Rant & Raves

Previously, I wrote that I will be writing about the guide to backpacking here. So here it is.

Backpacking is not for the faint hearted. A lot of times you will face difficulties in accomodation, hygine problems, food, or even the people. Imagine that you don’t bring lots of money so you cannot afford a hotel, so what will you do?

This guide is derived from the experience that I have gathered during my college years when I was backpacking to Europe. If you decide to backpack as the mean of travel, I hope this guide will give you some insight and help you prepare.

Backpack
Thinking of using a stroll luggage? Forget about it. Sometimes you will have to go through some rough terrain, so how are you going to carry it? So first thing first, get yourself a sturdy water-proof backpack with a lot of compartments for small items.

Water Botter
Stop going to 7-11 to buy some plastic mineral bottle. Invest in some metal type so that it will be long lasting. And why water bottle? Well, let’s just say sometimes you will get to walk a long distance and you will get dehydrated. Of course, if you have the money to constantly buying water, then go ahead. But for backpackers, a good water bottle is essential, so you can fill up the bottle, drink it, and refill to continue your journey.

Clothes
Bring a few changing clothes, underwears, and socks. Make sure you bring the right clothing for the right weather. If you bring only t-shirts while going to Europe in winter, you will be dead before you can hit the street from the airport. You don’t need a lot of changing clothes, because most often than not, you will need to wash these clothes yourself, and if you bring a lot, your backpack will be heavy and that will slow you down a lot, making your journey more difficult to continue. Usually, I bring 4 T-shirts, 4 underwear, 3 socks, and 1 extra jeans. That’s about it. And be honest, sometimes I have to wear the underwear for few days.

Sleeping Bag
Well, travel on a tight budget means you cannot afford hotels. If you are lucky, the place will have YMCA lodging place that is around EURO 5 per night. If not, you will be sleeping in a bus station or somewhere, so it is important that you have a nice sleeping bag to protect yourself from the wind and dust.

Tools
Swiss army knife, pepper spray, sewing kit, and simple First Aid Kit. Yup, you don’t have to bring those, but I brought them because sometimes things could happen, and luckily I brought my sewing kit, otherwise I would be exposing my ass (story was that I tore my jeans because it got hooked onto a sharp edge) throughout my whole journey. I had a few cuts and bruises, and luckily my small first aid kit pouch got antiseptic creams and plasters. You don’t want to get wound infection whenyou are abroad, trust me on that. Check with the flight regulations to make sure you don’t bring something illegal. (Do you know that pepper spray is illegal in China?)

Courage
Going to a new place is not something easy. But going there alone, not knowing anyone, is something that requires courage. You need to have the courage to face the loneliness, the new place, and venture out to explore the place. So yes, please work up the courage.

Knowledge
Knowledge is priceless. So before you go, google that country or place to find more information. Some place do not offer free map, so make sure you print some, or buy some maps from your local store. Normally, trying to save money, I will print them out from the internet, fold it in my journal, and head off. If the local offers free maps, the first thing I did when I reached there was to grab 2 copies of the map. It happened to me before that the one and only map I got was wet and tore a part later by the strong wind, and I didn’t have the backup map. So get 2 copies.

Common Sense
Yup, common sense is important. Common sense such as don’t put your passport in your backpack and buy a holder that you can keep with you all the time. Common sense such as you are a foreigner and when something is not right, walk away because you don’t want to get into troubles with the locals. Common sense such as be alert and watch out for yourself, your own safety, is important. The truth is, if you are killed in a foreign country, no one will know you and no one will care. So its important to use your brain and think.

Survival
I travelled in budget, so this might not be applicable to you, but recommended. When I was in Europe, I didn’t have much money, so I asked around if I could work part-time, especially in Chinese restaurants or some hispanic restaurants (they normally don’t really care about rules and regulations on hiring foreigners with no working permit), earn that few Euros and best of all, sometimes they provide free meal as well. That actually lower down my costs and best of all, I got to experience different culture to the core level.

Health
A lot of people ignore this, but it is important that you start to eat healthy, exercise regulary months before you backpack. You don’t want to get sick when you reach there, so keeping your body fit and your health good is essential. Besides, you will need the stamina to walk for hours every day, so get your ass off the couch and start doing the exercise and eat healthily!

This is not a complete list. When I got more time, I will update this guide more often, and later I will add some links about travel information. So check back often to get the updated list. And if you have something that you want to share, feel free to rip the comment page apart.