And it’s fine if your seasoned and salty and don’t agree with me, that’s what comments are for. So disagree, tell me what you like and/or hate… Comment away homies!
The Adventures of Lil Nicki’s Travel Gear Advice
A Backpack
So I’ve traveled internationally with a suitcase once. I’ve gone screaming back to my trusty old backpack. I petted it when I got home and apologized for not bringing her with me that time. I think she’s coming around.
So maybe if you’re a luxury traveler you can stick with your suitcase and if you are a luxury traveler through and through, you’re probably not on here anyways.
My travels are usually a mishmash of camping, hostels, cheap hotels and a day or two spent at a 5* all inclusive resort. I do it all, but with that said: I generally spend most my time in cheap to midrange accommodation and transportation.
Get a backpack. Hi. Welcome to turtle life. Get used to carrying your life on your back. Shoot for 65L give or take 10L. This should be plenty of space for all your crap.
I’ve lived most my international travel out of an Osprey Aura 65L. It’s a great pack and it is durable.
My best piece of advice on choosing a backpack is to go into a shop that sells backpacks and has a decently knowledgeable staff. They should be able to correctly size you (yes, they come in sizes). And they should have a nice stack of weights there. Toss the weights in the pack and walk around the store with the different packs and feel out what’s the most comfortable. Don’t let price or aesthetics be the determining factor here. If you’re suffering living the turtle life, suffer comfortably.
And remember that your body type will play into what’s comfortable. I have a wiener dog body short legs, long torso. Friends with different bodies will require a different pack to fit them well.
Invest in a raincover
I’m just telling you from personal experience. BUY A RAINCOVER! I did not even know what they were prior to my first backpacking trip to Europe. Wanna know what happened almost the entire trip? Rain. Rain happened. Leading to much damp clothing. I’m not asking you, I’m telling you: buy a raincover. End of story.
The also make a decent makeshift beach towel for when you go to Borneo and didn’t pack one. I know, I know, not absorbent, but if you wanna sit on the beach and don’t want sand in one of your cracks, your raincover has your back… Well backcrack. Ok buttcrack. A sand free buttcrack is a happy buttcrack.
A purse. Or you’re a dude and aren’t going for a purse, shoulder bags.
I hate money belts with a passion. They suck, they’re uncomfortable, you look ridiculous retrieving monies from your upper vagina/penile area… Oh and if you sweat like a whore in church, like me you’ll always be handing people damp with pelvic area sweat cash. Nobody likes you.
So if I’m out for the day and am carrying a little more with me than I can jam in my pockets, or I’m out sans pockets ie: a dress, then I carry a purse.
I have two recommendations regarding the avoidance of a good ol fashioned purse snatching. Either get a purse that makes you look poor and therefore not a target, or get a PacSafe purse.
I have a hideous purse I bought in Cambodia a few years ago. A friend named it ‘ethno-bag’ because of the fabric pattern. I carry this all the time at home, I usually bring it to travel with. No one has tried to rob me when I’ve looked poor and/or homeless.
Or if you’re worried. Get a PacSafe. You can read up on them here. They’re slash proof, have a cable in the strap. They’re awesome.
Yes, I was too lazy to go find where I put my own.
Key here no matter which you choose: get a cross body. It’s much easier to steal something over your shoulder than something that is wrapped around your entire body.
RFID blocking wallet.
They block out the RFID scanners that douchecanoe thieves use to skim the info on your card. Or you can buy RFID blocking sleeves that you can put individual cards in.
Day Pack
Handy for day hikes or a day spent at the beach. Somewhere to stuff your snacks, camera, water, towel and a change of clothes in case that curry you ate earlier goes to war with your lower intestine and your intestine surrenders.
Bed Sheet
If you’re backpacking, there’s a good chance you’re hosteling. Always good to have one if there are no sheets provided at your accommodation, or you’re worried about the sanitary side of things. Also is good to have if you end up on an overnight train or bus, have to sleep in a train station… or you’re in a real debacle and have diarrhea and no toilet paper.
Lock
Many hostels have lockers to lock your bags up at.
Universal Adapter and Power Strip along with all the chargers for your electronics
Staying somewhere with a limited number if electrical sockets? Bring a power strip. I travel with a small one with 4 outlets.
Don’t forget your adapter! You’ll need this most likely if you’re traveling off your home continent. I have a ‘universal’ one. Do your research before leaving home though, some countries have oddball outlets that aren’t usually on the universal ones ie: South Africa, Sri Lanka… There’s a few others too.
Small First Aid Kit
Good to have! Do I really need to explain this?
Dry Sack
Keep your goodies dry! These are super handy. Just roll the top down and clips the clips at the top and you’re golden.
Optional Gear I Recommend:
Exomesh
Pricey, yes. But handy if you’re paranoid or have something of value you don’t want to carry on you at all times. The wire mesh wraps around your bag or suitcase (provided you purchased the right size), and then lock it up and go. It is kind of a pain in the ass to do and undo, that’s the negative. I use the PacSafe Exomesh.
Pelican Camera Case
If you travel with lots of camera equipment, this is handy to have. Grant (the boyfriend) travels with this. It’s got movable partitions in it so that you can custom fit it to your stuff. We own the back pack style one. Grant travels with is every other week (he works several hundred miles form where we live).
Check them out on their website here.
Duffel Bag
I like to stuff one inside my backpack before I leave. In the event that I find a bunch of goodies to bring home, it gives me some extra space. Or if I don’t do much shopping then it doesn’t take up much space inside my pack.
Water Filter
Great to have for the back country. Purifies water so that you don’t die of dehydration or get some lovely parasite. They are also great if you care a lot about the environment and don’t want to use tons of plastic bottles.
Tent
Another necessity if you’re out in the back country (well depending one where you’re going, maybe you can just sleep under the stars).
Sleeping Bag
If you’re travels include lots of camping in a chillier climate. When I do travel with a sleeping bag it’s a small, thin fleece one. (I am from a cold climate, so I stay plenty warm in it).
Head Lamp
These are such a handy item to have, especially if you’ll be camping. Much easier than trying to do something in the dark while holding a flashlight in your mouth. Hands free.
So there it is guys. Have anything you recommend that I’ve been missing in my turtle life? Comment away!
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Awesome! Great tips and more than I even expected from the title. Thanks again very much!