- On underwear. Remember the packing advice post that I wrote from a while back, when I suggested bringing only two pairs of travel undies made with quick-dry breathable material? Well, honestly, every night I thank myself for having gotten these undies at REI before leaving California. They’re not cheap – I think 18$ USD per pair but they are worth every single penny! They are super comfy, do not give you undie lines and really are quick dry (I wash a pair in the shower every night). I am actually going to buy more when I get home for normal use!
- On Moleskins. These are my favourite notebooks of all time. They are leather bound compact journals that are great for jotting down notes and travel information and sketching and friends’ email addresses and addresses and everything! Mine has been my true companion during my travels.
- I packed too much. And really, I hardly packed anything at all. All I really wear these days: a sarong, a tank top, sports bra, flip flops and hat. Sometimes I will use my travel cargo pants and trainers. What I did fail to bring is a long sleeved linen shirt for when I visit Muslim countries (i.e. Malaysia) and need to cover up. I wonder how much it would cost to mail my extra clothes home?
- Tripadvisor. Use it, for everything! I look at reviews on Tripadvisor before I book a tour or a hotel. And then I compare Expedia’s rates with hotel website rates. This way, I am getting the cheapest possible deal! More saved dollars = more massages!
- Makeup. Haven’t used any since I started traveling. I am sure my face is thanking me for it, but my back is not. The makeup bag should have stayed at home.
- Other things I brought and don’t need: a pair of jeans, 500 tank tops, Lonely Planet’s Southeast Asia on a shoestring (it is crap, go use The Rough Guide instead!), an extra camera lens, contacts and contact solution (I’ve been using glasses when I need them), two reading books (should have just brought one!), painted nails (they look terrible now that they are chipping away and I don’t have nail polish remover to clean them up!)
- Things I brought that have been life savers: a fleece, convertible cargo pants, sarong, my computer (lets me write, helps me make skype calls, enables me to edit pictures and pretty much keeps me sane!), flip flops, sun screen, mosquito repellant, a hat, silk pajama bottoms (they are breezy but still makes you feel protected if you’re picky with hotel sheets), a universal adaptor
So, thus far, it has been going well. I still would have packed half of what I brought! =)
