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Travel The MEGA Travel Thread!

im a traveller too. ive seen 40+ of the states. i like to go light. i dont like camping or that jazz unless im truely in the middle of nowhere with no people anywhere. i agree, fuck fear. but if im hittin lots of places... cash, a change of clothes, and goodies is all i need... and a hotel room every couple of days when i get tired.
 
rucksacks are nice for mountain expeditions, hiking, camping, fishing, hunting type adventures... but if you're covering several thousand miles in a journey, zig-zagging around the country, damn. i did that... once. i cant stand carrying 35 pounds of stuff with me from city to city to city. ever been through a chinatown with a rucksack? hehehe.
 
If you're checking a decent backpack when you go for you flight, put it in a super cheap duffel bag or inside of a few trashbags. TSA people hate all the straps,etc a decent bag will have flapping all over the place and it would be a huge bummer to have to deal with a broken backpack your first day of travel.

Depending on the climate you're going to, I would advise to make a real effort to bring absolutely no cotton clothing whatsoever, aside from maybe t-shirts. It is significantly heavier than the alternatives and is a practically a death sentence once it gets wet. A good rain jacket and a cover for you backpack, if you don't have one trustworthy enough to take some rain, would be essential, IMO, as well.

Personally, I think short of winter backpacking and mountaineering, there is isn't much justification for a backpack larger than 55 or 60L. I can go 5-7 days in the woods with a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, stoves, food, climbing gear, water pump, water, etc without having anything on the outside of a 55 liter backpack, so if you're just tramping around in cities, staying places, I can't think of any reason to have something larger.

If you really like flip-flops, perhaps you'd prefer a "sport" sandal that actually has a sole with some support for your feet. I guess whether you'd need this depends on how often you'll be walking with your full pack, but you could still wear a heavier duty sandal in the shower and it would be preferable for hiking and walking with a load on, IMO.


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Other things I would consider bringing (which might not be worth buying if you don't own already) would be my stove with the nestling pots/pans it fits inside of, water filter, knife/multi-tool, camelbak, lexan fork/spoon/knife, headlamp, goretex rain shell, compass, throw a few tylenols and band-aids in there for headaches or blisters. If you're staying places that have facilities for you to cook food, i guess the stove stuff would not be worth bringing but I'd hate to have to eat out everytime I wanted a hot meal otherwise. A stove could save you a lot of money but it certainly isn't for everyone.


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deja: have you done a test run on that pack yet? like, loaded it up with all your stuff and walked around, etc? I'm not trying to pick on you, but rather help, and having seen your pictures before I cannot even comprehend you walking around with a pack that large. If you turn too fast its momentum is going to take you with it! You mentioned how you wouldn't want to take 20pounds in a tote bag, nor would I! However if your load is really going to be that light, you might consider a smaller bag. Your sentiment about having more space than you need instead of cramming a bag full isn't wrong per se, but you'll get a better fit and load distribution with a pack that is closer to full than closer to empty. If you got it from REI, which you linked, they'll take it back no questions asked. Just food for thought.
 
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i dont adapt well in hot places like florida or nevada in summertime. i act like a straight up tourist in places like that. why not? im comfortable in the fact that there are things i'd prefer to be done for me. oh God, im getting old.
 
mrjackjones said:
im a traveller too. ive seen 40+ of the states. i like to go light. i dont like camping or that jazz unless im truely in the middle of nowhere with no people anywhere. i agree, fuck fear. but if im hittin lots of places... cash, a change of clothes, and goodies is all i need... and a hotel room every couple of days when i get tired.
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Yeah.. but I'm 1) a girl and have a lot of toiletries and things and 2) I have health problems which require skin medication and a number of special foods and stuff.. so that isn't an option for me. I have an 80L osprey pack and I need it that big, trust me.

I need to take care of myself and be comfortable. If I get sick out there.. it's not gonna be good.

If you're checking a decent backpack when you go for you flight, put it in a super cheap duffel bag or inside of a few trashbags. TSA people hate all the straps,etc a decent bag will have flapping all over the place and it would be a huge bummer to have to deal with a broken backpack your first day of travel.
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Mine zips up inside itself.

deja: have you done a test run on that pack yet? like, loaded it up with all your stuff and walked around, etc? I'm not trying to pick on you, but rather help, and having seen your pictures before I cannot even comprehend you walking around with a pack that large. If you turn too fast its momentum is going to take you with it! You mentioned how you wouldn't want to take 20pounds in a tote bag, nor would I! However if your load is really going to be that light, you might consider a smaller bag. Your sentiment about having more space than you need instead of cramming a bag full isn't wrong per se, but you'll get a better fit and load distribution with a pack that is closer to full than closer to empty. If you got it from REI, which you linked, they'll take it back no questions asked. Just food for thought.
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I appreciate your help but this just made me cry.. (yes I'm touchy Im not feeling good today).

I was just throwing a random number out there for 20 pounds.. I don't know how much my stuff weighs but I cannot fit it into a smaller pack. You guys are seriously underestimating the amount of stuff I NEED on a daily basis. I HAVE HEALTH PROBLEMS as I said many times and I can't just up and go somewhere with a little pack and travel light.. thats probably part of the reason why I'm crying because I ENVY those of you who aren't chained down in life the way I am. But I require special foods, supplements, medications and toiletries (everything I use has to be special ordered to be gluten free, even shampoos and stuff).

Is it a pain in the ass? YES. Do I wish I could have a smaller pack? Of course. But the only other option besides working it out and bringing the stuff I need is NOT GOING. My health problems hold me back a LOT in life and doing this is taking an incredible amount of faith, planning, and trust in fate that I will be okay.

Not to mention I spent 250 dollars on this pack and it's already been too long to return it. I'm really sorry for being bitchy about this but I feel this is the 1000000th time I've had to defend why I need a pack like this on this and other forums, it's like people look down on you for having a big pack, I don't get it. I'm the one who has to carry it, and yes of course I tried it on. And no I didn't walk around with it besides in my house, and yes it's freaking heavy but as I said.. no choice.

Sometimes I feel like I should just give up and not go. My health problems limit me so extremely much in life it pisses me off so much.

I'm so sorry this post was so negative. This has just been weighing on my mind awhile and I DO worry about how uncomfortable all that weight is going to be. But I'm also terrified of what might happen out there if I get sick. :(
 
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Sorry :( I guess I missed the part about all the extra things you need, I didn't mean to make you cry! I'm sure the detachable part will help out a lot since you can ditch the big part wherever you are staying and cruise the town with the smaller one. I guess it is unfortunate you need to bring all that stuff but I'm sure it will only make you stronger in the long run. Your legs and lower back will be like steel!



As for the angst against large packs, going "ultralight" is kind of a craze in the hiking community right now, but it generally applies to different situations so don't worry about it.
 
lol no I'm sorry. I am really weird today, I'd been juice fasting since yesterday so I was a lil cranky. ;) I've eaten now and I just re-read my response like wahhhhh? lol I need food or I turn into a whiny little complainer. :D

As for the angst against large packs, going "ultralight" is kind of a craze in the hiking community right now, but it generally applies to different situations so don't worry about it.
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Yeah it wasn't anything you said, or even that much on this forum but I've seen a lot of people kinda like.. roll their eyes at anyone with a larger pack and act like them being able to travel with practically nothing is some measure of their "coolness and worth" as a backpacker.. it comes off really pretentious and annoying to me, but no one here was doing that but I'd been in like 4 debates within the past couple weeks about not bringing a pack or only bringing a tiny one and it's crazy how some people attack you over it!

The way I feel is yeah it's uncomfortable but so is having nothing you need with you. As a girl.. as much as I like to consider myself low maintenence.. I still like to have my creams and perfumes and stuff with me, and that + all my health stuff just adds up.

The majority of what I'm putting in my bag are packs of gluten free raw vegan bars and stuff like that. And yeah, the daypack is really small, smaller than a school sized backpack actually!
 
you can teach kindergarden in thailand with out a university degree - if you dont mind singing songs most of the day - or find a dodgy school and get no work permit and risk getting kicked out of thailand with a fine
 
Lol, interesting timing for this response, as I am just starting with preparations to leave this disgusting country ;) (My contract ends prematurely next week, and I don't intend on finding more work with these racist, judgemental, narrow-minded, and not to mention, very stupid people... Not a single day has passed that I have not, in some way, been insulted, ripped off, dodged being ripped off, lied to, lied about, judge for my physical appearance, or otherwise negatively affected.

I feel nothing but despise toward this country, which seems to have recently turned into a compassionate pity instead of active hatred, thankfully.

What a shame.
 
It is a big shame Jam, but hey, you live and learn. And you've obviously gained heaps out of this experience so it wasn't all bad :)
<3
 
How funny, just last night, I had this incredibly realistic dream about a Canadian/Palestinian gay dude who was under this total delusion that Thailand sucked.

This guy insisted on perpetually posting on the internetz in a weird magenta color, and it turned out that his disillusionment with Thailand was all in his head, and in the end, he learned to adapt and accept a culture he thought he had come to hate. He wound up loving it, and showing a hot straight man who had come to Bangkok to teach English all over the country.

What a realistic dream!
 
It's full of neon lights, cheap booze and 45 year olds holding hands with 16 year old girls :( . . . . . . . . . gross!

I much prefer Laos and Cambodia as there much more raw/real and the people are more innocent and traditional.

Never been too Burma though but planning a trip in April.
 
8ft-Sativa said:
It's full of neon lights, cheap booze and 45 year olds holding hands with 16 year old girls :( . . . . . . . . . gross!

I much prefer Laos and Cambodia as there much more raw/real and the people are more innocent and traditional.

Never been too Burma though but planning a trip in April.
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This says more about the places that you have been hanging out at (and Cambodia is high in child prostitution)

Ive been living and working in Thailand for arround a year.


My advise is Thailand is what you make it.

1. Avoid the toursit areas, Kao San, sukumvit road (Bangkok) and Pattaya. It is full of the above mentioned - Thais trying to make a quick $ and ex tourists.

2. Try and LEARN THE LANGUAGE. it helps alot!

3. Get some good Thai friends and hang with them as much as possible.

good Thai forum:

http://www.ajarnforum.net/vb/

It pains me that people fly to Thailand, see the neon - lights (tourist bar areas) make there sweeping judgements and leave (i.e. believing most people to be sex tourists and Thai girls to be prostitues or just after money), with out seeing the 'REAL' Thailand.
 
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junctionalfunkie said:
How funny, just last night, I had this incredibly realistic dream about a Canadian/Palestinian gay dude who was under this total delusion that Thailand sucked.

This guy insisted on perpetually posting on the internetz in a weird magenta color, and it turned out that his disillusionment with Thailand was all in his head, and in the end, he learned to adapt and accept a culture he thought he had come to hate. He wound up loving it, and showing a hot straight man who had come to Bangkok to teach English all over the country.

What a realistic dream!
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^ hahahaha!
 
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Haha.. it's so weird how Jam's opinion of Thailand is the same as my opinion of Cambodia.. just goes to show there is no set reality of a place exactly, it all is so different for each personal experience. I trust his opinion more than mine though, since he actually lived there and I was just there on holiday. I loved it but after being in Asia 8 weeks I definitely wouldn't want to live there. There's no place like home!
 
MynameisnotDeja said:
I trust his opinion more than mine though, since he actually lived there and I was just there on holiday.QUOTE]


Ive been living and working there (here) almost a year - after many many vists. I have traveled all over the country (not just the bars) I have went far off the tourist trail - To tell the truth I have been staying at my soon to be wifes home (no work school holidays) for over a month, where i havent even seen another westerner and have been mainly speaking Thai (except some times with my girl who speaks fluent English)

It pains me that people only see the sterio typical BS - its like saying all English people live in castles and know the queen....

...Its all subjective - i have found Thailand has the tendences to draw out the strong points of peoples personalities, which alot of the times can be bad (as its all here for the taking) be it:

alcohol,
drugs,
perversion,
zenaphobia,
snobbery,
Voyeurism.
be it voyeurism in the sense going round all the go-go bars etc so they can go home and say to their friends ''yes Ive been to Thailand, its nothing but prostiutes and fat 40 year old men with 16 year old girls'' - look at me Ive been to some crazy places - ''arnt i crazy!''

or be it:
Buddism,
'mai pen rai' attitude,
working hard,
meditation,
chilling in some of the most beautiful places in the world,
learning to smile again simple plesentrys (this is the land of smiles and you will often be greeted by a new person with a smile)
Songkran - the whole country turns into a massive water fight,
learning a new language (often fustrating but mainly fun)
REALLY experiencing a different culture which has a massive fountain of personal growth and character building,
and yes going silly in a go-go bar (sometimes) - however Ive only ever been to one, which was the one my then new girlfriend took me to for fun and to see to if i was just a butterfly** farang)

Its all there...but its all up to you what you take from it....



**butterfly - term give to alot of westerners. meaning - someone who sleeps with lots of ladys - like a butterfly stops at lots of different flowers...

...yes lots of Thai's only take the sterio typical view of us westerners. i.e we all go to the touristy place get very drunk and sleep with prostitues. We are drunks and crub crawlers, with LOTS of money.


its crazy how a few streets in Bangkok and a small touristy place - Pattaya - has tarnish the whole world (most of) view on such a beautiful fasinating country and has also tarnish Thailand's view (generally speaking) of the whole westerner world!... Crazy....Its like people only judging America through Los Vegas. or England through Soh Ho


by the way im not an old fat ex tourist or sex -pat. Im 27, been told Im good looking (no trouble finding a girl in my home country) and only ever been with one girl since Ive been here - which I will soon to marry.
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Bah they want £1250 to take a 4 week CELTA course.. how can I do this with a grant or something since I've not even been to university yet?

My intention is to buy my BA in Saigon and teach there for a bit, I met some teachers on the Ha Long Bay trip who gave me some good contacts, they all bought their degrees and have each been teaching for 4-8 years at $2000 a month!

I just wanna take the CELTA so I can actually help people learn.
 
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