You can read about my 10 must have items for travel in my article for the website
travelwithamate.com. Travelling with the smallest bag I can get away with,
space is always at a premium. During Encircle Africa I used a 75 litre bag, but
I usually get away with one of 35 litres, with most of the bulk apparently made
up of books (an essential so essential I don’t include them on any list). I
could probably think of at least another 10 items that are necessary if not
essential too.
Everything I needed for 13 months of travel. Amazingly, it all fit too.
But what about those bits of kit
I wouldn’t ever dream of allowing to take up space in my bag – usually from the
experience of doing precisely the opposite? Here I count down a very personal
list of the most pointless objects to take when travelling.
Wet wipes
One month into Encircle Africa,
on reaching The Gambia, I found my small pack of wet wipes were
indistinguishable from a small pack of tissues. So take a small pack of tissues
instead.
Anything that makes you look remotely like a journalist
Dictaphones, recording equipment,
and camera crews are all a big no-no unless you’re travelling on a journalist
visa, which you won’t be. This is one of those things that is difficult to be
confident about, differing from country to country. Crossing overland from
Libya to Tunisia things not to carry include a list of ferry times from North
Africa to Southern Europe. So be aware.
The Carthage,
my ferry from Tunis to Marseille. Noting down its sailing schedule led to
accusations of journalism.
Travel wash
Designated supermarket travel
wash is comparatively expensive, hard to find abroad, and rubbish at cleaning.
Buy a local bar of soap instead and give any clothing that needs it a decent
scrub in a sink. You could go as far as washing yourself with it too (though I
do take shampoo).
Money belts
I can’t abide money belts.
They’re hot, sweaty, ugly skin irritants that are almost always clearly visible
to anyone who wants to take the trouble to relieve you of it. With sachets of
money dispersed all about my person and bag I never felt under threat, and much
more relaxed than when wearing such a belt.
Spare clothing and footwear
I now travel with a single pair
of trousers and another of shorts. I don’t need anything more then to be able
to alter my clothing relevant to the weather, with something to change into
when an item is in need of a wash. I follow the same rule with footwear. I have
a pair of running shoes (rather than walking boots) on my feet, and small
lightweight flip-flops in my bag. That’s it. I used to carry another pair of
shoes, but never got round to using them. Any form of spare clothing is almost
guaranteed to be a complete waste of space.
Batteries
Unless you’re a professional
photographer you’re never going to need that spare camera battery you were convinced
would be essential; and standard battery sizes are available absolutely
everywhere there is any human presence. I’d go as far as saying don’t bother
take anything that needs a battery or a plug; my exceptions being a camera and
a small short-wave radio. I’ll allow you to take a mobile phone too – but
remember you’re supposed to be travelling.