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What's New:
- Avoiding Insect Bites
Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, L
- Websites
Some of the following links are on other pages of this website. I have brought them all together on
- Books
Below is a list of just some of the books that I have bought and found useful on my travels. I usua
- Suppliers
Links to the suppliers of the travel gear I use and recommend can be found through out this site. He
- Miscellaneous
Waterproof bags Used to separate and keep various items dry in your bag. Good for keeping valuables
Undershirt/base layer
Good as a first layer in cold weather, a long-sleeved silk, cotton, wool or synthetic undershirt can be bought quite cheaply. You can also use it as a thin shirt on its own in hot weather.
Boxers/shorts/undergarments
Whichever you wear (some travellers don’t wear any!), look for fast drying fabrics and choose comfort over style. Nylon is not so good in hot weather as it doesn’t breathe and this can cause infections.
Cotton underwear is good, as are some of the new synthetics. Some travel underwear is designed to be washed in the sink in the evening and [...]
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 One question that springs to mind about clothing is, is there a difference between that which you wear at home and that which you wear when travelling?
Certainly, if you live in the UK or the USA and you are travelling to Europe for a week, then you can just wear what you normally wear. In fact, you might look out of place if you don’t walk around in jeans, tshirt, a hoodie and running shoes.
Travelling further afield does involve some additional considerations, however, mainly to do with the varied climates you will encounter. But there are [...]
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 The Medical pages list the various diseases and vaccinations available. This section gives information on where and when to get them, how long they last, whether you need boosters, possible side-effects, and so on.
Don’t rely on the information given below. Try to get to a specialist travel clinic, or seek advice from a qualified professional.
Some clinics will give you a free consulation, other charge a fee (usually refunded if you then have the vaccinations at the clinic).
In the UK you can get vaccinations from your GP (usually for free), or go to one of the specialist [...]
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 Many tropical diseases, such as malaria, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, are transmitted by insect bites, usually through the insect’s saliva.
No antimalarial drug is 100% effective and in the case of some diseases (for example, dengue fever) there is no protection at all, so it is best to avoid getting bitten in the first place.
Luckily, insects aren’t a problem in most countries around the world, just annoying, and in those places where they are, only some of them carry diseases.
For example, there are more than 3,000 species of mosquitoes worldwide, and [...]
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 Common problems that travellers encounter, such as stomach upsets and those from insect bites, can be prevented by taking simple precautions.
These include such things as good hygiene and safe food preparation practices, drinking (and using) only treated or clean water, avoiding being bitten by various insects and worms, and getting vaccinated and taking pills to prevent diseases.
Clean water and water treatment
Everyone needs a minimum of about two and a half litres or just over half a gallon of clean water a day. In hot climates while doing things like carrying a backpack, hiking or just walking [...]
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 Once upon a time, everyone who travelled carried traveller’s cheques, but not anymore. Nowadays, credit cards are the norm.
Traveller’s cheques are similar to cash and can be used as such (especially in North America, not so much elsewhere), but they also have added security features that cash doesn’t. If you lose them or they get stolen then the money is refundable.
With American Express cheques you get 24/7 customer support, plus passport and credit card replacement assistance (the things that usually get stolen alongside your money). Find out more here.
They also come in a few selected (popular) [...]
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 You probably won’t need your driver’s licence when backpacking but if you do intend to drive your regular licence and passport should be fine. I have driven in the USA with my British driver’s licence and vice versa without any problems.
Some countries, however, may require and international driving permit. This is pretty much just a translation of your regular licence into various languages. It also has your photo inside, which could serve as an id in an emergency, plus it lists all the classes of vehicle you are allowed to drive, useful if you want to [...]
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 Most countries will want to see your passport, but in addition to this there are sometimes other things you need to know which aren’t so obvious. For example, some countries require that your passport is valid for at least six months after you plan to leave that particular country and if it isn’t you won’t be let in. So it pays to get your passport renewed if it is quite close to expiring.
Some countries, such as South Africa, have other requirements. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 30 days after your intended date [...]
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Before I left the USA last year after a 10 year vacation, I sold, threw out, and (mostly) gave away nearly all of my possessions, keeping only those that I could fit into one standard-sized airplane carry-on bag. (However, unlike Christopher McCandless, I didn’t burn my remaining money and hitchhike to Alaska to live in the wilderness).
Over the next few years I intend to travel around the rest of the world, living out of this one bag. I created this website to keep track of my progress, and to keep a personal checklist of the gear [...]
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