Excellent suggestions - over here many go off for a while Europe, Asia or South America . My brother did a year in Asia and 2 in South America. Got Cholera and a wife (at opposite extremes of the attractiveness spectrum)
I'll simply reinforce part of what been said and a few relatively obvious things that have worked for me
Clothing in layers, and a good water proof shell. Cloting like trousers, shirts and hats can be easily acquired and disposed of. But it is good to start off with what you like. It sounds like he may be going through extremes of climates so flexibilty may be good
Good shoes/boots depending how much real walking to do. A heavy and light comination is good - i.e if in cold areas/heavy buswalking maybe boots for heavy and runner style hiking for light/camp, or in tropical areas shoe style hiking/walking and flip flops/thongs.
Anti mosquito stuff - getting caught without can be really miserable as well as dangerous (yes I have had malaria and held up a 747 full of people on the way back into Oz to the hospital before Customs cleared me) - a net and some repellent to start with
Travel insurance - my brother did not get medivaced out of the remote village by helicopter - but the insurance company offered to do so. Very comforting
A travel backpack - where everthing zips closed and can be locked or zip tied. Just makes it that little bit harder for wandering hands. I too have a jansport travelpack that has served from the Okavango delta in Africa to the Sheraton in Paris and tropical Islands off the coast of Burma- not the most expensive pack but fittted my back well and well shaped - actually a bit of a pack rather than a suitcase with shoulder straps. A couple of compartments are good seperating wet/dry used fresh underwear/ toiletries ...
Waterproofing for your backpack/daypack if doing real hiking or snow - either covers or simply decent plastic bags - and another one around the sleeping bag.
A good day pack - goes in the backpack when not being used or on your front (never attached to the backpack) .
Stoppers and goers and pain killers - explosive bowel decompression starting in Danang Vietnam on a business trip was not fun
Silk innier sheet or better YHA style (which has provsion for a pillow) - light, packs to nothing but adds an extra layer to your bag in cold areas, washes easily and dries rapidly, can be used in dodgy beds.....
SAK - with scissors, tweezers. Anything beyond that is for fun.
Hotel style minimalist sewing kit
personnel passions - i.e coffee, or for Australians Vegemite, hot sauce can make anything half way edible, phrase book to be able to communicate, pack of cards - everybody plays some cards, guidebook with list of places to sleep
Money in several places, and the passport not in the most obvious.
Bandanna style piece of cloth - useful even if never worn on the head - as scarf, towel, rope,water filter, patches for clothes
A water bottle - I don't like them as big bulk wrong shaped but aluminium Sig style is good as can boil water and pour it straight in - sanitizes the bottle at the same time. I'd also think about a 1 or two litre collapsible for when going remotely - packs to nothing when not being used. A bit of iodine etc
Cheap polarized sunglasses with retaining straps - so never gets put down,fall off into streams oceans etc good for sun keeping snow, salt, and sand out of eyes.
Small container to keep filling up with washing powder at any opportunity - who carries a Kilo of washing powder when travelling?
Penlight though I reckon the new photon lights might be a good candidate. Should be easy to carry in pocket, put under pillow. Does not need to be very powerful or large. Big lights for walking large distances in the dark are in the luxury category
Cheap electic watch with luminous face (to read in dark) and alarm to wake up for dawn bird watching, early buses etc. If it has a dial light can actually help as emergency light in a very dark room/tent to help find the torch/light switch. May not be able to find your torch in the dark but can generally find the end of your arm!
Little compass - even useful in cities can be on watch or back pack - just to oreintate not necessarily rogaining quality
Bic pen X2 and diary doubles as emergency paper supply for all situations
Anything that goes in the pack has to be Halo qualified to at least survive the fall from say the height of 747 tail gate to dolly underneath/top of bus to ground...
If first time out of the USA, a place to stay while getting his bearings
My .02 hope there is something of interest in the ramble
Sounds like a great trip - I am envious
I'll simply reinforce part of what been said and a few relatively obvious things that have worked for me
Clothing in layers, and a good water proof shell. Cloting like trousers, shirts and hats can be easily acquired and disposed of. But it is good to start off with what you like. It sounds like he may be going through extremes of climates so flexibilty may be good
Good shoes/boots depending how much real walking to do. A heavy and light comination is good - i.e if in cold areas/heavy buswalking maybe boots for heavy and runner style hiking for light/camp, or in tropical areas shoe style hiking/walking and flip flops/thongs.
Anti mosquito stuff - getting caught without can be really miserable as well as dangerous (yes I have had malaria and held up a 747 full of people on the way back into Oz to the hospital before Customs cleared me) - a net and some repellent to start with
Travel insurance - my brother did not get medivaced out of the remote village by helicopter - but the insurance company offered to do so. Very comforting
A travel backpack - where everthing zips closed and can be locked or zip tied. Just makes it that little bit harder for wandering hands. I too have a jansport travelpack that has served from the Okavango delta in Africa to the Sheraton in Paris and tropical Islands off the coast of Burma- not the most expensive pack but fittted my back well and well shaped - actually a bit of a pack rather than a suitcase with shoulder straps. A couple of compartments are good seperating wet/dry used fresh underwear/ toiletries ...
Waterproofing for your backpack/daypack if doing real hiking or snow - either covers or simply decent plastic bags - and another one around the sleeping bag.
A good day pack - goes in the backpack when not being used or on your front (never attached to the backpack) .
Stoppers and goers and pain killers - explosive bowel decompression starting in Danang Vietnam on a business trip was not fun
Silk innier sheet or better YHA style (which has provsion for a pillow) - light, packs to nothing but adds an extra layer to your bag in cold areas, washes easily and dries rapidly, can be used in dodgy beds.....
SAK - with scissors, tweezers. Anything beyond that is for fun.
Hotel style minimalist sewing kit
personnel passions - i.e coffee, or for Australians Vegemite, hot sauce can make anything half way edible, phrase book to be able to communicate, pack of cards - everybody plays some cards, guidebook with list of places to sleep
Money in several places, and the passport not in the most obvious.
Bandanna style piece of cloth - useful even if never worn on the head - as scarf, towel, rope,water filter, patches for clothes
A water bottle - I don't like them as big bulk wrong shaped but aluminium Sig style is good as can boil water and pour it straight in - sanitizes the bottle at the same time. I'd also think about a 1 or two litre collapsible for when going remotely - packs to nothing when not being used. A bit of iodine etc
Cheap polarized sunglasses with retaining straps - so never gets put down,fall off into streams oceans etc good for sun keeping snow, salt, and sand out of eyes.
Small container to keep filling up with washing powder at any opportunity - who carries a Kilo of washing powder when travelling?
Penlight though I reckon the new photon lights might be a good candidate. Should be easy to carry in pocket, put under pillow. Does not need to be very powerful or large. Big lights for walking large distances in the dark are in the luxury category
Cheap electic watch with luminous face (to read in dark) and alarm to wake up for dawn bird watching, early buses etc. If it has a dial light can actually help as emergency light in a very dark room/tent to help find the torch/light switch. May not be able to find your torch in the dark but can generally find the end of your arm!
Little compass - even useful in cities can be on watch or back pack - just to oreintate not necessarily rogaining quality
Bic pen X2 and diary doubles as emergency paper supply for all situations
Anything that goes in the pack has to be Halo qualified to at least survive the fall from say the height of 747 tail gate to dolly underneath/top of bus to ground...
If first time out of the USA, a place to stay while getting his bearings
My .02 hope there is something of interest in the ramble
Sounds like a great trip - I am envious
Last edited:
