Tips For The Adventurous Spirit

Things to keep in mind if you ever plan on backpacking yourself. In no particular order.

Number 1- I'm just going to get this one out and in the open. Toiletry- you either can't go, or you can't control it. Always bring Pepto Bismol, Imodium and toilet paper in your day bag. You just never know. Be honest with who you are traveling with, cause chances are they are going through it as well. Keep track of which foods hurt your stomach and avoid them. Like for me, I love chillies and oil. It is a dressing you get with a lot of rice meals. The orange chilli dressing I can not have. I know this by keeping track three different times. It will not get me the fourth time.

Number 2- You will get sick. The most important thing to do when you are feeling sick is to drink water. Lots of it. Chances are you are dehydrated and this is how your body lets you know.

Number 3- Eat, if you are irritated or getting irritated easily. This one is hard to determine, so just take an observation of how you are communicating with who you are with. If you both are ready to kill each other, you need to eat. Just stop talking to each other and find the nearest restaurant and don't speak until you have eaten your first couple bites.

Number 4- Bring a first aid kit. You never know if you, or someone near you, or some little puppy is going to need help and fast.

Number 5- Bring a travel pillow. You can buy small ones through MEC and  they collapse easy. You never know what you will get for a pillow. Sometimes it feels like a bag of cement in a pillow case.

Number 6- Bring a sheet. Ours, have kindly been sown into a sleep sack. They are awesome. Sometimes the best laid plans can go array. You may end up having to sleep somewhere where you're totally not sure what the maid used to clean the room with. Perhaps she scrubbed the walls with a muddy shoe?

Number 7- And as I'm writing this the power goes out, number 7 will now be, expect power outages. We had one a week ago where apparently all of Southern Thailand was out of power. We enjoyed the dark streets that night and bought some candles. Of course, as I was lighting them in the room the power came back on. Thank god because a/c runs on electricity

Number 8- Travel days suck, period. You go from point "A" to point "B" with a dozen stops in between. You are normally in a small mini van or a large bus. The mini vans are great for a/c, but terrible for being able to see out any window. Generally the drivers drive like they're a bat outta hell. The vans have no leg room and are packed with as many other tourists as possible. Who may or may not have showered in the last week. But hey man, they saved on the a/c and hot water and spent it on the beer! The larger buses are usually great for leg room and getting to know some locals. On the other hand the a/c is not always there, the seats will be well worn. The day after traveling don't plan on doing much.

Number 9- Try try try. You can't go wrong with trying stuff. That is unless you have lost your mind and try something the street dogs wouldn't even eat. If you like, swallow. If not, discreetly spit it into a napkin and throw the rest away. It usually will only cost a dollar to try new food.

Number 10- If you are near the water or swimming always wear sunscreen. Even though now we are brownish, we can still turn a shade of red if we forget. A hat and pair of sunglasses are your best friend.

Number 11- Don't pack a lot. You will find quickly which shirts keep the heat in and which ones are much cooler. You do not need three pairs of shoes or sandals. We have one pair of sandals and one pair of hiking shoes. Shirts and shorts you can buy and replace as you go.

Number 12- Save some plastic bags. The other day we couldn't figure out why our room smelt like wet dog mixed with something terribly foul. It turned out to be my swimming shorts. They must have missed some laundry days and were extremely rank. Having three plastic bags, we were able to safely transport the shorts. Also, place your cold water in a plastic bag before putting it in your day bag so the condensation doesn't get everything wet - especially your beloved toilet paper!  

Number 13- Bring a small lock and a small bike chain lock. Although not always necessary, it's nice to have. We always keep our valuables in our day bags. Most days when we venture out we leave it all in the room. With the locks we are able to lock the zipper tabs together and then chain the bag to a table or night stand. Also, sometimes check out is before your transportation leaves. In that case, we chain our big bags together and leave them in the lobby while carrying around our day bags as we wait for our ride.

Number 14- Eat Local. Although the larger tourist catered places look great and comforting, the food is generally way overpriced and bland. Try the hole in the wall type places. The food is full of flavor and always fresh. Also, try avoiding the Italian Restaurants who are run by Indians.  They are overpriced and you do not get a lot of food. But hey, you are their new best friend, and sometimes even their "Boss man".

Number 15- Enjoy the Suit Salesmen on the street. Generally only in the major tourist areas, these guys stand on the street dressed in shirt and tie. Out front of their shops they will try and talk with everyone to get them to buy a suit. They will try and guess where you are from and they can speak many different languages. I once said I was African and he started "click" talking to me. Don't stop to talk, only engage as you walk by. Definitely do not shake their hand. They will not let go as they drag you into their shop

Number 16- Don't always trust a tuk tuk driver. If the prices are to good to be true there is usually a reason. There will be several stops along the way for you to buy stuff resulting in the driver earning a commission.  This is generally only in the large cities. If the price isn't low, it is usually twice as much as it should be. In Bangkok, the taxis are required by law to use their meters. Ask before getting in if they will use the meter and if they do not, refuse and keep saying "Meter! Meter!" More then likely they will get angry and drive off. I once went through 7 taxis till we found one willing to use the meter.

 Number 17- Be opened minded. This is one that we are still learning about. Just because at home things may be done differently, you can't jump to conclusions with what you see. There is so much more to the day to day life than you will ever know. If there is something you don't agree with, do some research and learn more about why it is done that way. Perhaps there are people out there trying to make a change and could use your support in any way you can help.

http://www.lantaanimalwelfare.com/

Number 18- Give the street pets some love. You may not always want to touch them, but at least acknowledge their existence. They crave affection that they do not usually get anywhere else.

Number 19- Learn their language. It usually will catch them off guard and they will appreciate it.

Number 20- Relax. You will not have every answer you need before you set out to accomplish something. Chances are you will figure it out as you go, or there will be a nice stranger who will take it upon themselves to help you.

Bonus- Keep a journal. No matter how long you are traveling for try and write down the things you did each day. As life goes on you will forget these memories and they are the reasons why you are traveling in the first place.