favourite bit of backpacking kit

[doorknob]

What would be your favourite piece  - must have in the backpack, piece of kit for travel to Rio, Inca Trail, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.  (Camera excluded)?

[ian.miller]

best things when I went:
Leatherman Micro (scissors, knife etc and smaller than a pack of gum)
headphone converter (so I could use my comfortable minidisc headphones on planes.)
Stuff sack (great for packing damp/dirty clothes without smelling out your rucksack.)
Light soft shell waterproof jacket (e.g. Sprayway)
zip up fleece (ideal in any weather conditions, much better than pullovers)
Zip off safari type trousers
Merrell shoes

Things I wouldn't take:

Books - take one and barter, buy or borrow more
Heavy rainproof jacket - light one + layers does the same thing and useful much more often
a bad attitude :)

[bernardo]

A towel.  Any hoopy frood should know where his towel is.

[luckystrike]

 

• firstly, a good diary and pens
• Thomas Cook worldwide train timetable
• Lonely Planet (or similar) guide books
• a 'virtually indestructible' mug (available from Millets)
• a good bottle opener
• a small 'day bag' so that you can leave you rucksack at you accommodation
• a deck of playing cards
• a torch
• a cheap watch (not an expensive one)

 

Also, if you're Canadian, make sure to sew a patch of the Canadian flag onto your rucksack!

[doorknob]

All noted, some I hadn't thought of,  many thanks,   DK

[Bangkok]

A hundred dollar bill for emergencies (such as negotiating with officials!)

[ian.miller]

bernado - correct in more ways than one ;)

I'd highly reccomend the Trek Towels from life venture. They pack up to and weigh next to nothing, dry in under an hour and get the job done.

Superb bit of kit. I should have remembered actually as just got a new one into the magazine I work on.

Condoms can be more useful than just the obvious. Put them (unused!) over shower gel and shampoo bottles, tie off the ends and no leaks in your rucksack. also good for keeping matches etc dry if you want to take them

keeping a cheap lighter on you will win you friend easily too - even if you don't smoke - tobacco or otherwise.

And make sure you have an alarm, on your phone or whatever that will get you up when you have to get a bus at 5am or something.

[doorknob]

Cheers, peoples.  Bangkok - nice one, would not have thought of that one.   If anyone else is re-visiting this site - digital camera or film camera??

[auro]

digital camera - for ease as SLR film can be easily damaged.
and essential item - A Leatherman

[ian.miller]

digital camera - with at least 2 memory cards.
I'd also recomend not keeping the cards in the camera case, simply because if someone half inches your camera, you've lost 6months or whatever of pics.

I used 2 cards, alternating them between for each leg and getting a back up of the unused one just in case. And carry a mini card reader too, much easier than a cable and driver disks.

[ian.miller]

the micro I took - http://www.mvsvideo.co.uk/minileatherman.JPG
small isn't it :)

[Bangkok]

A hotmail account and someone at home to collect and store your digital pictures so if the cards get damaged or lost it is not the end of the world.

[Ammy]

Other good thing about digital camera is that you save on the weight and space taken up by films. I learnt this halfway through a 3 month trip to China. I took 12 films with me, when I started running out I realised it was probably a better option to buy a digital camera there.

 

Plus, if you don't want to get 2 or more memory cards, you will probably find that in the Asian countries you go to it will cost you pennies for get a photo shop to transfer the images to a CD for you. Simple, cheap and light-weight.

 

Also, a good phrase book will end up being a trusty friend, as will a loo-roll. In fact, I think the loo-roll became a god at times!

[pipsandcurls]

In Superdrug you can buy a small plastic bottle of waterless soap- you just rub it into your hands with no need to rinse and it disinfects them. I found this so great when travelling through Thailand,Bali- anywhere without access to running water and soap- i managed not to get any nasty stomach bugs while i was away and i think that using this before eating, after going to the toilet etc was v. worthwhile.

[mash]

an e-kit email account, much better for the traveller than hotmail.

[stoo_pid]

If you can get hold of one, take a terry-towelling nappy instead of a towel.  They take up very little room, feel better than the synthetic travel-towels, are very absorbent (one can easily dry your whole body) and dry out quickly.

Rubber door-wedge for rooms with no / dodgy locks.

Universal sink-plug

Small metal mirror

Whistle & compass (assuming you'll be doing some walking)

Dog-tags with mobile phone & UK contact details (e.g. parents) sewn into the hood of your backpack

Mini padlocks & if you have the space, length of chain.

[doorknob]

thank you all, all answers most appreciated.  Anyone else picking this question up please feel free to contribute.  I'm still a little concerned over the digital v film cameras though.  Is there not going to be a problem with batteries for a digital?

[vickyclare]

Bit late to jump on the bandwagon I know but...

Platypus!!!  If you've not already gone and don't have one, get one!  Especially if you'll be trekking.