Everyone loves a top ten list (or loves to hate it). But most of them don’t apply to real life. Real life abroad. Real life for someone volunteering abroad. Real life for someone living in a home, volunteering, and coping abroad. Real life with bed bugs, among other things…
Here, then, is a list from Ben Rosen, who’s currently at The Aishworya Children’s Home in Baluwatar, Kathmandu.
Here, then, “Ben Rosen’s Top 10 Items to Have While Traveling Abroad!!”
10. DEODORANT: At the bottom of the heap is one gem that I have found to be essential — Deodorant! The reason it’s at the bottom is because I would hope this will be obvious to all.
Wake up in the morning and don’t have a shower or other means of bathing thyself? DEODORANT! Emerge from the jungle a sweaty mess, but want to grab a bite before hitting the showers? DEODORANT! Meet a pretty French girl? DEODORANT? Just don’t feel like showering for a week? You guessed it, DEODORANT, A traveler’s best friend.
9. Winding LED Flashlight: This device could save your life…or at least your feet. If you are traveling in third world countries, you will find that most places only have electricity for a certain amount per day (if at all).
This kind of flashlight may be a bit pricier than your standard torch, but you will be thanking yourself later when you aren’t spending a fortune on batteries and have the power to light up a room at any given moment!
8. Benadryl: Here is something I did not bring, but in retrospect definitely should have! One never knows what they will encounter while trotting the globe. Weird plants, animals and bugs (just to name a few). Benadryl is one of those “cure-all” kind of medicines. Whether it’s bedbug bites, outdoor allergies you never knew you had or a reaction to some food you probably shouldn’t have eaten, Benadryl will be like a good parent; pick you up off your face, give you a pat on the back and put you to sleep.
Benadryl, don’t leave home without it. (In the same vein, an antihistamine cream is also very helpful)
7. Earplugs: These sweet babies are an absolute godsend to the world of travel! You never know what your sleeping situation will be abroad. Will you be sharing a room with a snorer, snoozing in a city that never sleeps, or just have a stupid dog THAT WILL NOT SHUT UP?! One never knows. In any case, earplugs will be your best friend! They are also great to have when using noisy public transportation. (Plus, they are kind of fun to play with.)
6. Odor Resistant Socks: Let’s face it, if you are abroad for more than a month you WILL end up wearing the same pair of socks two, three and sometimes four days in a row. It’s just a fact of life out on the road. You simply cannot pack more than a couple weeks worth of socks and sometimes a place to do your laundry (either by hand or machine) is just plain not available.
If I had not bought a pack of odor-resistant socks (which I did completely by mistake), people would probably be dead right now. I have been around some people who just have normal socks and after a few days you want to run for the hills! So, do your friends and neighbors a favor. Get your self some O-R socks (I got mine at Target!).
5. Plastic Flip Flops/Sandals: Anyone who has gone to summer camp knows that touching a public shower’s floor with your bare feet is a baaad idea. Same goes for overseas, but even more so. There really isn’t much more to say on this topic, just be smart, use protection.
4. Swiss Army Knife: This is one of the big things that I constantly regret not bringing. I have found myself in many a situation where a knife/scissors/nail file/magnifying glass/screw driver, ect. would have been just the thing. OK, maybe not all of those are necessary, but you get the point. Oh, just don’t try and bring it through airport security. You will probably be detained…missing your flight might be the least of your worries then.
3. A Reliable Backpack: I’m not talking about the big ol’ trekker’s backpacks that one sees all over Nepal. I’m speaking of a reliable, sturdy school backpack (North Face is great for these). On the plane, or just traveling around, this bag will hold things that could save your life. (Ok, that’s being a bit dramatic, but still.) It’s nearly impossible to transport everything you might need with you on any given day solely in your pockets. Water bottle, sunblock, guidebook, camera, Excedrin, sunglasses, raincoat, ect. All will fit in a regular sized backpack and I promise you, you will not be sorry that you have these things with you!
On a side note, it’s also a good idea to always have all of these travel basics pre-packed. It will save you the stress of making sure you have everything while packing for a day trip.
2. Walking/Hiking Shoes: These will save your feet from utter obliteration. Most travelers will do a fair amount of walking during their time abroad. Hiking and sightseeing, unless you have feet of steel, will take a toll on your best mode of transportation. Do yourself a HUGE favor. Go out and spare no expense on a pair of shoes or boots. Unfortunately, unlike most apparel, higher price really does mean higher quality, so be prepared to shell out some dough.
A few brands that are good to look at are Merrell (the shoes I have), Timberland and Columbia. Side Note: If purchasing Hiking Boots you MUST wear them in before you leave. A pair of stiff Hiking Boots are worse for your feet than wearing a pair of All-Stars!
1. Pants: We here at www.insearchofwisemind.com did not have to think very hard about our number one pick. A good pair of pants (with lots ‘o pockets) is an absolute must have. The main thing with pants is versatility. Winter, spring, summer or fall, pants are a good choice. Not only will they keep you warmer than shorts (obviously), but they will also keep your legs rash, sunburn and bug bite free (for the most part).
I have yet to wear a pair of shorts since the first couple of days in Kathmandu. Now, those shorts that I thought would be so great are now taking up space in my bag. At least I got them on sale…
Another recommendation, as to leg apparel, is nylon pants. They are light weight, easy to clean and most importantly fast drying! Great for those surprise rain showers! These can be found at any store that has an outdoors section. (Eddie Bauer and Dick’s Sporting Goods to name a couple.)
So there you have it folks, my first and probably last VH1 style countdown. Hope the info was helpful or at the least, interesting. Til next time.
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