Essential Travel Items

I wrote my top 5 essential items at the beginning of this trip but thought I’d write a comprehensive guide for anyone planning to backpack! Here we go!

1) A backpack! This needs to be a good one that you’re happy with as it will be with you everyday for many years. You will become very attached to your backpack!
DONT get one bigger than recommended for your size, yes you can fit more in but you won’t be able to carry it!
DO get a good quality one.
DO ensure the straps are correctly adjusted for you, the weight should rest on your hips.
DONT get a top opening backpack. It will drive you insane getting everything out each time when you want that sock at the bottom!

2) Sleeping bag. Yes most of the time you will sleep in hostels with bedding but I find a sleeping bag gives you more options. I’ve used it at some point in every trip.

3) Sleeping bag liner. If you dont get a sleeping bag then definitly take one of these. If you have to choose between the two due to space then choose the liner.  They come in silk or cotton. Silk is more expensive but worth the compact size and comfort.

4) Mp3 player with all your music on. Helps with bus journeys, snorers in dorms and when you want a break from the local music!

5) Unlocked phone. Best way to stay
in touch with family and friends is using wifi in hostels with Skype and Whatsapp. Also good for a bit of research on hostels, restaurants etc.

6) Suncream.

7) lnsect repellant.

8) Wet bag. Keeps your valuables dry in all situations! I’ve used this a lot on this trip due to wet weather.

9) Money belt. Wear this under your clothes with your passport and debit/credit cards in. Great for bus journeys where you may fall alseep or theres possibility of be robbed and dodgy cities at night. Keep some money seperate to hand over as a decoy.

10) Guidebook. Lonely Planet and Rough Guide are the most popular ones but shouldn’t be taken as gospel Always find out the latest local information aswell. If a hostel listed in Lonely Planet it can often be fully booked with higher prices and dies jot necessarily mean it is better

11) Raincoat. Pack a light, fold up rain jacket especially if travelling to tropical climates where it can rain heavily. Will save all your clothes being drenched!

12) Travel wash. Most places offer laundry services butif you just need that one top washed you can do it yourself in the sink and dry it outside.

13) Headtorch/ torch. Useful for walking at night, reading in dorms and finding things in your bag!

14) Padlock. Choose one with a code rather than a key in case you lose the key! Most dorms have lockers to use with your own lock for valuables. You may want to lock your backpack qhen leaving in the dorm.

15) Decent hiking shoes. I find boots too bulky. I’ve had my quick-drying Merrells for 8 years now and they are very comfortable and long lasting. I do need some new ones now though as the grip has gone! I tend to tie mine to the outside of my backpack when not wearing!

16) Two pairs of good quality hiking socks. Good shoes are useless without good socks! This will stop you getting blisters on long hikes. You need 2 pairs for when one pair gets wet.

Final countdown!

It’s the final countdown!  This time next week I will have been in Costa Rica for 2 days already!  Still haven’t packed but thrown all the things I need in a pile on the floor!  Been spending quality time with my family and friends before I leave but still hasn’t really sunk in that I won’t see most people for a very long time.  Not sure of my initial plans after the first day in San Jose but I’ve booked a hostel and arranged an airport pick up as it will be a little daunting arriving on my own in a Central American city as dusk falls.  I think I will head onto Nicaragua pretty soon after my arrival and return to Costa Rica later on but the beauty of this trip is that I am free. 

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Free to change my mind, route, plans, company, direction, opinions, ideas, everything! The only issue with near total freedom is it’s hard to decide where to start!  Obviously total freedom is a near impossible thing in this world when you have to consider money, country visas and rules, safety etc but this is as close as I’m likely to get so I plan to make the most of every second!

Welcome to my blog!

I’ve never written a blog before but a few people have suggested they’d like to keep updated with my travels and it’s a good way to keep a diary without the fuss of a paper copy which will inevitably get wet, squashed and torn in my very well-used backpack!  I will try to include links to places I’ve been in case you are also travelling to the same destination in the future and want some recommendations on places to stay, things to do etc.  Thank you for taking an interest and taking time out to read my blog!

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I’m about 1 week away from starting my trip and I am gathering my essential travel items.  Here are my top 5 essential travel items!

1.  Silk sleeping bag liner.  Super lightweight and great for using as sleeping bag in hot places, putting inside your sleeping bag in cold places to double the warmth, protecting you from suspiciously unclean sheets and helping to keep out those creepy crawlies!

2.  Head torch.  I’ve actually never had one of these before now but I’ve seen many backpackers use them wisely for jungle toilet trips at night, reading when everyone else is asleep in a hostel room and searching for that one sock at the very bottom of your backpack before an early morning trek!

3. MP3 player.  For long boring bus journeys, for when you are fed up of the local favourite music (usually reggaton!) and need to hear some quality tunes and for drowning out any scary bumps n the night or weird animal noises!

4. Lonely Planet guide book.  Not to be used religiously, the clues in the title GUIDE book!   But really handy for information on last minute accommodation or journey options.

5. Hardcore mosquito repellent.  I’ve had most of the relevant vaccinations but it’s best to keep those blood- thirsty creatures well away!

Please tell me your essential items as maybe I’ve forgotten something important!