Most important things on a trip
May 31st, 2008 by admin
Each trip is different, but there are several things that I would always bring.
Digital Photo Camera
- What I would do without it … I love to look thru my old pictures and live the whole trip again. Taking pictures is what I like to do the best, though I do a poor job at that, but it is good enough for me.
- I just carry along my big DSLR Pentax K100D with 18-125mm lens - nothing too professional, but pictures are much better than even from top end Canon point and shoot - can not even compare
- Also I carry my small Casio point and shoot - sometimes it is useful just get out something that nobody will see. Also it is good to take videos with it.
- For my camera bag I use Tamrac Express 5 bag - it fits my camera + casio camera perfectly, does not stand out as a camera bag too much, also I carry spare batteries (Pentax takes AA!), SD cards and wallet and keys would fit there as well… and also, my moleskines and a pen fit there perfectly…
Moleskines
- Before I would go to trips and everything would get mixed up and I would feel very bad, that I don’t have a solid memory about such a perfect time
- So my aunt said if I would write something down, it would help me remember stuff
- But I can not just write in plain notebooks, since I hate writing, I need something that would inspire me. I found it! It’s small Moleskine Cahier notebooks.
- They are perfect in size, not too small, not too big, just enough for 2 week trip… now I have a little collection of them : )
- If it is a big trip with a big group, then I use one Moleskines as an accounting journal - so easy, so good, everybody happy that I take care of all finances.
Phone
- I love people and love keeping in touch, so I always carry a phone with me and SMS to my friends and parents my status reports ; )
- I like Nokia, but never actually used good one, since I somehow kept using Sony Ericsson, which I love also. After I lost my K750 in the deep snow, I’m using W580i - pretty nice and very small phone (hate carrying bulky stuff).
- It’s GSM and supports all 4 frequencies, so I can use it almost anywhere
- Sometime, when I have money, I want to try Nokia N95 or something along those lines - need to get a nice 3G phone soon
Sim Cards
- Since I travel a lot, it becomes way too expensive to use Cingular roaming, but sometimes I do not have time or just don’t want to get local SIM card, so I’ve bought the Telestial card, which I love.
- It has free incoming calls everywhere in Europe and even Russia
- Outgoing calls and SMS are not that expensive, especially that I do not call, just send SMS
- The only problem, that it gives you some strange Estonian number, that not even all american calling cards support. I’ve set-up a call forwarding this way: My Cell phone->Skype-In->Telestial Phone - works perfectly, so I still pay for all incoming calls (because of Skype), but that’s ok. Too bad Skype can not forward SMS.
Documents
- Well, that’s basic, but sometimes it creates the most problem for people
- US Passport
- Russian Passport
- US driving license + international driving permit
- One Credit Card
- One ATM Card
- A lot of Cash - I hate travel checks and did not get used to using ATM cards yet
- All the papers with reservations and e-tickets
- Have all important information backed-up somewhere on Internet, so you can access it anywhere
- Print out of all phone numbers
Misc Electronics
- EU Electrical adaptors (I bought them for 10 rubles (50 cents) in Russia ; ) )
- Little surge protector - very useful, especially if there is just one outlet
- Good, but little flashlight - you never know
- MP3 Player (use Gmini 402, but need to get something with more battery life, like iPod Classic maybe or Cowen iAudio 7) + headphones
Misc Stuff
- Knife - I need to get Leatherman skeleton, but for now I just use old, but very solid and nice Swedish made knife
- Medicine stuff
- Bathroom stuff
- Microfiber Towel - small, light and dries fast
- Cocoon Silk Mummy Lines - Sometimes beds are so bad, that you feel very uncomfortable sleeping there - and this little and light "sleeping bag" helps a lot
That’s about it, of course do not forget all the clothes, good attitude and brains : )