Today we have a special post from my friend Jess who has been traveling for the last year.
Seasoned travelers usually have a packing list that they use time and time again. You probably know what is allowed as carry on, to how to make sure you pack light. Even so, there are some travel essentials that can make or break your trip that even well-traveled people find easy to forget. Savvy women take heed: forget these and you’d be wishing you read this article over and over again.
So what do you need to pack?
Clothes that multi-task – Think about using a sarong as a fancy dress. Or a pair of pants where you can convert them into shorts.
Duct tape – For every broken item you need to repair fast, there’s duct tape. For every blister you’ve ever had, there’s duct tape. If you need to hide your valuables, you can even stick it in the inside of your suitcase and cover it with duct tape, provided that the duct tape isn’t noticeable, and that what you’re trying to hide will actually come off the tape.
Wedding ring – Single female travelers can sometimes attract unwanted attention. To ward potential stalkers off, wearing a wedding ring will stop all of that. It might also keep you safe if you’re traveling in place where patriarchal law is the norm.
Extra undies – Look, us ladies got this thing called “the time of the month”. If stuff gets dirty, you got backups in case you don’t have time to do laundry, right?
A scarf – Not only will it keep you warm and toasty, but in some tourist attractions where you need to cover your head, it’ll definitely come in handy.
Tampons – Yes, nobody wants to talk about this stuff, but it happens once a month. A lot of Asian countries or even remote places will not sell sanitary products for females. Better yet, consider using reusable maxi pads or tampons so you don’t have to worry about scrounging for stores when your supply is out.
Contraceptive – Not trying to be your mother here, but always be prepared. It’s just as much the female’s responsibility to provide protection as the males does.
One ‘dressy’ outfit – unless you are out by yourself hiking in the middle of nowhere for months, there might be the odd occasion where you’ll need to attend a fancy event. Don’t waste time and money trying to find something locally.
Ziploc bags – These little guys are so useful. You can pack tiny items that are easy to lose such as socks and underwear. You can even compress them like vacuum bags to help save space. Got dirty laundry (see ‘extra undies’)? Use Ziploc bags for that too.
Nail file – There is nothing worse than a broken nail when you’re on the road. Ok, maybe there are worse things, but it’s annoying to have bad nails, right?
Phrasebook – This is a no brainer, but many frequent travelers tend to forget one. They are particularly useful for females because you can call for help in a moment’s notice if you’re caught in a vulnerable situation.
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’][/author_image] [author_info]Guest post from my friend Jessica who’s been traveling Eastern Europe and Northern Africa for the past six months.[/author_info] [/author]