After backpacking around South East Asia and South America I have come to recognize the things that were not essential to my journey as well as the absolute “must haves“. I have put together a list of the 5 things that I had to travel with besides the usual sunscreen and camera. Hope it helps!
Lock and wire
I didn’t realise before my journey that most hostels provide a locker but not the lock, having a padlock is important to keep your belongings safe. Make sure you buy one that is large enough so that it will close over the locker rings at the hostel, and also not too thin that it can be cut through easily. One with a code is the best as trust me you will lose that key…
Another key thing is a wire, this was real handy when travelling on buses as I could lock my day bag to my seat and sleep without fear of it being stolen. When using it at the airport make sure it is TSA approved as otherwise they may cut it off your bag. I used non TSA approved locks before and never had this issue travelling in South America but if going through America or Europe it might be an issue. I used the one on this link: TSA approved Lock and you can buy it on the UK Amazon site for GBP 13
Battery pack
There will be times you will not have access to electricity and charging your kindle or camera will only be possible if you have a battery pack. Trust me these guys are a lifesaver! Try to get one with at least 10,000 mAh of power as that will charge an iphone up to three times. Personally I love and use the OnePlus Power Bank
Ear plugs
Oh man these are going to be your best friend and sometimes the only way to get a good night’s sleep! Busy dorms or noisy traffic can be your worst enemy when trying to catch up on sleep after a long night partying. Personally I have a very hard time using foam earplugs and they actually hurt my ears, that’s why I absolutely fell in love with wax earplugs. They form naturally to your ear canal and block out all sound! You can’t even feel them in it’s amazing! Quines ear plugs are my favorite. You can buy them for USD 8 in the states or GBP 4 in the UK. Here is a link to the US Amazon site Quines Earplugs
Day bag
First time I went traveling I did not realise the importance of a day bag. Many time you will leave your backpack at your hostel or hotel and will need a smaller bag for hiking, shopping or beach supplies. A light foldable backpack is perfect for carrying a few essentials with you and won’t take up much space. Personally I use the Osprey Farpoint that comes with a daybag included Osprey Backpacks “Farpoint”
Sarong
This will double as a scarf when it’s cold, a beach throw, a towel, a blanket, a head shawl for visiting Mosques or a shoulder scarf when visiting temples. My sarong was all of the above and I was so thankful for it, make sure to buy a light one that will dry easily.
So I hope you enjoyed that list and that it helped you with your packing list! Happy adventuring!
Nina the Nomad 