Please tell me the one essential item you allways take travelling and what uses it has. Things like dental floss for washing lines, hanging mossy nets and cleaning teeth.
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Earplugs, of course, for travels in SEA. Can't think of
anything more important!
The one essential is money. With that you can obtain
everything else you need in SE Asia.
Without a doubt a Sony DAT recorder! The reasons for doing
so are much appreciated about 6 months after returning home.
There is probably no describing the sound of a Papuan dawn
other than to just hear it. That dukun mesmerizing the crowd
in Sumatra...a call to prayer by a muezzin...rowing up the
kali Maro...the wedding of the Bupati's son. All these
things are brought back to life each time I listen to the
recordings.
For many indescribable uses, including throwing up in the
middle of the night. Sorry about the indelicacy of it
all!!!
I stayed in Indon. for a year - and thank god, before I
left, I was told to take a years supply of tampons. They're
near impossible to get there.
*LOL*
But I do wish I had taken a DAT recorder with me... I miss
the sounds.
Other than a sponge or a trick mouse I'm having difficulty thinking of what use tampons might be.
Tampons can be used as super thick earplugs when the other ones don't work, alternatively, you could take some along and dish them out to all of us who use them but didn't bring enough!
Mama's post made me the of a double use for those Nalgene
water bottles that always seem to make it into my pack. I do
recall getting into the habit of taking one to bed with me
in case I had to pee in the middle of the night... much
better than unwinding myself from a mozzie net, stumbling
around in the dark and out to the communal mandi!
A sarong is the most important thing..... I used mine as
clothes, curtains (for huge windows facing a crowded beach),
towel, beach-bag, blanket, temple-dress, pillow etc. I would
never leave home w/out it!!!
The one thing I always forget, and remind myself to take
next time, is a small notebook with basic, simple folksongs
from my country (either that, or make sure you memorize
five or so). I've had occasion to attend weddings, feasts,
etc., and often singing is a big part of things. If you can
do a little yourself, even if badly, it contributes to the
sense of reciprocity, of sharing cultures that is, after
all, what much of travel is about.
Craig Janes
Fortunately it never happened to me, but I┤m sure I┤d feel
extremely uncomfortable if I arrived somewhere and found out
I forgot to take something with me to hide my genitals. Make
sure you always carry some kind of crotch cover with you !
For men: Pants are just fine, shorts are o.k. along beach
resorts. For women: Pants are just fine, skirts are more
appreciated. Of course, you can buy the necessary items in
the country of your arrival, but I can imagine that even the
way from the airport/train station to the next store might
not be without hassle.
Little pots of bubble solution to give to children
enroute. Invaluable in hill tribe areas of Thailand and
almost anywhere in Vietnam. Nothing breaks the ice quite
so well, and not just with the children.
If i am right i think it was fabric sofftener to keep bugs off if you have a problem if i am rong ask someone els.
I guess I'm a little timid about going it alone. I thought
how nice it would be to have something with me to defend
myself that a customs agent wouldn't look twice at. My
solution a heavy wooden cane. A meter long piece of oak to
crack heads with. It occurs to me it has many other uses,
but on the other hand it is just one more thing to carry,
get lost or get stollen. I have not had a chance to try
this so you'll have to tell me how it works.
Pictures from your family, house, pets etc.
Postcards from your city.
Good anti-mosquito stuff.
sunprotection with high factor (20-30)
For the women: I agree about the tampons, you can't find
them anywhere in Indonesia.
Small presents from your country, the things tourists buy
at your place.
Thankyou all for your suggestions keep them coming in for everybody about to travel. I'm supposedly going to Bali on June 10th, if not somewhere else. This is my first time abroad for more than a month, see you there.
lomotil
Probably most of you know this, but always bring a Xerox
copy of your passport and tickets. (and have your companion
carry a set for you, too.) Saves loads of time if you
should lose your travel documents.
easy to buy, but never, ever, ever run out! This is more
important for a female I believe.
Along with all the stuff to try and keep the mossies off
with it's essential to have something to apply once they
have breached your defences. Anthisan is a tube of cream
which, swiftly applied, stops the bite itching and swelling.
It is a mild antihistamine and can be bought over the
counter in UK chemists and may well be sold elsewhere under
another name.
If you cannot get Anthisan then once you are in Asia you
should buy a pot of Tiger Balm which not only stops bites
from swelling but is also a relief for headaches,
stomachaches and runny noses (applied directly to the area
affected).
lomotil?
an anti-diarrhoea tablet, much the same as Imodium. Don't
leave home without one of them.
Lomotil is a semi-narcotic with side effects. Immodium is
sold over the counter, is cheaper and works just as well.
If you think you might engage in sexual activity, take
condoms. The local ones are of poor quality.
A small battery-operated fan is a lifesaver. In the US buy
these at Brookstone or from their catalogue. They are
probably on line.
Imodium and Lomotil are BOTH semi-narcotics. They are both
opioids for those of you REALLY interested. The difference
is that Lomotil has atropine added, to stop you abusing it
(atropine has nasty side effects when taken in high enough
doses, but the amount in your average Lomotil pill is
negligible).
A word of warning, only use anti-diarrhoeals if you REALLY
REALLY have to. You are safer letting nature take her
course, and making sure you drink oodles of water and take
oral rehydration salts. Anti-diarrhoeals can make you more
ill if you have a nasty infection, as they stop you getting
rid of the bugs in the proper way.
Got to be ear plugs. I know it's not original and I have no
other use than the purpose for which they are intended but
there are always roosters, mad dogs, morning markets and the
quintessential mosque near my guest house. (even if LP says
somewhere is quiet, tranquil and peaceful!)
I've been to so many places now where power blackouts are routine that I always keep a flashlight handy. It's been a lifesaver when I've had an inside room with no windows and either had to pack to leave, or just needed a light so that I could find a candle and some matches.
I'm planning a trip to Thailand first of December for six months, it will be my first time there, any advice of dos' and or dont's would be apreciated, thanks
Freebird
P.S. I'm a young woman travelling on my own.
some pople swear by imodium some by lomotil.
x
the first time i was in thailand i got an awful dose. it
went on into the second day and someone got me some imodium.
despite this it went on into the third day and i eventually
had enough courage to go to the pharmacy for some more
imodium. as an afterthought on the way out i said do you
sell lomotil. when told yes i swapped the imodium for the
lomotil. three hours later i was back at work.
x
so for me lomotil.
x
Colette's right in one respect, if 2+1+1+1 doesn't work get
to the quack. as for nature taking it's course, not bloody
likely when it all gets serious.
Swiss Army Knife
I use mine nearly everyday even at home. My whole family
uses it. Finally my wife after 9 years of marriage asked why
it was called a Sesame Knife because the kids wanted to know
if it had anything to do with sesame street.
Next a pen light.
third put small bells on all your valuable things.
Loved the bubble post.and am wondering how Max got someplace
without his crotch covered. Can anyone answer this?
I have an image of Max streaking onto a plane suddenly
looking down and noticing he forgot to dress, pack or bring
a bag.
But Max in a pinch two cupped hands will cover your genitals
unless the girl has no crotch cover as well. In moments like
this, insert long stem A into her wet slot B and used cupped
hands under her bottom (one on each side). If you need
clearer instructions, The Devil in Miss Jones has a variety
of well filmed aids (non capitalized).
z
Has anybody out there actually had furniture sucessfully
shipped from Ubud/anywhere else in Bali via container ?
If so are there any pitfalls to watch out for ?
If you're going to SE Asia don't bother with toilet paper,
as you can always use your hand. It really ain't that bad.
I found that a frisbee had lots of uses.
A Plate
A chopping Board
A water carrier
A Good seive for getting seeds out your ganja
Placed in the back of your pack it protects against pack slashers.
Oh and a frisbee.
I found that taking a light cotton bed sheet protected me
from the sometimes seedy looking mattresses you find in
cheap SEA accomodation - and padlocks for your backpack are
essential when on the road and if you go to Vietnam its a
good idea to take a bike chain to make sure your bag doesn't
get stolen when the bus is being
unloaded!.....................
How does a bike chain help?
Definately has to be a pocket knife, apart from the knife it has the two most important implements on earth.
The beer bottle opener and
the wine bottle opener
* ear plugs
* torch
* swiss army knife
* bug spray
* spare laces
* soluble asprin
* ciprofloxin
* toilet paper
* plastic carrier bags
* small padlocks
* spare passport photos
* pens
* travel sweets
* waterproof matches
if i had to choose one of these it would be a close thing
between the cipro and the bug spray. hels
be careful your post is beginning to look like the 597kg
rucksack at the end of the se asia mainland section. settle
down in the cheap seats.
In Dutch it's called a theedoek, it's the little towel you
normally dry your dishes with. While travelling I use it to
dry myself with: it's light, small, works just fine and
dries in no time after use. Plus it's cheaper than the
crappy special supertowels you can buy at travel stores but
that don't work!
We used to take a fist full of new dollar notes with us+ a
few of the of lovely purple 5s to give to people who did
us favours,became friendly with etc.they always loved
them.The coins hardly hold the charm of the old $A1
note.Progess as usual leads to further decay.
... but it must be one of the ones with a corkscrew. This
will help you make friends on the Egyptair flight which not
only doesn't serve alcohol, but doesn't even have a
corkscrew on board for those who had the foresight to bring
their own bottle of wine.
And the thing for getting stones out of horses' hooves is
invaluable ................
Those new Ziplock bags with the plastic thingie that closes
and locks them are a godsend for holding all sorts of things
from wet unides to fruit to whatever. I know it sounds
amazingly simple, but I will never travel without them
again. Most everything else you can get while travelling.
(The ziplocks are probably only available in the st
Has anyone worked as a teacher in an international school in Brunei? Is it dry (I mean in the drink/moslem sense) for a christian ? Do they have liquor licences? Can you make your own booze? Can you import your own Duty-free? How long is the school year? Do you get Xmas holidays? Do you need visas to visit if you are British? Is it a hassle to get non-relatives visas to visit you? Any info appreciated
Thanks
Graham
Six months in Thailand and this is what I think were the
best things to bring:
Swiss army knife - one with all the tools (cork screw) :-)
Hostel blanket
External speakers for my walkman - you wouldn't believe how
much of a draw they are to others (with mixed tapes from
home of course)
Sturdy footwear - hiking in sandals can get tough
Quality sunglasses
Canesten - for that pesky ringworm
Travel/personal diary
Things I wish I brought:
Earplugs - Bangkok is LOUD-I did get used to the scooters
though.
Ball cap - I forgot my favorite hat and had to get
something that actually looked pretty cool, but it wasn't
my favorite hat. :_(
Pictures from home - friends and family and some nice
scenery where I live...it's very nice and it's nice to show
others about you.
I like the comment about the frizbee!
B
...there is a special kids list:
- let them make their own diarys (with place left inbetween for pictures to put in after they are developed, stamps, maps, tickets, coins...)
-rehydration salts to put in water (once had a boy who wouldn't even drink that, got him alive with watermelon)
in case of bad diarrea or heat stroke
- purification tablets to put in hilltribe water (once got giardia)
- alot of easy transportsble games like a card pack, uno, yazzie, pens and paper
- take small things that your kids can give to other kids, things from your home
AND REMEMBER THAT THEY LOVE KIDS THERE, SO YOU ARE OK THERE, ENJOY IT FULLY
Anna
besides bringing the obvious like money,ticket, passport
etc.
I think SARONG is really essential (esp for SEA) , Its
towel, skirt, sheet, blanket........I carry at least 2.
another one would be a torch, I found blackouts quite
common esp in Msia and a blackout mean PITCH DARK.
A sense of humour, first and foremost. With that you can
get by just about anywhere. Everything else you can buy
along the way or do without.
those flip flop slippers (adidas, etc.) with the one strap
thick are excellent in places like Thailand during the
rainy season. You can wear them anywhere (at night, at
beach, strolling...) and can walk in the many puddles with
them on. Sounds simple, but they are essential.
Curiousity.
Wetnaps, those little blessings that they give you at
restaurants and on the plane - they are a quick way to
clean your hands and face when you are on a train, bus, etc.
One thing to add to your first aid kit - a needle/syringe.
Just one, in case something does happen and you need a
shot, or a last minute vaccine - who knows. Do you want to
trust one to be sterile? (seeing the many travelers crashed
on motorbikes in Thailand that had to go to a hospital for
stitches made me realize the importance of this item.)
While you can usually can buy them most places, extra film
and batteries are handy to bring along as they can often to
be quite expensive. My camera uses lithium batteries and
sometimes they are not available.
An awkward thing you might say, but if you know the place
you're going to will be very wet, an umbrella is very handy
as well as rain gear.
A friend of mine always writes the addresses of people she
wants to send postcards etc to on sticky lables before she
leaves home. That way you save time and remember everyone.
A water filter is essential. It allows you to drink clean
water anywhere (depending on your filter) and it cuts down
on one of the biggest problems in Asia - what to do with the
plastic water bottles. It's a shame that backpackers aren't
more aware and/or concerned about the problem this causes.
There isn't a recycling program set up to deal with the
masses of plastic. It ends up just getting burnt.
condoms
A little vial of perfume to make you feel better.
A travel alarm clock - they take up no room at all.
Shower shoes.
definitely the small vial of perfume! baby wipes, lotions,
really do help so much for the small burden that they are.
don't forget instant hand sanitizer. (purell) i never saw
it anywhere in thailand and i was so thankful to have
brought it! definitely a light bedsheet, if not just a
sarong to lay on.
take some time to learn the language. i can't believe how
invaluable that knowledge actually was.
A shawl....for chastely covering shoulders/head
a swiss army knife, a sarong and some mozzie cream.
- Sarong
- flashlight
- swiss army knife
1) Swiss Army knife for opening beer bottles, popping
corks, scissors, toothpick, etc, etc.
Mike might bring frisbees, but they are too big for my pack.
I grab a hacky sack. Has the same effect as the frisbee but
takes up less room.
Thanks Anna for the 'traveling with kids' list..and I loved
that 'bubble' suggestion someone made!!
This is a flexible rubber menstrual cup. It is reusable so
I don't have to worry about bringing tampons or pads. I
love the Keeper - so convenient for travelling. See the
bottom of the women's branch of the thorn tree for more
info - there is a long post with about 110 replies on the
Keeper, etc.
Swiss army knife with bottle opener ranks up there. Small
umbrella, which you can get upon arrival for cheap, is also
good if weather is constantly alternating between rain and
harsh sun.
you can buy safety pins in most places, but in the middle of
the night when the curtain isn't hanging right, or if you
need to hang something up to dry and want it to dry
efficiently instead of folding it over, other numerous things
you'd wish you'd had a safety pin for. it's convenient just
to have them so you're not stuck until you hit a bigger town
or wait for a place to open or just someplace where those
things aren't avaialb.e
also, i found that masking tape is really useful. to tape
things up and cover up holes so bugs don't crawl through
being attracted to the light and so you can avoid those
creepy eyes that peep into the deliberately placed holes.