Backpack Checklist

ferdi

ok, i'm going to thailand -> cambodia -> Laos -> vietnam in july for about 6 weeks.

There are two of us going and we will both be operating out of large Rucksacks.

What i am looking for is a rough invintory of clothing, supplies, meds, money and extras that we will need to carry. i'm looking for help from people who have made similar journeys before - what do i definitly need to have with me?

obviously i want to keep my luggage weight as low as possible. what is the minimum amount of clothes i can bring with me (including clothes suitable for going out to a few trendy clubs)?

if you went way is there anything that might seem silly but you really wished you had had with you? even the smallest detail appreciated.

i want to be as close to 100% prepared as i can get.

help please.

thanks

ferd.

gerire

Bring as little as possible and buy it out here. It is all so cheap and you will fill a suitcase of clothes when you are going home too. You will be sick when you see the quality of clothes you can buy for small percentages of that of Isish Prices.

Meds: Painkillers; Motillium; general first aid kit; DO NOT BUY your Malaria tablets in Ireland if you are getting them. If you are in Thailand first you can buy them in Boots on KoSan Rd for .08c a tablet and they are Eur1 at home. Don't let your doctor put you on the Once a week tabs as they tend to induce vomiting in most of the people we have met out here. We got a branded Doxycycline which only made me ill if I took them without having eaten food first. For the long bus jourenys you can buy a grug similar to vallium in all chemists out of bangkok and everywhere in Laos etc.

Enjoy yourself, If you work in an office go to HoiAn in Vietnam for the best and cheapest suits, male & female. If you have any other questions feel free to ask, PM is probably better as it can be hard to keep track of threads when Im not logging in regularly.
We too did those countries in 6 weeks and could have done with 6 more, but enjoy yourself and buy a copy of the book: Lonely Planets South East Asia on a Shoestring.

Enjoy yourself

I am MAN

Hey,

I am going for nearly 2 months this year and i'm only bringing a small school bag. Last year I brought a suitcase and it was totally unecessary, You will be able to get nice going out clothes for nothing in Bangkok Go over to the MBK shopping mall for absolutely everything. I wear converse all stars and you can buy these in the converse store for 12 euro or less if I remember correctly.
Gerire is correct about the medication and whatever else you need but you don't have to buy something like valium because you can get valium/xanax or anything from the pharmacy with no prescription(may be a bit harder in Bangkok but tell them you get anxiety/panic attacks and that your doc prescribes it).


Enjoy

PunyHuman

Hi there

Yes. Bring as little as possible. I did that trip myself a few months ago and if I was going back I'd bring two pairs of shorts and two shirts and a load of decent kaks and that's about it. And a proper towel as well - don't bother with those stupid trek towel things, they're useless.

One thing you definitely *should* buy in Ireland is a pair of expensive durable name-brand sandals which are absolutely indispensible in SE Asia. Break them in before you leave.

Have fun!

mickot

A _VERY_ useful item for anyone going backpacking is a travelling clothes line! A what! - yes a travelling clothes line. Its like a bungie with hooks on each end but the rubber is twisted to allow you hang up rinsed clothes or towels without clothes pegs.

Also makes a really useful present for friend who are travelling

You can buy them in Great Outdoors

-micko.

Steveire

Travel insurance and health insurance info, E111.

Tails

Mosquito spray thats around 50% DDT especially if your going into the country although it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun. Iodine tablets or drops also if your planning on doing some trekking for sterilising drikning water. as everyone says bring very little clothes you can buy it all out there as needed on the cheap some great rip off buys to be had!

PunyHuman

Tails wrote:

Mosquito spray thats around 50% DDT ...

That'll kill you as well as the mozzies!

Of course you mean DEET. You can get repellent much cheaper abroad too.