Carrying the World on your Shoulders
Backpacking is the art of anticipating what a place will be like and then packing what you think you'll need for the weather you think you'll get and the time-span you think you'll be gone... and then being wrong. After every trip I realize that I actually need much less than what I thought. Because less really is more.
There's a curiosity in each of us that can lead to adventure . Its not always easy to find an experience that captures your whole consciousness. There is something in the back roads of back roads, places where facial expressions and sign language is the only common language , the sharing of your story, the representation of your country and the strangeness of different. I'm not someone that likes putting smiley faces in my writing, but that is pretty much what I look like while writing about experiences where I packed my bag while still uncertain of my destination.
I'm a normal everyday guy, but I decided that money I can recover, but time.. never.. so risks are to be taken now. I started hitch hiking and backpacking in varsity. Even though there were risks involved I believe in that old saying that you will regret the things you didn't do. After backpacking all over, this is one decision I have never regretted for a day.
I see travel in two ways. There are holidays and then there’s adventure. The difference is that you come back rested from a holiday. Adventures some times take everything out of you, BUT it generates or leaves a story worth sharing. From Asia's toilets on the train which is like live target practice to the strange foods that got you there; from the serenity of Tibet to the wildness of the Amazon jungle; from the chaos of Egypt to the smiles of Swaziland. The places, the faces and the memories, all captured in photos and journals. It fills you, it changes you, it gives you identity and a story.
The unknown and the unforeseen are part of backpacking. Disaster is not like lightning, it strikes more than once and sometimes from all sides, but you see, this is life writing your story. Sometimes the best things that happens to us don't seem like it at the time. Like the old saying goes “life is understood backwards but has to be lived forwards!”
You will need different accessories for different adventures, mainly depending on the season, accommodation, temperature, geography and means of transport. What I took to survive in the Amazon was different from what I took to hitch hike through Asia. Decide what you are going to do and then pack accordingly. You will always find things you did not come prepared for, but take the necessities. A few things McGuyver would like to have with him:
1. Duct tape. For building or fixing anything. Well, almost anything. For everything else there is Mastercard! From rattling or broken bus windows, closing a too cold air-con outlet to fixing a backpack strap or to seal a leaking waterbottle. It allows your creative juices to flow!
2. Inflatable neck pillow. Its small, weighs nothing and makes those 24+ hour bus rides a little more bearable. I even use mine as a normal pillow when camping in my tent.
3. Tablet. I have a 7 inch Samsung tablet. It works like a dream and it fits into the side pocket of my cargo pants. This frees my hands and whenever I need to write, need some music or check the maps I downloaded, its close and ultimately handy! The tablet was a great asset in places with wifi, which is now at most backpackers lodges! The screen size is great for watching movies, but not as big and lousy as a laptop that draws too much attention. The storage is more than enough for all my entertainment. I use it as a Kindle, Ipod, Work station, translator, easy access to documentation, maps, checklists and emergency contact details. Ill be lost without it!
4. Dry bag. The last one I bought from Cape Union Mart was about R40 and it is possible to get two backpacks in it. This is handy when your bag has to ride on the roof of the bus in the rain or on dirt roads. It also gives nice shade when you build a small shelter.
5. Candy. Forget all those books on the power of persuasion. Candy with a smile is the ultimate weapon of persuasion! Buy packets of individually wrapped sweets, just so some can be kept in your pocket in case of emergency. I've seen candy make a friend, defuse arguments and prevent bus drivers from leaving me behind!
6. Thermal underwear. These things make you jump for joy when you get into a cold bed. And for the weight to heat ratio, still one of your best bets.
7.Warm jacket for the bus. While on the bus or plane, it some times gets very cold after a few hours because of a full-blast air conditioner, no matter if you are in the midst of summer in Thailand or Vietnam! The duck-tape from point 1. might stop the cold air blowing directly on you, but unfortunately you wont be allowed to tape all of them closed! Rather use your candy from point 5. to make friends with the driver who operates the air conditioner!
8. Multi-fuel stove. This is my pride and joy! When we are sitting on a mountain, like our previous hike in the Drakensberg, some one always says: "A coffee would now be nice", This...is my moment. I then assemble my compact multi-fuel stove and little holders with coffee.(It surprises many that a coffee machine can find its way up a mountain!). And if I didn't crave after I ate all my candy on the way up, there might still be some cookies to go with the coffee.
9. Hammock. I found my hammock to be great for short trips. Easy up and easy down. It serves a multi-purpose as it is used as a chair, bed or shade anywhere. Well, you need two trees. I imported a very light and compact one with tree straps to protect the trees.
10. Slops. Slops are great after a days walk with closed shoes. For sanitary reasons I prefer to shower with them too.They weigh nothing and strap on the outside of your bag. (it prevents people from walking into you too!)
11. Wet Wipes. "If you are a girl!". Its also nice to wipe your hands before you eat,especially if you are not able to go to a tap. This worked well in Asia for the long bus and train rides.
11. Carabiners (I usually buy a whole bunch of them) and a large rubber tie-strap. I bought both from a 4x4 shop. I like using carabiners to keep zips closed in crowded areas. When I pack my bag I also put shopping bags in last just before I close the zips. They make a lot of noise if removed and would discourage any pick pocketer. The rubber straps are great to tie your bag to the roof when theres little space and the carabiners to hook extra things on your bag, or even to tie your backpack to a pole to avoid it from becoming part of the redistribution of wealth.
12. Toilet paper. Never, never, never assume there will be.
13. Zip-lock bags. Great for the toilet paper in point 11. (Wet toilet paper not as nice as dry toilet paper. ) When flying, I’d also advise you to push the air out of the liquid soaps, like shampoo, and then also place it inside a zip-lock bag to prevent frustration in case it leaks.
14. Multi tool (Leatherman). Because you'll never know if you'd get asked to build an arc. I found it useful in places where we would hire bicycles, small repairs on rented vehicles in the bush and some times it creates the contact point when you help a stranger from your "fully kitted bag".
15. Pen and paper. I found it incredibly handy to have a pocket sized notepad to jot down directions, details and to do's. I also make notes of places other travelers advise to go and not to go. Its more up to date than any Lonely Planet! (Lonely Planet is a book which advises travelers where to eat, sleep, party and think. It works well for many. I'm thankful for this as it concentrates the tourists in certain places, giving us others who want to get away from the west a good idea where not to go.
16. Basic Medicines. Like Rehydrate and Immodiums, to soften the aftershock of those interesting foods you don't want to miss out on.
17. Email documents. I always scan and email all of my most important documents to myself in case I lose everything.
18. US Dollars and a money pouch. Dollars come in handy in every crisis, as it is surprising how many places and some times countries have no ATM's or ATM's run out of money.
Having any of these when you need them is exhilarating! Two things I learned that makes a big difference are treating yourself to good food once in a while and rest days. Good food is good for your health and great for your moral. Rest days are essential, especially if you travel in a group. Trying to keep everyone together is like herding butterflies, so I prefer a rest day after every two days on the move, it keeps the peace.
There is nothing that can give you what travel gives you. And you need not go far. The broadening of horizons, the breaking down of cultural barriers, the developing of new perspectives, the writing of your story, all in simply locking your front door.
The same goes for backpacking and for life. The more I travel the less I need. You realize how often you carry way too much stuff, while what you didn't have, created the start of a great conversation or a new friendship.
