Travel tips to help backpackers travel smarter
By Darren Cronian on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

I have never been backpacking outside of the UK, so I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to travel around the world with a huge backpack and get everything in every time you move on to a new destination, and we won’t mention all those smelly socks an clothes.

Travel tips to help backpackers travel smarter

American Express and Travellerspoint have put ten useful travel tips together for backpackers

Five smarter money travel tips from American Express

» Be sure to allow for extras, you’ll want to treat yourself.
» Never rely on one means of payment. Travelers should carry a diversified wallet.
» Carry valuables in a money belt or travel pouch hidden inside your clothes.
» Distribute the risk. Don’t keep all your valuables in one place.
» Use an ATM inside the bank and put money away before leaving the building.

Five tips to help travellers pack their bags from Travellerspoint

» Divide items into plastic bags before packing them into the suitcase.
» Pack any medication and important papers in your carry-on bag.
» Roll your clothes; don’t fold them.
» Avoid spreading the stench by packing shoes inside old socks and inside an airtight bag.
» Pack items you rarely use at the bottom of your backpack.

Brilliant tip about spreading the stench – I would never have thought about doing that. Important and useful tips about using ATM’s inside banks, and not relying on one method of payment. So many people take money only and forget about travellers cheques and debit cards.


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4 responses to “Travel tips to help backpackers travel smarter”

Amanda Kendle | 15 July, 2008 at 8:04 am

I’ve taken my backpack from Australia to Europe via Japan and the Trans-Siberian and I can tell you, it’s IMPOSSIBLE to get everything back in every time. Somehow you manage, but then it gets impossible to carry it, and I start wobbling around overloaded … then dump all that dirty underwear etc and carry on with the trip.

Al | 15 July, 2008 at 6:25 pm

If you’re backpacking and staying in hostel dorms, don’t use carrier bags to pack your gear into. There’s nothing more annoying or more sure to hack off your new-found buddies than waking everyone by rustling bags when you rush out for that early bus.

Unless you’re planning on camping everywhere, if your pack is over about 15kg when you leave home then you’ve got too much. You’re bound to pick up a few bits and bobs along the way and no-one wants (or needs) to be lugging more than 20kg around.

Darren Cronian | 15 July, 2008 at 11:43 pm

@ Amanda

That sounds like a bit of a nightmare - how anyone can travel all that way with just a backpack is beyond me haha.

@ Al

Thanks for the tips, especially about the plastic bags! I am not sure how many airlines allow more than 20kg on flights anymore aswell. So if your flying RTW then you’ll have to be even more aware of what your carrying.

Benedict Adam | 22 July, 2008 at 9:52 am

Carrying a big backpack can be a real pain, especially in countries where the public transport isn’t really designed for space for your backpack, more to cram as many people in as possible. Expect to pay extra on a Bemo in Indonesia, hold on tight on the back of a motor bike and struggle to fit through the security gates on buses in Brazil. All part of the experience of course!

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