Packing For Adventure Travel

T here's a funny scene in          several reasons. The first is      Romancing the Stone when        comfort. You will usually be       Michael Douglas' character      doing a lot of walking whenever    meets Kathleen Turner's character     you go on a vacation and walking   and agrees to take her to a phone     with 50 kg of luggage is both      booth hundreds of miles away. He      tiring and difficult. You will     simply refuses to help her carry      also, most likely, be getting      her completely impractical            extremely dirty and ruining        luggage and a few scenes later        whatever clothing you take (even   goes even further by chopping the     if it's expensive "adventure       heels off her shoes so she can        clothing") and don't forget that   actually walk in them. This           some of your gear may even be      little fiasco encompasses the         stolen (sometimes by other         essence of packing for adventure      travelers). If you show up with    travel. Less is most definitely       all the best and most expensive    more!                                 gear you are also a walking                                              target for hustlers and thieves.   When in a foreign country it is       With all of this in mind here are  usually pretty easy to spot the       a few tips:                        experienced traveler from the                                            novice. The novice is usually         Luggage - If you are going to be   dragging a giant suitcase or          doing anything even remotely       trying to lug a brightly coloured     physical and walking any further   backpack that is even bigger than     than a few hundred meters, then a  they are. They are dressed in the     backpack is definitely the way to  latest "must have" adventure gear     go. But not all packs are created  from the most expensive adventure     equal! Think small and             stores and have "trekking" shoes      inconspicuous. Dark colours like   worth hundreds of dollars. This       brown and black will attract less  is not the way to do it for           attention than a bright purple or  red pack. Make sure it is the         off your neck if you are going     type of pack that has a flap on       anywhere remotely sunny. For       the top that closes over the          pants, I like cargoes that can     pack's opening to keep out water      zip off the legs and turn into     (the types that zip up WILL get       shorts (which can also double as   your stuff wet). You will also        swimming trunks). Dark colours     want to put your clothing in          are always going to hide the dirt  waterproof stuff bags - I use         and grime so that's also a good    standard plastic shopping bags,       idea. Usually, other than          but there are tougher ones that       underwear and socks, I don't take  you can buy from disposals and        much more than this. Remember      camping stores. You also want         that if you need something you     your pack to be as small as           can always buy it there and        possible. Especially if you are       usually for a fraction of the      only touring (mountaineers may        price than at home! Don't forget   need something bigger). I use a       to take some type of hat as being  30 liter pack but would say 45        sunburnt is a real drag when you   liters is an absolute maximum for     are traveling.                     general purpose use. You will be                                         carrying it around a lot and if       Shoes - Unless you are doing some  you cannot fit something in then      serious mountaineering then you    you probably don't really need        probably won't need those $300     it.                                   Scarpa trekking boots. In many                                           poorer countries you can buy       Clothing - Think light and            those $300 Scarpas at the local    breathable! Cotton is always          markets for $10 anyway, because    good. Three shirts is usually         some idiot tourist left them       enough because you can wear one,      outside his door to dry and an     wash one and have a spare. Take       enterprising local stole them to   ones with collars to keep the sun     sell at the markets! Think         comfort - I usually go for            get a leatherman because you will  Converse All Stars, but any type      lose it or get it stolen. You can  of cheap canvas shoe will             often buy multi-tools for $5       probably be ok. On a trek across      anyway that work perfectly well.   England my Converse shoes allowed     I also always take a lighter ($1   my feet to get wet about 10           plastic kind) for anything from    minutes before my buddy's feet        lighting people's cigarettes to    got wet - he was wearing the $300     sealing the ends of ropes.         Scarpas! Once again, if you need                                         something better, you can             The trick to packing for           probably buy it at your               adventure travel is to pack        destination for a cheaper price.      light, inconspicuous and cheap.                                          This avoids you becoming a human                                         pack-mule or a target for thieves  Other stuff - There are a few         and hustlers. You will also find   things I will never travel            that you will enjoy your           without. Sunscreen is the main        traveling more because you won't   one because I REALLY hate getting     be so tired nor worrying about     sunburnt. A small multi-tool is       your gear so much.                 often pretty handy too - don't         About the Author: Rob Wood is a regular traveler to third world countries and helps run a site over at Polo's Bastards about extreme adventure travel. http://polosbastards.com Source: www.isnare.com