Tips for Mexican
(Yucatan) Hammocks.
This information is necessary because every prudent Yucateco hammock
salesman will tell you that every hammock he has is "matrimonial" (for 2
people), when they are not. If you are going to do any
serious traveling in the Yucatan and/or Guatemala, then having complete
information on how to buy a hammock (not to mention how to
hang a hammock and how to sleep in a hammock) --
before you get there -- will save you lots of discomfort
and the embarrassment of being yet another silly gringo who got "taken" on
a small hammock! You won't find this stuff in Fodor's or
Lonely Planet. You're welcome!
1. The Size of a
hammock is measured in pairs of strings, on one side,
between the body of the hammock and the hanging loop; this
determines its width. Anything under 100 pairs is for
children or very casual use. For a serious bed, 120 to 160
pairs is good, depending on your size. A truly good-sized double
or "matrimonial" hammock should have 180 to 240 pairs or more, but
trust me, you don't really want to try and share a hammock with anyone
else for sleeping. And trying to make love in a hammock is truly
hilarious! I prefer a really large hammock of over 200 pairs
which gives me (alone) plenty of room for sleeping; but for only
occassional lounging, a hammock of around 120 to 140 pairs will
pack much smaller.
2. The Best Materials
are cotton for the body of the hammock, and nylon for the strings
and loops. An all-cotton hammock will not last as long;
if you plan to use it a while, get nylon strings
even if you have to get all-nylon. If you're just going
to leave your hammock out in the rain all the time(!) a nylon
body will last longer, but is not as comfortable as cotton.
Make sure the two loops on the ends
are wound very, very tight and are firm, not floppy. If they
look a little loose now, they will soon come apart -- it's bad quality!
3. Here's how to get the
Right Length! In general, a wider hammock (with
more strings) should also be longer; but make sure the
length is right! Double the hammock and grasp
it just below both hanging loops.
A hammock is long enough for you if, when you now extend
your arm straight out so the loops are level with your nose, the bottom
of the hammock is touching the ground, or pretty near
to it. If it only comes down to your knees, it's a joke: forget it!
4. Hanging:
A hammock is going to be most comfortable when it hangs in
a broad 'V' shape before you get it in. Your weight will take up the
slack, and you should end up lying somewhat near to horizontal.
The middle should hang down a little below waist level (when empty),
so when you sleep in it, it does not come near to scraping
against the ground -- this is how hammocks are most commonly ruined!
Although it can be difficult, you should try to find hanging
locations that are at least 8-feet, or up to 10-feet off the ground.
In a pinch, you will hang your hammock from anything you can find, but
the "lodgings" built just for hammocks in the Yucatan consists of beams
about 8 or 9 feet high and maybe 12 to 14 feet apart, covered with a
thatched roof; walls are usually an optional frill.
A hammock hung from 6-feet high or less is far too taut to be comfortable.
The hammock loops should be at equal height off the ground,
and ropes connect the hammock loops to the tree, beam, or eaves.
5. Use Ropes to Secure
the hammock to something as high as 8 or 10 feet -- usually a beam or
hook. The rope need not be really thick, as a good doubled length of
strong nylon braid smaller than a pencil can easily hold a person up.
If you tie a knot of this rope into the hammock loop, it will soon
tighten until you can never get it out again, ever!
A better plan is to tie (or loop) a short length of sturdy wood
(no bigger than, say, a short cigar) into the end of the rope.
This wood then slips into
the hammock loop and is long enough to keep it from slipping out
when taut -- like an old fashioned "button & loop". With this setup,
it is then a matter of a couple of seconds to take the hammock down
without removing the ropes, or to put it back up again!
Yup, that's how I do it.
OK, you don't know what I'm describing, so at right is
The Illustrated Drawing, stolen from The People's Guide to Mexico.
(Yes, you could use carabiners instead of a solid stick you
find lying around; but you'd have to carry the carabiners around
with you until someone stole them, which shouldn't take too long.)
6. You
Sleep in a Mexican Hammock at about a 45-degree
angle. If you try to sleep longwise -- like a banana -- it will not
only be very uncomfortable, but also harm the hammock by stretching
it unnaturally in the middle! First, stand with your back to the
hammock, then reach back to open it up a bit and sit down in the very
middle of the hammock. Next, drape the back of the hammock over your
head and lay back diagonally so your head is toward one corner of
the hammock's body. Then bring your feet up so they are toward the
corner diagnoally opposite from your head. The hammock should
be wide enough to accommodate your head and one arm when draped above
your head, as well as both feet with plenty of room to spare, when
you are fully extended in this diagnoal position. And, if you
have hung your hammock well, you should be lying fairly horizontally,
not bent in the middle. Note that this configuration is not only
the most comfortable, but also uses all of the strings in the hammock
to support your weight evenly, and prevents the hammock from taking
too much weight in the middle and "stretching out" unevenly.
If you have a really good sized hammock, you should actually be able
to fit into it completely perpendicular (90 degrees) to its length!
This is not the most comfortable for sleeping but can be fun for
a little "swinging" back and forth as you relax on a warm afternoon.
7. Care:
Never, never wear shoes or
carry sharp objects in your pockets when sitting or laying in a
hammock. Travelers who live in their hammock, usually tie it
up in the daytime to prevent others from "playing around" in -- and
ruining -- their hammock. To "tie up" your hammock, stand
beside it, a bit right of center, and grasp the entire thickness of the
hammock with both hands, with your hands about two feet apart.
Then make a loop out of
this two feet of hammock, hold the loop with the left hand while
reaching through it with the right hand to grasp another handful of
hammock to the left of your left hand. Draw this bunch of hammock
through the loop, and pull it tight, making a half-knot.
Your hammock will now hang taut, not loose, with a "knot" in the
middle, advertising that no one else is to mess with it. Since
it's only a half-knot, it comes apart as easily as untying your shoes.
This "tied up" configuration is also good for "securing" a few
personal items inside, and for keeping critters out during the daytime.
Note that you will not be able do this with a hammock that is too
small, or is not hung with enough slack.
8. Sleeping comfortably all
night in a hammock is an acquired skill, one
that some people can never get used to. You pretty much have to
stay in one position all night! There is very little, if any, rolling
or shifting around, and you definitely cannot sleep on your stomach!
Sleeping in a hammock is cold! That's because you
have nothing underneath of you as you do in any other bed. Even if you
are sleeping in a sheltered area (or indoors) in the tropics, you will
get very cold around 4 am if you are wearing only swim trunks! You may
want to hold a sarong behind you when entering the hammock, and another
to spread over you after you get in. And you may end up wearing some
of your clothes to keep warm in some areas.
9. To Pack or Store a hammock,
take the hanging loops and twist them in opposite directions until the
entire length of the hammock is twisted, at least loosely. Bring the
loop-ends together and twist the whole hammock around itself lengthwise.
Finally pull one loop just a little ways through
the other. All this is to prevent the loops from getting tangled up
and through the strings -- this can take hours to untangle! Now just
let it fall into four or five folds on top of itself, wrap the twisted
strings around it and pack it away. You can also tie the bundle up with
twine or put it in a plastic bag for longer storage.
10. If you really have To
Wash your hammock, first lay it out and tie strings around it in numerous
places to keep it from tangling. If you're actually going to put it
into a washing machine(!!) tie this bundle into a pillow case (or
substitute a T-shirt) first.
The Yucatan hammock salesmen travel (in packs) all over the country.
They are a good source of news ("is the rainy season over in Tulum?"),
and always know the cheapest places to stay and eat in any town.
They love to talk.
Ok, that's all I've got room for here.
You will find some of this information, and much more in
The People's Guide to Mexico.
If you've read this far, you should probably go out and
get
yourself a copy of this great book!
Camping / Coconut Knife -- Knives bigger than a pocket knife
are only occasionally useful unless you are camping out. If you are on a
tropical beach where coconuts are available, you will need a heavy knife
or machete to open them easily. You can practically live on coconuts if
you have to, but not if you can't get them open. In beach resorts,
there will always be someone to do it for you, so don't bother unless
you do a lot of camping. Then you will want something sturdy to cut up
firewood and handle several other chores that would quickly damage the
hinges on your good Swiss Army knife. Machetes are too long and scary
to travel around with, but you can probably get by with something
shorter (a 7 or 8-inch blade) and heavy enough not to break. You should
be able to find one easily in a city market in the Third World for not
much money. Even though it will rust all
over everything, you won't care too much when it is later confiscated
by a customs official for being illegal. Wrap it in something old for
packing or you will surely cut yourself.
Whetstone (knife sharpener) -- You won't need this unless
you do a lot of camping, and you can usually find someone to sharpen
knives for you somewhere. Locals "sharpen" their knifes on the nearest
rock. If you try to buy one overseas, it will always be huge; break it up
and pass it around. I have a tiny little (1 oz) backpacking model that I
often carry.
Fish Hooks and Line -- I usually carry fish hooks and line,
although I almost never go fishing. Anytime you are near a poor fishing
community, high quality hooks will be very scarce, and you can often trade
them for fish at a good rate, or just give them to people you meet as a
goodwill gesture. They will be greatly appreciated. Clearly, flat hooks
are the only reasonable ones to carry.
Diving Gear
I'm not going to recommend that you take SCUBA equipment on a serious
backpacking trip. But there is a great deal of great snorkeling that
can be done. And if you are serious about SCUBA diving, there are a
number of places around the world where you will be able to hire SCUBA
gear (of varying quality) along with a boat to take you out. There are
also some wonderful places -- like Cairns Australia, Moalboal,
Philippines, and in the Sinai --where you can learn to SCUBA dive in a
week or so for a very reasonable (if not dead cheap) cost. It beats the
heck out of a swimming pool or Puget Sound!
But there are a few things you can take along to enjoy the beauties that
wait beneath the surface of some fine warm seas.
Snorkel and Dive Mask -- These items take up a good amount
of space and
weight. Unless you are serious about diving or have plenty of places to
leave such gear behind for a while, you should think twice about buying
and taking it along. (My latest mask and snorkel weigh just over 1
pound (480 g).) In many beach areas, and all beach "resorts" you can
rent masks, snorkels, and fins by the day. Sometimes the quality is
poor, and you may not always find them when you want them, but if you
only plan to go snorkeling a few times on your trip, they should be good
enough. You can buy something reasonable in larger cities in the
tropics.
After discovering the magic of diving or coral reefs, I have become an
aficionado. I plan diving spots into my long trips and stay for weeks
at a time. I know that the equipment you get is often poor, and I
prefer to have my own. On my last trip, I took an old set and used them
quite a bit in the first few months, before selling them for almost
nothing. A year into the trip, I bought a new set when I was once again
heading to tropical diving spots.
Good masks are made with tempered glass; it is tough to break or
scratch. Put the mask up to your face; if it fits properly, you should
be able to hold it in place securely just by breathing in through your
nose. Make sure the straps will not loosen up while wearing it. If the
strap is too tight, or twisted, you can get a headache after a while.
Don't get a snorkel tube with an "accordion" flex-hose on the
mouthpiece; they develop leaks very quickly. The little ringed straps
that hold the tube to the mask are easily "lost", especially when you
lend your gear out to someone else; make do with an elastic band.
Swim Fins -- These are too bulky to consider carrying
around and are
not really necessary if you are even a fair swimmer, unless you are diving
for food and need to chase fish. You can sometimes rent them along with
the mask and snorkel. They can wear blisters, so you might wear socks
to protect your feet. If you can use them comfortably, fins are fine
for drifting around without using your arms; but they are catastrophic
for wading in shallow water (just try it), and useless on land.
Ear Plugs -- If you will be snorkeling, or even swimming a lot,
consider taking swimmer's earplugs to keep excess water out of your ears,
especially if you are prone to infections. Common ones look like little
rubber trees. Don't try using these to sleep with; they can become
painful after several hours. Do not use ear plugs when
SCUBA diving or free diving to depths, as it can cause serious ear
injuries.
Water Shoes -- Whenever you go into the ocean, and
especially
where there is coral, there is the very real danger of cutting your feet.
Since your feet are your most important traveling asset, the seriousness
of such an injury cannot be overestimated. Ever since I scraped the
bottom of my foot on some coral, I have always had shoes to wear
swimming when there are any rocks or coral. It took weeks for that foot
to heal, even when I stayed in one place. Every step was painful, and
putting my shoes on to travel for a day or two only helped it get
infected. If you will always have or rent swim fins, you won't need
shoes, but I find shoes much more practical.
To be useful, your water shoes must fit snugly enough around your foot
and heel that you can swim without losing them. They should be
lightweight, have a reasonably solid sole, and suffer through being
constantly wet. You can now buy hi-tech nylon shoes with rubber soles,
suitable for all water sports. Try some of these out if you like, but
make sure they are also comfortable to walk in without getting blisters.
If you can use these shoes for everyday wear around town, then they will
be worthwhile indeed. You can buy "rafting and kayaking" plastic
sandals from boating and outdoor supply stores at home. They have
straps around the heels so you can swim in them, and the best ones
should be comfortable enough to wear for everyday sandals, not to
mention being great for the shower. I have seen several travelers
wearing this type of sandal. They may not be the best for swimming or
walking, but they are quite good enough for both.
My first and constant water shoes are a cheap pair of Chinese kung-fu
slippers that are one size too small. You can get them almost anywhere
for a few dollars. If you can't find any, just get the cheapest and
lightest pair of sports shoes you can find; plain canvas boat shoes are
fine. But make sure they are snug enough not to slip off your heel
while swimming. You may need to wear socks if they are too loose, or
wear blisters.
Diving Gloves -- If you will be diving around any coral, you
will
often want or need to reach out and grab the reef or some sharp rocks. A
glove will protect your hand from coral cuts which are very easy to get.
You can buy special diving gloves, but most any glove will do and you
can buy cheap gloves in most towns. The best is one with a tougher or
plasticized palm and fingers, and you may need to add a strap or some
velcro to keep it firmly on your wrist in the water. One glove is
enough, two is only slightly better.
T-shirt -- Yes, you already have lots of T-shirts, but I
don't wear them
except for diving or keeping warm. When you are in the water for hours,
a T-shirt is necessary to protect your back and shoulders from sun and
to keep you from losing body heat too quickly. The other parts of your
body that will get sunburned are the back of your neck, just above your
heels, and just below your buttocks. I usually wear swim trunks
(shorts) to protect my upper legs when diving for long times, and
remember to put sunscreen on the other two spots.
Diving Bag -- A lightweight mesh bag is useful if you will
be finding
a few nice shells on your dives, and necessary if you are spear fishing
for food. Any sturdy nylon string bag you can find will probably be
alright, and could double as a shopping bag.
Diving watch -- This is not necessary, but if you spend
hours in
the water you may want to know just how long it has been. If you're buying
a travel watch anyway, get one that is good to 200 meters (or at least
100) if you also want one for diving.
Resources: Stores & Catalogs
Where are you going to find all of this stuff?! If I have presented
enough alternatives, you will be able to get most of the gear that you
really need from shops near your home, or on the Road, and for a
reasonable amount of money.
For specialized items, there used to be a couple of dozen camping supply
stores in the U.S. alone, each with a mail-order catalogue full of many
choices of tents, boots, stoves, bags, and plenty of nifty little
articles made just for backpackers. That was over 10 years ago. I
guess backpacking has lost its popularity, because most of the companies
that survive have turned to mainly selling clothing to Yuppies who want
to look like they go camping. Several of the clever little backpacker's
items that I still carry have not been on sale for years.
Fortunately, there is a growing specialty industry for travelers, which
each year makes available more specialized (and expensive) accessories
for world travelers. The average tourist, however, is not as informed
or demanding as the average mountain-climber, and some of this gear is
all marketing. Try to separate the wheat from the chaff; some of these
things are a waste of time just to read about, but a few of them are
genuine gems of utility, worth almost any price. The best catalogs
would offer a reasonable variety of brands and designs, and should list
the weight and dimensions of most items -- unfortunately, most of them
don't. If you can't find it at home, tempt yourself by sending or
calling for free catalogs from some of the following
outdoor/travel/camping suppliers. This is not just a list -- at this
writing, I can personally recommend each of these suppliers.
U.S.A.:
Magellan's (Foreign travel)
Box 5485
Santa Barbara, California, 93150.
Tel: (800) 962-4943
Excellent; all products tested and recommended by Magellan.
Campmor (Camping)
P.O. Box 997-A
Paramus, New Jersey, 07653
Tel (800) 526-4784
Their cheap-looking catalog has the greatest selection
of camping/travel gear from many makers; also repair kits, fabric and
netting by the yard, and lots of goodies. Currently no overseas
shipment.
REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.)
(outdoors/camping)
P.O. Box 88125
Seattle, Washington, 98138
Tel: (800) 426-4840
REI now has over 25 stores all over the US, with even more fine gear than
in the catalogs.
Eagle Creek -- Travel Gear
Good gear available in travel and camping stores.
On line at http://www.eaglecreek.com
Their site includes lots of travel tips, as well.
L.L. Bean (Outdoors)
Freeport, Maine, 04033
(That's the entire address.)
Tel: (800) 221-4221
Quality outfitters for outdoors; their spring and fall "Sporting" catalogs
have mostly camping and travel gear.
Early Winters (outdoors)
13700 NW Science Park Drive
Portland, Oregon 97229
Tel: (800) ???
Early Winters used to have all the latest backpacking gizmos, but has
changed to mostly clothing, with a few boots, tents, and bags.
Pacific Travelers Supply, (Foreign Travel)
529 State St.
Santa Barbara, Calif., 93101
Tel: (805) 963-4438
They have an extensive list of travel books and maps but only a very brief
"brochure" of goods, although the store itself is excellent for travel
gear.
Map Link, (Maps only)
25 E. Mason St.
Santa Barbara, Calif., 93101
Tel: (805) 965-4402, FAX (805) 962-0884
Extensive map source, send for a catalog. Some of their local maps were hand-carried by travelers. (So, why are some
of the best travelers' supplies in this one town in California?)
CANADA:
Mountain Equipment Co-op,
Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax
and catalogue sales.
Mountain Equipment Co-op Mail Order Store
130 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC Canada, V5Y 1P3
Tel: 1-888-847-0770 (Toll free within North America)
1-604-709-6241 (International)
U.K.:
Safariquip, (Foreign travel)
13A Waterloo Park, Upper Brook Street
Stockport, SK1 3BP, England
Tel: 061-429 8700
Some of the latest travelers' toys, a few you won't find elsewhere.
Europe:
Sud-West, (Camping, travel; in German)
(Süd-West Versand GmbH)
Postfach 1164
Wörthstrasse 40
89129 Langenau
TEL: 07345/807-70
FAX: 07345/807-90
Catalog has good selection, all with weights and dimensions.
Lots of mosi nets, water bags, etc. Write for a catalog.
Globetrotter Ausrüstung
Globetrotter.de
Stores in Bonn, Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, Frankfurt, Germany.
Globetrotter Ausrüstung
Denart & Lechhart GmbH
Bargkoppelstieg 12
22145 Hamburg, Germany
TEL: +49 (0)40 679 66-179
FAX: +49 (0)40 679 66-186
E-Mail: info@globetrotter.de
Internet:
http://www.globetrotter.de
On-line shopping with a large selection of camping, climbing,
winter- and water-sports gear, kids gear, etc. All in German.
This is not a complete list; investigate any camping and travel shops or
catalogues you can find, but be selective -- you can't take every gadget
that comes along.
Along the Way -- Scavenge off of Travelers!
When I find someone who is about to fly home, and looks like they might
even be a reasonably savvy traveler, I ask if I can cannibalize their
rucksack. Well, you can't say it quite like that, but there are many
items which are reasonably cheap at home, but very, very hard to come by
overseas. If someone is about to pack home some good DEET insect repellent,
sunscreen, ChapStick, fresh film, or even good socks, FirstWorld AA
batteries, mosquito coils, or malaria tablets, you might be able to
appeal to their traveler's spirit
to give (or, in the case of film, sell) you some of this gear. It's
something most people don't think of, but they may actually be
glad to be rid of some things they will never use again at home!
Packing Your Bag
This can and should take weeks.
First decide on your rucksack. (See the section on
choosing luggage.)
Get a small one, if you can. Next, put together all the things you
want to take. Make a list and update it regularly. Use this page,
the Packing Lists below, and whatever
other expertise you can find. Try to get the smallest and lightest
versions of reasonable quality goods you can find.
Weigh everything you have with a small postal scale
(1 or 2 pound maximum weight), to save a few grams or ounces
here and there. These scales are well worth the small cost for
serious travelers and backpackers; get one in a stationery store.
If it is too heavy to weigh on the scale, then you'd better
have a very good use for it! After weighing, I mark each
item with a code for its weight in ounces, with a fine permanent
marker (Sharpie) so I don't have to weigh it again -- a circle for
5 ounces, a vertical line for 1, a horizontal line for a half-ounce!
"O l l --" = 7.5 oz. Now I can
easily compare alternative items and choose (at least partly)
based on weight.
Get rid of any unnecessary packaging and attachments. Literally cut
things down to a smaller size if you can. When it comes to clothing,
get articles that are made to last, and if you have access to a sewing
machine, add an extra layer of stitching with good quality thread to all
the seams you can. Avoid items with too much hardware, extra zippers
and such that can rust, break, and add extra weight.
Just putting together all your gear can easily take weeks. It can also
be challenging and a lot of fun. Include everything you plan to take,
including film, books, writing paper, toiletries, and spares. By now
you will have accumulated an incredible pile of gear that will dwarf
your tiny rucksack and be thoroughly discouraging in its sheer mass.
Set aside one set of light clothing that you will normally be wearing:
one pair of trousers, underwear, shoes, and a shirt. Your pile is still
enormous! Gather the small items into groups and put them into small
stuff sacks so they will not be loose in your pack.
Start packing it all into your rucksack any way you wish. Toss the
packed rucksack on the floor a couple of times and stomp on it to make
more room. Pack in some more clothing. Now you have a completely full
rucksack and probably an equally large pile of really essential gear
still sitting on the floor beside it! Don't panic. This is why it
takes weeks to pack properly.
Go back to your checklist and read this section again if you need to.
Put some parentheses around any items on your list that you just might
be able to survive without. Look for items with similar uses and put
parentheses around one of them. One old traveler's adage is to toss out
anything that does not have at least two uses. It is certainly not a
hard and fast rule, but it may help you to whittle things down a little.
Check again for precious, fragile, or valuable items and try to imagine
living without them.
Two pairs of trousers, three or four shirts, and a few pairs of
underwear should be enough to start a trip with. You can always get
more somewhere along the way. Now throw out that damn towel! Do you
still have that water purifier in there? Sweaters (jumpers) are great
but can be bulky; you can usually buy one when you need it. Toss out
bulky jackets and coats in favor of several layers of lighter material.
I count on a good set of lightweight thermal underwear to get me through
cold weather and cold nights, instead of a down jacket or bulky sweater.
I may not often wear them, but they take up little space.
Do you really need to take the whole guide book, or can you get by with
copying a few essential pages and maps? Use a commercial copier to
reduce the print, put four pages on one side of the paper, and copy on
both sides. Or take a razor blade to cut out those parts of the guide
you will not need on the Road. Carefully combine medicines into as few
bottles as possible, making sure they are clearly labeled with the
physical description and dosage on, or inside the bottle.
Now go back and set aside all the items on your list with parentheses
around them. You can always put them back later if you want to. Start
over, and go through the whole process again. And again. Believe it or
not, I agonize through this process every time I take off on a trip,
long or short, although I have a well-tested master list of the things I
need. It still takes me weeks, and I hate leaving behind every item
that gets set aside. But I learn to live without them, and usually
quite well. And I still end up taking a few items that
I end up never using!
Somewhere along the line you may consider leaving your sleeping bag at
home. Set it aside and just look at all the space you have saved! Are
you really going to use it? Can you rent or buy one along the way? Can
you substitute a sleeping sheet, bivy sack, or extra set of long
underwear? You have to make the decisions because you will have to live
with them every day of your traveling life. Try to avoid stuffing all
the extra gear into a day pack, so that you can get it all into two
bags. This bodes ill for the beginning of a trip, because you will
undoubtedly be picking up a few new items along the way. Try to get it
all into the one bag.
When it is completely full again, and the pile beside it has shrunk a
bit, pick up the pack and wear it on your back. Take it out for a long
hike in the woods. Now think about how heavy it would be with all that
other gear in it. What is it that weighs so much in there? Think about
what the heaviest items are, and try to set a few of them aside. Do not
take more than one reading book.
When you have done absolutely everything you can possibly do to reduce
the amount of gear, and you still have a sizable pile of essential gear
outside the pack, take the rest of the day off and console yourself with
a couple of beers. Start again tomorrow, right from the beginning.
Check out The Rush to Pack under
Glimpses of the Road, back on
Randy's Travel Page.
When you get so your extra pile starts to look less than humongous, it's
time to start applying some packing techniques. There are any number of
"systems" for folding and packing your luggage. I don't advocate any
particular one, but I feel that clothes seem to take up less room when
laid out flat rather that rolled or wadded up. Many people swear by
rolling up trousers and shirts and this is also a good system.
Experiment. Make sure you leave no empty spaces, like the inside of
your cup. Stuff all the empty spaces full. Use some small items like
underwear and towels (small towels!) to stuff into the cracks between
and around other items. Stand your closed pack up and drop it to the
floor a couple of times. The contents should settle enough to put a few
more good-sized items (usually a book or two) in at the top. Keep
whittling. You still have at least another week to go!!
Believe it or not, there will be several occasions out there On the Road
-- packing for an imminent departure -- when you realize that all of
your gear now fits quite easily into your little rucksack! This is a
sure sign that you have forgotten something really important -- like a
thick jumper, a pair of shoes under the bed, or all your laundry hanging
up on the roof! But you will become very proficient at slamming
your bag into the floor to create a little more space at the top so
you can get those items back in.
Organizing your Pack
Once you have finally gotten all of your stripped-down list of gear into
your rucksack, it will take you a few weeks of traveling to settle on
the organization. Eventually you will get things exactly where they fit
best, while giving you the best access to those you need most often.
Eventually every item will have its own place in your bag, and you
should be able to find it at least by the second try.
You may move small items around from one bag to another. You should get
to the point where, when you arrive at a new place, you can pull just
one "toiletries" bag out of your pack, and it will contain just about
all the little things you will normally be using during the day. They
may not all be toiletries, (a flashlight for example) but they are the
things you most often need to find.
I usually carry a small soft-plastic watertight "Tupperware" container
for some medicines and other things that I need to protect from
crushing, breakage, dirt, and humidity. This container is designed for
storing food in the freezer and can be bought in any supermarket at
home. It is squarish for easy packing and about the size of a Walkman,
but a little deeper. I secure it with an additional strong elastic
band.
Among the things I protect in this little box are spare flashlight bulbs
and camera batteries, some small squeeze tubes of medicine, safety pins
and any other small metal items prone to rust, my sewing kit, and my
plastic iodine bottle wrapped in its own little zip-lock bag. Believe
me, you do not want to deal with the results of a leaking iodine bottle!
It usually holds, in addition, some other medicines, bandages, tape,
folding scissors, and a small printed list of first aid instructions
that must have come with some first aid kit I bought long ago. On my
last trip, I started out with two of these little boxes, packed full,
and it took me months before I finally consolidated them and left one
behind.
You are now the proud owner of the world's most compact and efficient
'home'. Everything you need to sustain you for months is in that one
bag and within easy reach. If you can't find it in your pack, you'll
learn to live without it, and you will be a stronger and more
independent person for doing so. When it's time to move on, you just
toss it on your back, and you're gone! When I first return home, I get
very frustrated trying to find something in the many possible places it
could be in my apartment. In the morning, I stand sleepy-eyed in front
of my closet, unable to decide what to wear -- so many choices! Ah, for
the simple life!
Good luck, and Happy Trails!
APPENDIX
Packing Lists
Short list:
This is my basic packing list for an ordinary trip to warm locations:
(with clickable hot-links to their descriptions)
* = best bought overseas.
|
Day Packs, 1 or 2
|
Cigarette lighter(s)
|
|
Money Pouch
|
Universal drain plug
|
|
Wallet and Change Purse
|
Padlocks*
|
|
Footwear -- 2 pair
|
Pocket knife
|
|
Socks
|
Flashlight (torch)
|
|
Trousers, 2
|
Zip-lock bags
|
|
Belt
|
Large garbage bag
|
|
Shorts
|
Clothesline
|
|
Shirts, blouses, T-shirts, 3 to 5
|
Insect repellant
|
|
Underwear, 3 to 5
|
Sewing kit
|
|
Hat and/or cap
|
Elastic bands
|
|
Sweater (Jumper) or wool shirt
|
Cup
|
|
Rain jacket or Poncho
|
Spoon
|
|
Swimwear
|
Watch
|
|
Sarong*
|
Novel, 1
|
|
Bandana, 2 to 4
|
Guidebooks, few
|
|
Toothbrush and toothpaste
|
Notebook
|
|
Towels, 2 small
|
Address list
|
|
Soap and Soap dish
|
Camera and Film
|
|
Shampoo (in a small bottle)
|
First Aid instructions
|
|
Toilet paper, half a roll
|
Adhesive bandages
|
|
Comb or Brush
|
Folding Scissors
|
|
Mirror, plastic
|
Iodine
|
|
Sunscreen, a very small bottle
|
Aspirin
|
|
ChapStick (lip balm)
|
Antibiotic powder*
|
|
Water container, soft, 2 litre
|
Cortisone cream
|
|
Ear plugs
|
Cold tablets
|
|
Safety Pins
|
Immodium
|
Optional Basics:
* = best bought overseas.
[The End]
Back to 
Randy's Travel Page
. . . . . . . . . . . .
What to Take Table of Contents
Footloose and
Fancy-Free Table of Contents
Randy Johnson's "Footloose and Fancy-Free in the Third World"
All text Copyright © 1992-2012, Randy R. Johnson.