Before
you go
Gather
your travel guides and maps for the road
Reserve
your campsite ahead of time
Ensure
your vehicle is "ready" for the trip
Cancel
your newspaper delivery
Install
on/off timers on a few lamps in your house
Shut
down your water heater (just in case....)
Ensure
all windows and doors are locked
Activate
your home alarm
Leave
a key to your home to a trustworthy neighbor
Arrange
for someone to cut your lawn (if necessary)
Arrange
for someone to empty your mailbox periodically
Remember essentials
Address list and list of important contacts or numbers
Backpack, suitcase, sports bag (something to pack everything in)
Passport (valid past your expected return date)
Insurance
Money belt, money, traveler's cheques
International driving license (if necessary)
Mobile phone, international phone card
Tip: Make a photocopy of your passport and other important documents and store them separately from the originals. If you lose something, a photocopy will speed up the replacement process.
Packing clothing
Sweater or fleece
T-shirts and shirts (long and short sleeves)
Shorts
and long pants or trousers, jeans, belt
Regular underwear and long thermal underwear ("Thinsulates" are great)
Pyjamas / sleepwear
Socks including a
pair of thick wool socks
Footwear (sneakers, sandals, shower shoes, rain/hiking boots)
Rain
gear - a poncho or a rain parka with pants
Gloves or mittens
A
windbreaker or light jacket
A
hat, a baseball cap or a sun hat
Swim wear & beach towels
Sunglasses
(with UVA/UVB protection)
A
sewing repair kit
Tip: Pack clothing using the time-honored "roll" technique. Lay two or three items on top of one another, smooth to flatten, and roll them up like you would a sleeping bag to save space and prevent wrinkles. For added wrinkle insurance, place a sheet of heavy tissue or packing paper between items of clothing before rolling.
Toiletries / Health
items
Contact lens equipment
Prescription glasses
Toothpaste
and toothbrushes
Dental floss (also great for fixing things!)
Soap,
shampoo, conditioner
Hairbrush,
combs
Deodorant
Sunscreen (waterproof if you're planning to go swimming)
Lip balm / lip gloss
Make-up
Moisturizer (face and body)
Talcum / baby powder (useful against heat rash / sweat rash in shoes)
Tampons and pads
Razors, shaving cream
Wet wipes / baby wipes
Toilet
paper
Q-tips
Cotton buds
Fingernail clippers & nail file
Bath towels
An
unbreakable (plastic) mirror
Tip: Buy travel-size containers for your toiletries and enclose toiletry containers in airtight plastic bags to prevent contents from spilling into your suitcase in the event of a leak. Wrap socks or pajamas around breakable items to cushion them.
Band aids
Compression bandages
Gauzes
Antiseptic ointment
Iodine/hydrogen peroxide
Diarrhea tablets
Re-hydration salts sachets
Headache medication
Motion sickness tablets
Medication
(prescribed or otherwise)
Water
purification tablets (just in case....)
Insect and/or mosquito repellent
Small scissors
Tweezers
Tip: Be sure to pack medications and other important items in an easily accessed baggage.
Miscellaneous
items
Camera, films/memory cards
Mini camera tripod
Batteries, battery charger
Electrical adapter and plug converter
Travel alarm clock
A
battery operated radio
iPod, MP3 player, DVD player, portable speakers
Laptop (useful for research and to keep in touch)
Maps or GPS
Compass
Travel / guidebooks
A walkie-talkie set
Umbrellas
Binoculars
Dictionaries (could be useful)
Combo or key locks
Inflatable travel pillow
Mosquito net
A
folding chair or two (or a hammock to pamper yourself)
A
good book, deck of cards, board
games (chess, cribbage..)
If you're "tenting"
Your
tent (don't
forget the stakes and poles)
A
tube of "seam sealer" for your tent (stick,
spray or liquid)
An
emergency "repair kit" for your tent (patches,
glue, needle, thread ....)
Your
sleeping bags and/or warm blankets
A
sleeping mat (foam or air-filled.... don't forget the
air pump)
Pillows
for everybody
A
folding table (very convenient)
A
tarp (for your cooking area or to install over/under
the tent if necessary)
A
battery operated lamp (NB: using a propane
lantern inside a tent can be dangerous)
A
lantern for outdoor use (don't forget to bring spare
mantles and the propane canister)
A cooler / ice box
A
cooking stove (and fuel) or a small BBQ
Cooking
pots, a frying pan, a kettle, a few mugs and some
utensils
A
plastic egg container
A
plastic butter container
A dish pan
A
can opener and a corkscrew
A plastic tablecloth
A laundry bag (garbage bags also work fine)
Insulated
food containers
Aluminum
foil (especially if you're planning to cook on a open
fire)
Hot dog sticks (weiner forks)
A
large water carrier (2-5 gallon)
A
water bottle / canteen
Plastic
bags! Small and large... they're always handy!
Rope
- at least 100 feet (nylon being the most resistant
to weather)
Tape
(electrical and/or duct tape work best)
An
small (folding) shovel
An
axe or a hatchet
A
small broom
A
knife (swiss army knives are always useful)
Matches
and/or a lighter (waterproof if possible)
Candles
A
flashlight or two (always have a few spare bulbs around)
