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Trekking to Everest Base Camp has been on our top adventure list for many years.  We learned quite a bit hike up to 5364 meters and have some valuable tips that we want to share with any future trekkers to make your life easier.

It is not the scary daunting experience that people imagine it to be, trekking to base camp is actually a lot of fun and hopefully these points will help you with your future climbs and make it just a little bit more comfortable on the way up.

Tips are in no particular order, they are just written down as we learned them.

1. Bring cash USD and Rupees. There are no ATMs in Lukla or Namche Bazaar. Exchange rates are also very dismal so bring rupees with you at least $200 worth.

2. There is free wifi in Lukla and Namche Bazaar if you want to bring your laptop or iphone. You a can always leave gear at Namche Bazaar and pick it up on your way down.  Internet is very expensive up on the mountain.

• Lukla wifi location – Internet at “Starbucks” Coffee
• Namche  wifi location- Everest Bakery
• Regular costs of Internet with slow connections – 10 NPR/minute below Namche Bazar 25 NPR per minute above Namche Bazaar
• (72 NPR = $1 USD)

3. Bring your own tea – tea is very expensive on Everest and it is cheaper to buy hot water and use your own tea bags. Bring a variety of teas as well for more enjoyment.

4. Buy your gear in Kathmandu – trekking poles, hats, gloves, socks, down jackets, sleeping bags etc. Everything is cheap cheap cheap.  There is fake, good quality North Face, Mountain Hardwear and Marmot clothing. There is even a Mountain Hardware and North Face authentic store that offers great deals. Everything you could possibly need to climb to Everest Base Camp is available in Nepal. If you need it or forgot it, you can get it.

5. Bring chocolate and any treats that you want-  This is our very important tip for you! Pringles and chocolate are expensive and having your own little stash for treats is nice. Sometimes when the altitude gets to us, the only thing that feels good going down is chocolate. It is a good idea to have some with you and you can buy it in Kathmandu.

6. Tang – Bring tang to flavour your water. Water can get pretty boring and you have to stay hydrated at altitude.  Flavoured water helps you to drink more and is far more enjoyable than just water all the time.

7. Bring a water purifier or purification tablets - help save the environment and your pocket book.  Just fill water as you go for free anywhere and purify it yourself.

8. Pack a map and Lonely Planet EBC trekking book (or guide book of your choice) – you will want to reference regularly, check altitude symptoms, illnesses, your route and what to expect.

9. Bring a book – Trekking to base camp takes several days and it can get a little boring at times. You may only have the energy to lay in bed and read a book, so bring a good one. You can buy books in Kathmandu and at Namche Bazaar.

10. Handi wipes – Don’t worry about showering much. Nobody does on Everest and we all smell.  Showers are not very appealing at -10 degrees and you can go for days without properly washing.  Handiwipes and hand sanitizer at least helps keep you healthy.

11. Sit at either the front or back of plane on the left hand side when flying to Lukla for best views. The Himalayas are on the left and the front and back are not obscured by the wings of the plane. Sit here for your first glimpse of Mount Everest before your trek. It will help to build the excitement and the view is awe inspiring.

12. Don’t eat any meat after Namche Bazaar. Meat is carried up the mountain. They do not kill the animals on site. Sherpas trek the meat in for days and it is not guaranteed to be fresh.

13. Don’t be afraid of the suspension bridge – Ok, this may seem like a weird tip, but I had heard about the bridges to Everest being terrifying and freaked myself out.  They are safe and in great condition.  I actually enjoyed walking along the bridges and the gorges. It was beautiful. I think that years ago it was scarier when the bridges were rickety, but now they are well made and maintained.

14. Give Yaks and Sherpa’s the right of way at all times. When a yak train comes, move to the mountain side to get out of the way. You don’t want to be nudged off a cliff by a yak. Sherpa’s and porters work hard on Everest, they are constantly taking supplies up and down the mountain. Help make their life easier by staying out of their way.

15. Keep batteries close to your body at all times.  Sleep with them in your sleeping bags.  Charging batteries is very expensive per hour (almost $5 per hour) The cold drains batteries quickly, extend their life by keeping them warm.

Charges for batteries = Near or below Namche Bazaar 100-150 NPR/hour – Closer to Base Camp 300 NPR/hour

16.When you arrive at Tengboche, go and see the monks chant at 06:00 and 15:00 pm, it is very cool. It is a nice break from trekking to give your mind a break and listen to the music of the monks chant. It clears your senses and lets you relax for the day ahead. It is also an incredible cultural experience.

17. The best views are in the morning (at least when we were there)- the clouds roll in quickly and obscure the panoramas, so take your photos early. You can see Everest from a few points on the Everest Base Camp trek.  From Namche Bazaar and at Tengboche are two awesome sites. Take your photos early for memories to last forever.

18. On your way to Namche Bazaar, stop for lunch at Jorsale just past the suspension bridge. it is the final place for any food or water until Namche which is 2 hours straight up! You will need your energy for this climb.

19. Do some shopping in Namche Bazaar, we found some great deals that rivaled Kathmandu contrary to popular belief. The Sherpa Store was one of our favorite places and a portion of the sales go to help the Sherpas and Porters in the Everest Region.

20. Take your time. It is not a race and nobody is judging how quickly you get up the hill.  Acclimatize properly, drink plenty of water and if you need to take an extra rest day. Nobody is going to ask you how long it took you to get to Everest Base Camp, they are just going to be amazed that you did it.  Your guide and porter will not mind if you hire them for an extra day or two. They will be glad for the work.  Treks are flexible on Everest if you book in Kathmandu or when you arrive in Lukla.

21. Give yourself a few days after the trek before you have to fly home. Flights were delayed for 3 days near the end of our trek.  Some people were stuck in Lukla for 3 days waiting with no way out. If they had to fly the next day home, they would have missed their flight.

22.  Everything you need can be bought in Kathmandu. From Tang to tea and from medication to books and maps.  Don’t stress too much if you forgot something at home.

23. Have a good first aid kit.  Diamox is a must for altitude symptoms.  Follow the directions and take 1/2 of a 500 mg tablet twice a day. Make sure to have decongestants, Advil or your choice of pain reliever, lip balm and sunscreen is a must. I had a woman give me salve for my sinuses to moisten them. My nasal cavities dried out and I suffered from severe nose bleeds which were quite scary. I will always have a lubricant for my nose from now on.

24. For our packing a list  for Everest trekking, check out tips here at Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

25. Bring two pairs of sunglasses. I had a pair of sunglasses break when climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and it could have easily happened on Everest.  At high altitudes snow blindness is a high possibility so you don’t want to take the risk of not having protection for your eyes.

26. Respect local culture and keep prayer flags to the right of your path.  Prayer rocks, walls and flags are meant to be kept to the right at all times. It is a custom to follow what the local people believe.  Also ask before taking any photographs, many people do not want their photos taken.

27. Put your hair up. Ladies, this is for you. If you have long hair, put it in a braid early on in the trek.  I walked with my hair down wearing a hat and a few days in I had full on dread locks.  If I would have put it in a french braid or a couple of braided pig tails a la Anne of Green Gables, I would have saved my hair and not have had to cut off 4 inches after the trek!

28. Hire your porter or guide in either Kathmandu or better yet when you arrive in Lukla on the plane. Prices are expensive when you book from your own country and if you book your guides in Nepal, you can be sure that more money is going directly to them as opposed to large corporations.  There are many porters and guides that will meet you at the plane when your flight comes in to Lukla that are very experienced and capable. Plus,  You have the added bonus of being able to interview them and see if you get on and you save money by not having to pay for their flight from Kathmandu.

Do you have some helpful tips or advice to climb to Everest Base Camp or even some things that you have learned from other treks that you have done? We would love to hear them.

More posts on Everest Base Camp Trekking

• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival
• Packing List for Everest Base Camp Trek

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This is it boys and girls. We are fulfilling a goal that we have had for many years.  We are going to Everest Base Camp.  It is a little daunting to know that we will be trekking over suspension bridges, climbing along high ridges and spending several days at 5000 meters.

But the most daunting task that lays ahead is what to pack for a 15 day excursion up to Base Camp.  Here is a list of the gear that we are bringing with us.

EBC Packing/Gear List

This is it Folks! what we got it down to!!

This list is for 1 person, we each brought the same amount of gear, but to keep things simple, we are including only what 1 person needs to pack for Everest Base Camp.

Clothing

• 2 quick drying long sleeved base layer shirts
• 2 trekking shirts short sleeve
• 2 Thermal underwear – base layer
• 2 liner socks
• 3 pair woolen blend trekking socks
• 2 pair trekking pants with zip off bottoms
• 2 fleece sweaters – one lightweight, one heavier

Outerlayers

• 1 wind/rain proof overlayer- jacket and pants
• 1 down jacket – (didn’t really need this, layers would have been fine, but it does get quite cold in March)
• 1 down vest
• 1 Warm winter hat
• 1 lightweight thermal layer hat
• 1 peak hat
• 1 headband/dewrag
• 1 pair gloves
• 1 Pair trekking boots
• 1 Pair flip flops (would recommend sandals that you can wear with socks over flipflops for late night bathroom runs)
• 1 pair down booties (bought these at Namche Bazar and they saved our feet.)  Great for keeping feet warm in room and while sleeping and for in the lodge.

Lots of time organizing!

Gear

• 1 headlamp
• 1 sleeping bag heavy (could have gone more lightweight as tea houses supply blankets)
• 1 watch with alarm
• 2 Pr sunglasses (in case one breaks)

Electronics

• 1 SLR camera with 3 extra batteries (charging is expensive on the mountain)
• 1 Point and shoot camera
• 1 Video Camera
• 1 solar charger (charging is expensive, if you can charge yourself will save money)
• Chargers with belkin mini surge and adapter.
• extra batteries for headlamps

Extras

• Tang
• Tea
• dairy milk bars
• trail mix and peanuts
• Journal
• novel

First Aid

• Diamox – for altitude
  
• Advil
• Aleve
• Vicks vapor rub
• Sunscreen
• chapstick
• anti nauseant
• immodium
• bandaids
• blister bandaids
• eye drops
• advil cold and dinus
• nasal moisurizer
• q tips
• tweezers
• tiger balm
  

Toileteries

• foot powder (for Deb’s stinky feet)
• Toilet paper
• shampoo
• soap
• micro fibre towel

Documents

• Passports
• TIMs Card (permit to allow you into park bought in Kathmandu)
• Plenty of Rupees, no ATM’s
• Map and Lonely Planet

So there you have it, that’s our packing list for Everest. We put notes beside items that we didn’t need to bring, or things that we would have changed. All in all we were fairly happy with what we packed for our Mount Everest Adventure.  Our porter didn’t struggle, we didn’t feel bad when we wanted to pack something away and we were always comfortable with our layers.

It is important to pack layers for your Everest Base Camp trek. Weather can change rapidly. One minute you can be working up a sweat as you climb uphill and then as the temperature drops, you will be freezing in the cold.  Make sure to have tested all of your gear. Don’t wear new boots on the trek, make sure that they are worked in. Also check all batteries in headlamps and cameras and be sure to have plenty of spares.

Anyone else have some recommended gear to pack for the Everest Trek?

More Posts on our Everest Base Camp Trek

• Everest Base Camp Adenture – Part 7
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 6
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 5
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 4
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Part 3
• Everest Base Camp Adventure- Part 2
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – Day 1
• Everest Base Camp Adventure – The Arrival

A couple of months ago we wrote a post about items that were essential here in India.  Now, after 3 months in India and one in Sri Lanka, we have found other items that are needed to pack for  traveling through India.  You can see the other items that we list in our post Travel Gear Did We Need it All? and we have found a few more items that we really needed, others that we feel so passionately about that we want to reiterate them again and other items thatt we really wish we brought.

We hope that this helps you to bring a few essential items when you are making your packing list for India.

Dry Gear Bag – We bought an ultra light weight dry bag and didn’t regret packing this item at all.  It has been great to bring cameras and electronics to the beach. If you are doing any type of water sport, the dry bag is a must for your electronics.  For Holi , India’s water festival and other festivals it is good as well. When people are throwing water, you can rest assured that your camera is safe.

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Soloman Bags – These extra day packs have been essential. We carry them on the front of us when traveling and they hold our computers.  They don’t look like computers bags, so nobody suspects that we have expensive electronics on our chests.  They are lightweight and can be packed to the fullest. They are perfect for treks and day packs.  They can be used on multiday trips instead of carrying your entire pack with you and are durable.

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Mesh Bag all Purpose Sack Odd choice to put on our packing list you say? This has been essential.  The mesh lets our clothes breathe.  We use our mesh bag as a laundry bag and surprisingly the clothes don’t smell up our packs.  It has been excellent to cart our clothes to and from the laundry shop or front desk. No more trying to find a plastic bag to big enough to put them in and the laundry shop doesn’t have to put our clothes in something to return them to us. It’s good for the environment.

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Petzl E97 Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp
- This has been used almost every day that we have been in India.  Lighting is dim in many guest houses, roads and beaches are dark at night. A head lamp keeps your hands free to go about your business.  This is a must item for any packing list when traveling, not only india.

Howard Leight MAX1 Earplugs Uncorded – India is a loud country.  We talked about this in our post 10 things that will keep you up at night in India. While we are used to the noise now and can sleep through anything, these earplugs came in Handy for the first couple of months and you should never travel without them. They are great for buses, trains, planes and India! Always pack earplugs for any travel. They are a necessity.

Neoprene Laptop Case Case Logic 15″ MacBook Pro® Laptop Sleeve – These cases have put our minds at ease when it comes to our computers.  they protect them from the environment.  when it is hot and humid, we know that our computers will not sweat.  They are padded, so our computers can be knocked around in our bags and they are lightweight and thin. They don’t take up much space in our day packs and nobody can even notice that we are carrying around to computers on our fronts.  We don’t need a computer bag, we just pack them in our daypack protected in their neoprene case and go on with our day.

Iphone.  We never would have thought that we would use our iphone so much. In India and Sri Lanka talk time and data time is reasonable. When we can’t get to the internet, we can get on the internet to check email and comments.  Update our facebook status and send the odd tweet.  While the iphone hasn’t taken the place of the internet yet, it may become more of a tool in the near future.  We have loved calling ahead to hotels for room bookings and arranging transportation as well.  Texting home has helped us stay connected with family and we love the games for passing time on the train.  Love our iphone and will probably travel with two next time. This has definitely been an essential item for travel through India.

Cocoon Silk TravelSheet

While we aren’t complete budget travelers, we still aren’t luxury traveler either.  Sometimes we stay in some pretty nasty accommodation and we are thankful for our silk liners.  It seems like they have a difficult time getting sheets clean in India.  We ask them to change sheets and they come back with stained white sheets to replace the old white sheets.  So, we hop into our silk liners and sleep a bit easier knowing that there is something between us and the bed.  They are also perfect for the trains and buses.

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Pacsafe PacSafe 55

While a lock would do just fine, the pacsafe really sets our mind at ease.  On the train we can sleep soundly and not worry about someone slashing our bags and silently making off with its contents.  We can leave our room and not worry about someone breaking in and easily walking away with our stuff.  We lock up our computers, passports and other important items in a bag, lock them to the bed and off we go.

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121-Piece Road Trip First Aid Kit

Cipro and rehydration salts/Cough and cold medication, we have used it all.  You must pack a good first aid kit for travel. You will need to take care of yourself a lot and having essential items on hand can make your life a lot easier.  Go to a travel doctor, see what you need for the part of the world you are traveling to and have the proper medication on hand. Chances are pretty good that you will use them.  We seem to go into our first aid kit a lot even if it is for something as simple as a bandaid.

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Wet Ones Antibacterial Moist Towelette

We got a lot of comments for our post India is Filthy.  It caused some discussion, but the truth is, India is a very dirty country.  Germs are everywhere and nothing has come in handier than hand wipes. Long train journeys, buses journeys, restaurants and bathrooms without soap. We have used our handiwipes countless times.

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Belkin BZ103050vTVL Mini Surge Protector/Dual USB Charger

In conjunction with an adapter with multiplugs we can charge several electronics at one time. We couldn’t function without our Belkin mini surge protector. It is better than simply a power bar because we can charge our iphone and ipods and the surge protector eases our minds since there are so many power outages and surges in India.

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MASTER LOCK COMPANY – The padlock comes in handy several times.  Many places lock from the outside and although hotels offer locks and keys, we feel more at ease using our own combination lock.  We know that people can’t get in easily and we don’t have the hassle of carrying around a key. We just never feel safe using the lock supplied by the hotel.     We sometimes lock our packs together on the train or bus making it more difficult for a person to grab a bag and run and if we have to leave our bags at a guesthouse for a few days to go on a trek, we do the same.

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Travel Items We Wish we had Brought.

We did fairly well with our packing choices for our travels through India. But even people with a lot of experience under their belts can make mistakes.  We left behind some essential items that we are kicking ourselves for not bringing. What makes it worse is that we own all of these items. They are sitting at home while we wish we had them with us.

If only we weren’t so worried about packing light. While it is important to keep the weight down in your backpacks, it is still important to be comfortable during  your travels. So pack the items that you definitely think that you will use. Like the items we listed below.

The North Face Womens Thunder Insulated 800 Down Jacket

We have always brought our down jackets with us when we traveled. We have even made a point of adding them to other essential item packing lists that we have made in the past.  For some reason, we didn’t bring them this time.  We thought that it would be hot enough in India. In Nepal we thought that our jackets probably wouldn’t be warm enough and we would have to buy the heavier parka type coats. But we were wrong. India can be freezing! We wished we packed several times but our cozy down coats top our list. We will never travel without them again.

Featherlite +20 Ultra Light, Ultra Compact, Sleeping Bag By Ledge

There have been times when we have frozen in India.  Many places don’t offer blankets and the ones that do have old ones that have probably never seen a washing machine.  I can be a bit of a germ-a-phobe and hate having a used blanket up around my face. Plus, the heavy Indian Blankets don’t breathe and as we freeze, we also build up a sweat under the dense cover.  Our ultralight sleeping bags would have been used many times here in India. The next time we travel to India, we are packing our sleeping bags.

Texsport Hiker’s Mosquito Net

While many guest houses supply mosquito nets, most have holes in them or are a little worse for wear.  Some places don’t offer mosquito nets at all and we are faced with the little pests buzzing around our ears all night long. Mosquito repellent doesn’t do the trick and there is nothing you can do but suffer.  A Mosquito net is an essential item for future India visits.

Peppermint 100% Pure Essential Oil – 10 ml

We used Tiger Balm in its place, but peppermint oil has come with us on all previous trips.  It cheers up a musty room and helps with undesirable odors. India is filled with some very scary smells and a dab of peppermint would have done the trick.   Peppermint oil also clears the sinuses, soothes aching muscles and a few drops in some water can calm an upset stomach.  Peppermint oil will be packed in our backpacks on our next trip abroad.

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Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle Shoulder Sling (27-Ounce Bottles)

We had them packed.  We used them in Peru at machu Picchu and we have used them on countless other treks.  Having a sling to carry your water in frees up the hands and makes walking enjoyable.  For some reason, at the last minute we took them out thinking that our Salomon Bags would be enough. They have water bottle holders on the outside that we can use when we go hiking or trekking.  But what about every day use? When we are siteseeing, we don’t always carry our Salomon bags with us so we are stuck carrying our water bottles in our hands while we figit with our camera’s, video and guidebooks.  These are going back into the packs when we get home to Canada.

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It has only been three weeks into our trip, but we already have a good idea of what we are glad to have brought with us and what we should have left behind in Canada.

Here is a list of the stuff that we brought that we are very grateful to have along the way in India, plus a few of the items that we should have left at home.

Must Have Gear in India

Silk Liners – We already have had to use our silk liners to sleep in. At our place in Goa, we didn’t get any sheets, just a bare mattress. They did give us a blanket of some kind, but we have preferred to use our liners instead.

Headlamps - Needed all of the time. On the train at night, walking back to our rooms at night, in our rooms reading in bed and any other time it is dark. Headlamps are a must for India.

Combination Lock – This is imperative to lock your doors of your huts and bungalows and we don’t have to worry about carrying around a key.

PacSafe – We have never used a PacSafe before, but it is definitely needed in India. Some coco huts in Goa are not very secure. All we do is put all of our valuables into a daypack and lock that to our bed. It is brilliant. We have been able to enjoy our days stress free. Plus the PacSafe is a must for the train. You can sleep easily and not worry about someone walking off with your valuables in the middle of the night.

Long Johns and Fleece sweaters – Surprisingly, the nights have been quite chilly already. Luckily we have stayed toasty warm.

Two Computers – We thought that bringing two computers would be a little too much technology, however, it has been very useful. Dave can work on his photo’s while I work on blog posts and editing video. We don’t get in each others way at all, and we can get twice the work done when we happen upon a wifi Internet.

Belkin Mini Surge Protector – there are power outages all over India and this surge protector eases our minds when we are charging our valuable electronics. We can also charge several electronics at a time as well as our IPhone and IPods.

Power Bar – You would think that the surge protector would be enough, but the power bar has been needed to plug the Belkin into. The plugs on the side of walls are not very sturdy, so we plug our power bar into the wall and then plug the Belkin into the power bar as it lay on a solid surface.

This is just a short list of items that we have found invaluable. Sure there are others like toilet paper, soap, sunglasses and flip flops, but these are some of the larger items that we weren’t entirely sure that we would use.  As time goes on, we will come up with more, and I am sure that we will add a few on the list that we willl be scratching our heads and wondering why we brought them at all!

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During our previous travels we have made sure that we have had all of the necessary documents photocopied in duplicate. If something gets lost or stolen we knew that we had all of our vital papers tucked away safely in another bag.  However, if our documents were stolen, the thief now had access to very important and private information.

This year we have decided to add another layer of security for our documents.  AccessMyID is a website that gives you a simple interface to upload and store your important documents safely and securely. Having the convenience of being able to access our important information anywhere there is an internet connection puts us at ease.  If anything does get stolen or lost we will at least have copies of our passport and other vital documents to help get us back on the road.  It is safer than storing your ID in your email account and they make it easy to organize all of your information.

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With accessMyID all it took us was about 20 min to set everything up and we were ready to go.

You are greeted when you sign in with an easy to navigate home page that gives you the options to Enter in Personal Information, Medical profiles, User names and passwords and even a Travel itinerary that you can print off for family and friends to let them know where you are going to be.

We found the best feature for us is the username and password storage. We have so many different usernames and passwords it is easy to forget them. All we have to do is jump on the net sign in and everything is right there.

You can use there interactive set up tool or if you have everything already recorded just upload it from the main page.

Online security is always a concern.

Is this secure? How do they keep our data safe? These were just some of the questions we were asking ourselves. Access My ID uses the highest SSL security available for the encryption of our data and it also employs other security measures such as Firewalls, Regular security audits and security questions inside the login. We were also impressed that they send you an email every time your account is accessed just to let you know. With all these lines of security our concerns are put at ease.

We are looking forward to traveling with the peace of mind that all of our important documents are safe and sound and accessible 24/7. It is an affordable way to store your passports, passwords etc. at $19.95/yr. So check them out!  www.accessMyID.com We are all signed up and ready to go.

There are common traits between adventure travelers, luxury travelers, green travelers and budget travelers except when it comes to holiday gift ideas.
While the world is slowly coming out of a recession, it’s really the thought that counts when giving travel-related gifts this year.
In order to help you find a great gift, we’ve worked with popular travel websites, based on their niche and expertise, to put together a holiday travel gift guide.
We encourage you to visit the other participating travel blogs for even more gift ideas – you’re sure to find a few ideas that will be perfect for the traveler on your gift list!

Please check out these other great blogs that are running their targeted holiday gift campaigns:

Some blogs have their gifts scheduled and may not be up and running yet, but come on back and check them out later once they are published.

Holiday Gifts for the Guy Traveler
Holiday Gifts for Women Travelers
Holiday Gifts for the Sports Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Budget Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Green Traveler
Holiday Gifts for the Travel Writer

Holiday Gifts for Adventure Travelers

The Holiday’s are fast approaching and it is time look for some gifts for those adventure travelers and adventurers at heart.  Wondering what to get for those friends and family members on your list that always tend do push the envelope a little more than others?  Check out this list below.  These holiday gift items will be sure to satisfy travelers and adventurers alike.

Adventure Travel Stocking Stuffers Under $25

Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle Shoulder Sling (40-Ounce Bottles)

$6.50

When going on a trek or any adventure, you don’t want to have to carry your water bottle in your hand. Sling it over your shoulder freeing up your hands, but having it readily available rather than stuffed in your pack. Perfect for the Inca Trail to climbing Kilimanjaro.

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Belkin BZ103050vTVL Mini Surge Protector/Dual USB Charger

$16.99

Even the most adventurous of travelers carry computers and iphones with them into the wilderness.  We have many electronics today. Protect from surges as you charge your computer, camera, and ipod all at the same time! Any traveler would thank you for this gift!

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Lightload Towels Beach Towel (36″ x 60″)

$9.50
Light weight and fast drying, this is the towel we use.  This towel doesn’t take up a lot of space and doesn’t add a lot of weight to your packs. You will never bring a regular towel with you abroad again.

Travel Laundry Clothesline – Flexoline

$10.00
No need to carry clothes pegs or worry about tying rope. This elastic line is easy to hang and holds all of your clothes. When hiking or trekking on long expeditions, you may need to rinse or wash your clothing. Clothes pegs can be lost easily. You won’t need to worry about that with this flexoline.

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Adventure Travel Gifts Under $200

Pacsafe PacSafe 55 (Wire)

$59-$93

Worried about having your pack stolen on a train? What about unsecured hostels and guesthouses?  Put your pack inside the pacsafe wire protector and lock it to a bedpost and feel at ease leaving your belongings behind or rest easy on the overnight train. Don’t let your adventure be ruined by having everything stolen.

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Petzl Tikka Plus 2 Headlamp

$34.95 – $36.95
You will be amazed how much you need this gift idea. Having your hands free is important. LED gives better light with longer battery life and this headlamp allows you to focus your light. The long lasting bulbs keep your packs light by having to carry less batteries.

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Motorola Talkabout Em1000r Rechargeable Radio

$69.99

These radios are perfect for snowboarding in the Alps or any back country adventures.  They will help you keep in touch to plan your lunch rendevous or save your life in an emergency situation.  An excellent gift idea for your extreme adventure friends.

These radios have a range of 20 km.

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CamelBak Mini-M.U.L.E. 50-Ounce Hydration Pack

$27.99-$49.99

This pack is a perfect holiday gift for the adventure traveler. Whether you are a cyclist, mountain biker, hiker or mounaineer, you will use this pack regularly.  Drink your water hands free and carry several litres comfortably as it contours to your body.

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Therm-a-Rest Trail Lite

$49.95-$69.95

Needing to sleep outside or camp?  The Therma-a-Rest Trail Lite is essential.  It compresses down, taking up very little space and is light weight.  Easy to inflate with a few breaths, it instantly becomes a comfortable mattress for the adventure traveler.

Adventure Travel Splurge Gifts Under $500

Lowepro DryZone 200 Camera Backpack (Yellow)

$235.00

For any adventure traveler that finds themselves in a wet or damp situation, the dry zone is a must to protect your camera gear and electronics. It well laid out like any lowepro bag and easy to organize with its velcro compartments.  You won’t have to worry if your dump your kayak or are caught in a torrential downpour. Everything will stay dry and safe.

Garmin GPS 60CSx Handheld GPS Navigator

$277

If you are planning on cycling or trekking through a country and want to track your route this is the GPS for you.  Want to know your maximum altitude? How far you traveled or just where you are and where you came from? This GPS will tell you all the details that you need.  It is a dream gift for us.

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The North Face Roadrunner 33 Tent – 2009 Model

$214.95

We swear by the North Face Tent. The Roadrunner 2 survived our most extreme adventure to date. 120 days in Africa through the most gruelling conditions that you can imagine. Blowing sands, monsoon rains, mud and wind. We never had a problem.  Durability is not even a factor. The North Face Roadrunner 33 is larger and that is why we recommend it.

Brunton 26 Watt Foldable Solar Array

$286.50

If you are caught on a trek for several days at a time, you will be away from  outlets and civilization. There is nothing worse than having the batteries of your camera run out before you reach the summit or the pinnacle of your trek.  A solar charger will make sure that your electronics are charged and ready to go.  It will ensure that those important moments are not lost forever.

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These are our top holiday gift recommendations for adventure travel.

We  have used everyone of of the products listed above for one or more of our adventures around the world and find them invaluable.  So give the gift of adventure this holiday season, you may just kick start a whole new life for one of your loved ones.

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In the spirit of early compliance with the new FTC rules concerning disclosure by bloggers of content that is in any way remunerated, the above links do earn a small amount of money if you click on them and make a purchase. Not much, maybe enough for a cup of coffee or a beer, but every little bit helps keep this site going and helps us continue to provide you with great information, so we deeply appreciate your support!
~Deb and Dave

Do you have some suggestions for adventure travel gift ideas for the holidays? Share your thoughts!

“What the %#*! Electronics am I going to bring on this trip??”

This is usually the first thing out of my mouth when I start thinking of what we are going to pack for our latest adventure.

Deb is usually concerned over all of those non important things like Visa’s, Shots, Banking etc. But it is I who dares to ask this dreaded question that plagues every photographer before they jump on that plane and head to the next destination. Well maybe not everyone but me for sure. Technology changes so much I am always chomping at the bit for the latest greatest on the market. Unfortunately I am limited to a budget so it narrows down the choices. Like anyone I would love to spend 10,000 on the best gear as long as someone else is paying for it. But alas the funds must come from my coffers so money is an issue.

The theme for our electronics on this adventure is “Change it up”.

Panasonic GH1

First on the list was a new Digital camera. Most of you know that I take my photography very seriously so making the decision to leave my Canon kit at home was not made lightly. I have always found that having all that gear is great on a short trip, but on an adventure like we are undertaking I needed something more compact and lightweight.  After many hours of research and discussion I bit the bullet and bought the Panasonic GH1 with the 14-140mm lense. Now I have never used a micro four thirds camera before but what better way to dive into a new format and see how it performs than to put it through it’s paces in central Asia for a year or more. The GH1 is lightweight, small and got great reviews. It also can double as a video camera if I want. But video is another category all together.

I will be giving updates from my photography website www.picturetheplanet.com (still in the works) supported with images to let everyone know how this camera is performing on the road so stay tuned. Well on to the next piece of electronics the Video camera…

No matter what adventure we are taking on it has always been important to document it through video. We have experimented with many different types of camera’s ans formats ans still have not found the best one. So keeping with the theme of changing things up for this adventure we decided to try a new brand and format.

Sanyo Xacti HD 2000

We went with the Sanyo Xacti HD2000. Now this video camera looks more like a Philishave Electric razor, but it has all the features we are looking for. It is small, compact, easy to use and full HD. It also takes 8mp still images so it can double as a snappy camera as well. The image quality is great with it’s CMOS sensor and it has simple yet effective in camera controls.

This will be the first time we are using a camera that records only on SDHC memory cards. We have used Mini DV tapes in the past so it is a little nerve racking knowing that it is all on a memory card and nothing tangible like a tape. We’ll see how that goes.

All of our electronics will be put through their paces like high altitude, cold temperatures, extreme heat, deserts etc. If any company wanted their products tested well this is the the adventure they should send them on(wink, wink).

With all of our digital media being recorded on memory cards the next consideration is storage. Where do you store a year or more worth of images and video?

For starters we are bringing 2 external hard drives that total 500gb in storage. These are also really small and compact(is there a theme here??). The 2 drives should look after the immediate need for storage as well I upgraded the drive in our Mac Book Pro to a 500gb giving us a grand total of 1TB to download all of our video and stills.

External HD

We are also looking into online storage for later down the road and of coarse I will be backing up all images on DVD and mailing them home as another form of backup.

Editing on the road is also an integral part of producing great quality images and video. For this we will be bringing 2 Laptops. The Powerbook G4 which Deb will be using for writing, and the Macbook Pro which we will use for all of our editing needs.

Macbook Pro

Now here is where we veer away from the theme a little bit. We are very familiar with our computers and have used them extesively for editing and everything else, so lets say these are our electronic security blankets.

As you can see we are Apple junkies so what Mac equipment list wouldn’t be complete without the IPhone. This truly is a step into new territory for both of us. We have used a phone overseas only very sparingly while in Africa last year, but found it indespensible when setting up meetings and interviews back home and abroad. So why not bring one that is more than just a phone it is a way of life With translators, GPS, maps, Skype and a host of other apps we hope that it will help to make traveling and blogging a little more easier.

IPhone 3g 16gb

So in conclusion, are electronics a Burden or a Blessing? In my opinion they can be a bit of both. If you let them weigh you down and take over your travel experience, then yes they are a burden, but if you use them o compliment your experiences then they certainly can be a blessing.

Just remember: The joy of traveling is not defined  just by the experiences you have on the road, but also by sharing them with the world around you. By giving others an insight into the countries that you travel in you bring them closer to understanding different worlds and cultures. And in the end, isn’t that what traveling is all about??

The countdown continues.  We know that the trip is fast approaching when we finally got around to buying our new backpacks this weekend.

We would have loved to save the money and not buy new packs, but Africa really took its toll on our other packs and I don’t think that they would last for very long into the trip.  So we set out to find 2 shiny new packs for our upcoming travels.

• After several long travels and several mistakes in our previous choices, I think that we have finally found the perfect pack to go around the world. (but then again, the real test will come when we start traveling)

The Deuter 70 +10 L Backpack for Dave and the 55+10 L Backpack for me.

Our Pack

The +10 is a great little feature.The bag has a zipper that when unzipped expands the bag 10 extra litres for extra room.

We are hoping to pack very light other than our electronics, so we really didn’t want to go any larger than 70 L. Although there have been times on our travels that we have done a lot of shopping and had to carry around our extra stuff until we made it to a larger city to send things home, so the expandable zipper is a bonus.

We like the comfort and design very much.  We bought our bags at Europe Bound.  It is a great store across from Mountain Equipment Co-op and we always find that they have a wider variety and better prices.  The store is a little cluttered, but if you have a little patience and ask for some help, you will always find what you need.

We weighted down the bags and walked around to check for comfort and fit and then it was that easy…we bought them.

It is very important to get proper fit.  Have the staff adjust the straps and settings for you.  They can adjust everything so that it fits your body perfectly for added comfort.

Here are the qualities that we were looking for…

The Deuter is a nice hybrid between travel pack and an expedition pack. We will be traveling in both cities and trekking in the mountains and jungles, so this fits our needs perfectly.

They have a very solid and comfortable frame with adjustable shoulder straps and thick well padded hip straps.

Day Pack Zipped up

Day Pack Expanded

They both have an easily removable 18L day pack.  We like the day packs that just clip off rather than having to zip them on and off. The zipper can be a pain if the day pack is full.  What we also like about this daypack is that it is expandable. You can keep it zipped up while it is on your pack and then you can unzip the back to let out more room for day hikes.

They have an excellent fully zipped transport cover. When you are traveling by bus and bags are piled on the roof, it is good to have a good waterproof cover to protect your contents and we have found that it helps with the life of the bag.

One thing we noticed about a lot of packs is that the zippers weren’t very secure. They simply had nylon ties on them.  We need metal toggles so that we can lock the zippers shut. With the ties, someone can easily just cut them off even if you have the zipper locked. Plus, I feel that metal is more durable than nylon.

We also like the large front zipper loader. For travel, I don’t like a small opening, I want to be able to see everything in my pack. This bag gives me the option of loading from the top too though which is nice.  The many different compartments are a plus to store separate items as well.

The last thing that sold us was all of the straps and pockets on the outside. We like to be able to hang things on to the outside of the pack.  If we buy a beach mat, it can be strapped to the outside. If we decide to bring or buy a tent, it can be strapped on the outside. Boots can be clipped on the outside too.  We found that some packs didn’t have anywhere to hang anything off of and sometimes your hiking shoes are just too dirty to put in the bag or you just want to have the option.

So, we are pretty happy with our Dueter Quantum packs. I think that we will be traveling in comfort and they will be durable and able to handle the elements of Asia and beyond.

There is one item that I swear by whenever we are on the road.  The Sarong. We always bring 4 with us when traveling. Two for Dave and two for Me.  Why you ask? Well they are the most useful piece of clothing that you could possibly pack.

some of my sarongs

Here is a list to show you just how versatile a sarong can be and how you to can use a sarong in many different ways on your travels.

1. Sheets – Some Places don’t supply sheets believe it or not. And other places, well let’s just say that I would rather have something between me and the sheets.  Put two sarongs down on the mattress, voila, instant sheets.

I love to drape my sarongs on the bed and use them as sheets

2. Towel - You are traveling in a hot climate. Do you really need to bring a thick and heavy towel with you. Use a sarong instead, it works great to dry yourself off and it dries quickly.

3. Visit To Temples – Be prepared for visiting any temple no matter what you are wearing. If you happen to be in shorts and spaghetti straps, you can use a sarong as a shawl to cover your shoulders or wrap it around your waste to cover your bare legs. It is very versatile.

Handy for Visiting Temples, Dave's in a traditional Sarong from Bali

4. Headscarf – in Countries that Require a lady to have her head covered, you don’t have to go out and buy a headscarf, use your sarong. If you have a neutral colour, it will look almost like the real deal. And at least you will be trying and showing respect.

Great as a headscarf, you wouldn't even know that was a sarong

5. Use for Shower - If you are staying in a place with a shared shower, you don’t have to walk to the bathroom fully clothed, just wear your sarong.  You not only use it as a towel, but a robe as well.

6. Sunburn Protection – There have been times when my sunburn has been so bad, that I can’t get anything on. Sarongs are soft and comfortable and I can wear a couple of them as clothing until I heal. Twisting it around my neck turns it into a halter top and as usual, wrapping it around my waste to use it as a skirt. I can use another as a shawl to drape over my shoulders and I am instantly covered to visit temples.

Sarongs are Comfortable when you have a sunburn

7. Privacy - You may need this more than you think, but if you are ever in a place where you have to go to the bathroom in a public area, you can have your friend or loved one hold up the sarong to use as a wall to shield you while you are doing your business.  Or if you have to change in a not so private area, it can be used for the same thing.

8. Skirt – buy a sarong with a nice neutral pattern or better yet, one solid colour and you can wrap it around and wear it as a nice skirt for an evening out.

Used a sarong as a skirt on the Bridge on the River Kwai

9.  Shawl – Nights can sometimes get a bit breezy in tropical climates, but you don’t want to be packing sweaters. Wear your Sarong as around your shoulders as a shawl. You will instantly warm yourself up in the night air. Or like I said earlier, use it to cover your bare shoulders when visiting a temple or to be more conservative.

10. Beach – Put a couple of sarongs down on the sand and you can lay comfortably on the beach. Give it a shake after use, and it is instantly clean.  What you just used as a beach towel is now your wardrobe back to your bungalow.

Dave using our Trusty Sarongs as a beach mat

So there you have it. There are our many uses of this simple piece of fabric called a sarong.  This is why I make sure to bring sarongs with me whenever I go away. You can buy them at any market for cheap, cheap, cheap. I have several sarongs and I buy them wherever I go.  I use them for anything I can imagine and I am always finding new ways to use my beloved sarong.

Do you have some other uses? I would love to hear them.  How have you used a sarong on your travels?

I have received a couple of emails asking about what gear we took with us to cycle the Tour d’Afrique. I thought that I would re-post the information.  I took the page away because I didn’t feel that it was needed, but I see now that I was wrong.

Here is a list of what we brought with us to cycle Africa, what we should have left behind and a review of our bikes.

Remember, this was a supported expedition and if we were to cycle independently, we would take far less gear. Since we had trucks carrying our red boxes and all we had to carry was our water and snacks, we could bring far more than a solo rider.

Bikes and Parts:

• Specialized Tricross Expert Bike-Excellent bikes for this tour. We only wish that we had a triple chain ring and a suspension seat post. We recommend going with the tricross Comp. It already has a triple chain ring and the lower model components are easier to replace and more durable. Our bottom bracket was difficult to replace because it wasn’t a common model and our rims were not suitable because they were only 24 spoke compared to the more durable 32 spoke and our rims were too deep. Otherwise, we think the Cyclocross is a way better option than a mountain bike.
• 2 chains-We changed our chains twice. There was considerable chain stretch.
• 15 spokes-(5 of each size)when Dave broke his rim, they were needed to make the tire work for the next 7 days until we could get a new rim. We also lent a couple to people. 
  
• 2 racing tires,25c Schwalbe Marathon Plus-Excellent-12,000km, not one Flat
• 2 wide sand tires-47c Schwalbe Marathon Plus
• 2 all terrain tires-didn’t need these tires- We didn’t need this 3rd set of tires. The 25 c racing tire and 47 c smooth sand tires are all you need.
• 14 tubes-(small and large sizes)-We used Schwalbe tires, and never had a flat. But other people had many flat tires, sometimes several per day. We did have trouble at the beginning changing tires because of our deep rims, short valves and very stiff tires. Therefore we had a lot of pinch flats while putting them on. (completely our fault.) we were happy to have extra tubes because we hate to patch.
• 1 set extra pedals-never used them
• 1 set extra cleats-needed them.
• 2 brake cables-Yes we changed these.
• 2 shifter cables-These were also changed and needed.
• roll of cable housing-We changed housing during the tour as well.
• extra rear cassette-Didn’t use it.
• extra front chain ring-Didn’t need
• bar tape-Oh Yes, needed it.
• aerobars-Loved having them. Highly recommended.
• 1 extra seat-didn’t need.
• 1 extra seat post-Dave changed his.
• 1 helmets-recommended, one guy split his helmet in a fall and needed a new one.
  
• 1 pair bike shoes-other people brought extra shoes and it seemed like a good idea. We lasted with only one, but if one was lost or ruined, we would have been in trouble.

What we Should have brought.

• Extra Rim-Dave bent one and had to buy one off of a departing sectional rider
• Extra Bottom Bracket-Many people had their bottom bracket go
• Long valve inner tubes- we struggled with our deep rims and short valves when pumping up our tires.
• Extra Tire Levers
• Electrolite Supplements
• Our own Gatorade
• Our own chair.

Camping and Gear – other than the tent, everything is X 2

• North Face Roadrunner II Tent-Excellent, but small for 2 people
• Z Rest Thermarest full size-Great for thorns, didn’t have to worry about deflating.
• Half Size inflatable thermarest for extra comfort-added that extra comfort.
• 3° Celcius down sleeping bags-could have used a warmer sleeping bag.
• silk sleeping bag liners
• Thermarest pillows-didn’t need at all, we only used the fleece camping pillow case with our down jackets as filling.
• fleece pillow case to stuff clothes in for extra comfort
• Tek Towels small and large- only needed large.
• 1 bowl, plate, fork, knife, spoon- didn’t need the bowl, just used the mug.
• 1 cup and mug
• headlamp-invaluable!
• clothesline (pegless)-excellent. From Canadian Tire, didn’t have to worry about losing pegs.

Electronics

• 2 Canon digital elph cameras-didn’t stand up to the elements well, we recommend looking for a more durable camera. Sudan eats up electronics.
  

  Our bikes and Gear, sprawled in our apartment

• 1- Canon 10D SLR digital camera-didn’t need while riding, but used on day off and 2 weeks when we had to bypass Kenya.
• 1 -16-35 mm lense-same as above
• 1-28-300 mm lense-same as above
• 1- Canon HV 20 Video Camera
• 2-helmet cams-didn’t use hardly at all. Waste of money.
• 1 Mac book pro computer-Loved having our computer with us!
• 1-portable hard drive-would have brought a flash drive memory stick instead.
• 1- solar charger-a must!
• 12v Chargers for all electronics-adapter needed for the solar charger, definitely needed.

Other valuable information

• Arm and Leg-warmers a must!
• Long Finger Gloves-needed
• Hammer for Tent-definitely needed
  
• Spade for toilet-We didn’t have to run around looking for the shovel.
• Cell Phone-bought a SIM card for each country we entered, and could text people at home anytime
• Padding for handle bars-definitely needed for the corrugated roads in Ethiopia.
• down jackets-I loved having these, we used them as pillows (stuffed in a travel size case) and needed for cold mornings in deserts.
• Butt Butter – certainly helped avoid chafing.
  

Packing for an extended travel can be very tricky indeed. It is one thing to pack for a vacation where you are staying in one resort and not moving for the week or two that you are away. You can pack all you want because you only ever have to deal with your luggage at the airport and transfers where you have trolly’s and valets to help you out.  But it is completely another experience to pack for a travel that will keep you on the move for months on end.

Many people feel that with the invention of fantastic wheeled suitcases that this would be the best choice of luggage.  However, you may experience rough roads, sandy beaches, rocks or jungle trails that you will have to walk through during you travels.  This is where a suitcase of any type is not an option. That is why whenever we travel for long period of time, we use a backpack.

A good quality 70 litre backpack can be bought at Mec, Europe Bound or Hikers Haven.  You can read more about the pack that we chose at our post on Choosing the right Pack for Travel.

Here is a list of what we think is essential to pack  for extended periods of travel

A money belt is still a must to keep you valuables is. You can buy one that goes on your leg, around your waist or around your neck.

Several  photocopies of all important documents spread throughout your luggage in case anything goes missing.

Extra passport photos for Visas and border crossing. In India we have learned that we even need two passport photos to buy a SIM Card.

Copies of credit card, passport, bank numbers, important phone numbers etc. written down in a safe location. Preferably in more than one location in your luggage.

Copies of prescription medications and eye prescriptions. If you wear glasses, pack an extra pair.  In Africa, I broke 2 pairs in a matter of two weeks.  I was stuck wearing my prescription sunglasses for a month and a half.  Luckily I had a lot of contact lenses, but in sand, dirt or jungle sometimes you don’t feel like putting in your contacts.

Locks- for every zipper or opening in your pack as well as an extra padlock of combination lock for hotels, lodges etc.  Some places allow you to double lock your door on the outside with your own combination lock.

Zip Lock Bags.  These are handy to separate clothes and keep things dry. We pack everything in Zip Lock Bags. We have done so for years and probably won’t stop.  Rain and humidity can take its toll and in many places you will be travelling by bus where they will throw your packs on the roof with no coverage what so ever.  If the rain comes, at least your contents will remain dry.

Hiking Boots and Flip Flops, that is all we need for foot wear ever. Don’t go crazy on shoes. If you don’t plan on climbing mountains, replace Hiking Boots for Solamon All Terrain Shoes used for adventure racing.  You can wear them in water, hiking, climbing, on the street.  They are all we have ever used in the past.  We are now switching to hiking boots because we plan on climbing more mountains.

Sarongs.  If you don’t have any, buy them when you get there if you are going to a tropical climate.  These are great for everything.  Some places don’t have sheets and they can be used as sheets, a skirt for an evening out (if it is a nice sarong) for on the beach, for showering if you have to shower in a public place, to put over you to visit temples.  I always like to bring at least 4 sarongs with me.

Microfibre towels – buy a lightweight towel by Lightload Towels Beach Towel (36″ x 60″), they dry quickly, take up less space and weigh very little.

Silk sleeping bag liners, a lot of times you will be in hot climates, so you don’t need to pack a sleeping bag, but silk liners are great for warmth and can be used just as the sarongs.  If you are on a trek where you are sleeping on just a board with some padded matts, the silk liner works great.

You can bring a sleeping bag, we have packed a very light weight bag that stuffs into a very small sack and takes up very little room, but unless you are camping regularly it is not needed.  Most trekking companies supply sleeping bags.

A good first aid kit with everything you need. Travel medications that you will get from a travel clinic doctor.  Cipro an antibiotic to cure diarrhea is a must, malaria medication, advil, eye drops, altitude pills, immodium, rehydration tablets, water purification tablets, allergy medication.  These are all a must as well as your basic first aid kit with band-aids, burn and sting relief, tensor bandage.  You will be out on trails a lot, on remote islands, in the middle of nowhere, you need to be prepared for any situation.

We have a  post on what to pack in a first aid kit for long term travel with great comments from other people

Good insect repellent, sunscreen and after sun lotion to relieve sunburn.  Even if you never burn at home, chances are you will burn it a hot climate.

Solar charger and a good set of  plug converters. They change from country to country, so  have a complete set.

A power bar - Belkin BZ103050vTVL Mini Surge Protector/Dual USB Charger
The Belkin Mini surge protector is great and it charges your ipod too! Great for charging several electronics at once. Also you only need one adapter.  In Africa, we spent a lot of time changing up our electronics to charge. We finally bought a power bar and could charge our cell phone, computer, ipods, camera and video camera all at once!

A good reliable sports watch with an alarm. Sometimes you will be getting up at 4:00 am to catch a sunrise or need to catch a bus after a long  night.  A watch with an alarm takes up less space than an alarm clock. Don’t go expensive though, you don’t want to be a target.

Scissors, nail clippers:  hygiene can keep you from getting sick. Keep your nails short.  Travelling for a long time, you will also need to cut your hair.  We are not fussy and cut each others on the road even though we could easily go to a salon anywhere, it is still important to have scissors for emergencies.

Sewing kit. Can’t tell you the amount of times I have used this.

Gold Bond.  this has always been our savior. Gold Bond Helps with heat rash and really soothes chafed skin.  This is always the first thing that we throw into our backpack and it has come to the rescue many times.

Peppermint oil. Many places have a musty odour, or smoking is allowed etc.  Peppermint oil will make your room smell minty fresh and it is great for sore muscles and congested sinuses.

We always pack a down jacket. they stuff to very little and can be used as a pillow.  We bring a travel size pillow case, stuff our coats in them and they can be used to sit on during uncomfortable boat rides or bench seating on trains and can be used to lean your head on .  I have never regretted bringing my down North Face coat. It is not for everyone, but we tend to go into the mountains a lot.

Headlamps, candles and matches are all a must.  We use the Petzl Tikka Plus 4-LED Headlamp and love it. It is lightweight and bright. Even before we started adventure traveling, we needed a headlamp.  They are great for exploring caves, in rooms with no light and of course and early morning trek or night safari in the jungle.

A sun hat and warm hat are a must as well.  Even in warm climates it can be cold at night.  In Vietnam’s north, we wore fleece sweaters and tuques (Canadian for a winter hat)

Earplugs, inflateable travel pillow, the u-shaped kind, eye mask

EyeGlass Repair Kit – Not only for prescription glasses but for sun glasses too. Plus that little screwdriver can come in handy quite a bit

Clothesline – Travel Laundry Clothesline – Flexolineis fantastic. Even if you have your laundry done for you everyday it is great for drying out clothes. Etc.

We could go on and tell you how many shorts shirts and trekking pants etc to pack, but that is a personal choice.  Just remember less is more.  This is simply a list of the essential items needed when travelling  for long periods.  You don’t need to bring everything for every situation with you , you can always buy them while you are abroad.  When we climbed Kilimanjaro, we borrowed everything right down to our hiking boots.  So if you don’t plan on going to altitude or cold weather a lot, leave the cold weather gear at home and rent it when you get there.

You can check out our post on Electronics while traveling to see what we are planning on bringing with us to India, but we are also going to be writing and blogging a lot.  I don’t think that the average person needs to pack two laptop computers. They key is to keep it lightweight and scaled down.  The less you have, the happier the travel.  Guaranteed.