Travel Checklist for World Travel

This checklist will enable you to take everything you need (in most countries) around the world with ease. Many low cost airlines cover the cost of checked luggage up to 15 Kgs (33Lbs). If over this limit, many airlines will charge for extra weight. Beth and I had our packs right up to that number most of the time.

CLOTHING:

• 1 (maybe 2) pair of Jeans.
• 1 - zip off nylon pants/shorts.
• 1 - swimming suit.
• 1-2 dry fit t-shirts.
• 1- light, compact-able Rain jacket.
• 1 - hooded sweatshirt.
• 1-2 dressier items (for guys a polo, girls can probably get 2 dresses).
• 3-4 pair of Dry fit Undies. (I recommend Exoficio Travel underwear, washes well in the sink).
• 1 fleece.
• 2 pair of Smart Wool socks.
• 2 pair of regular socks.
• 1 pair of flip flops (non leather).
• 1 pair of shoes that you can wear hiking, casually, and into restaurants.
• 1 travel Towel. They dry quickly and fit nicely in your pack. Many hostels in Europe include towels in your stay, the rest of the world does not.

ESSENTIALS:

• 4-6 Passport sized photos - many countries require that you purchase Visas on arrival. If you don't have "passport sized" photos, they can cha rge a hefty fee.
• Duct tape is a must.
• 1 Headlight - use when reading at night, or rummaging around your hostel room in the dark.
• 1 medical kit including: advil, travel meds, mosquito repellant (at least 20% DEET), water purification tablets, tums, and all other medications.
• 1 Masterlock combination lock.
• 2 smaller locks (used for zippers on your pack and day pack).
• 1 unlocked cell phone (iphone is the best).
• 1 bandanna.
• 3-5 Tide Laundry travel packages (depends on length of your trip).
• 1 cap/hat.
• 3-4 small 99 cent travel tubes of SPF 30 Sun Lotion. The last thing you want is to lug around a large tube.
• 1 memory stick(8 or 16MB). Even if you are not taking pictures, you might meet someone who documents everything. You can swap photos easily this way.
• 1-3 rolls of Charmin travel size rolls of toilet paper. This is a MUST have.
• small scissors and/or knife.
• student ID.
• Salt and pepper packets are great for bland food (you can always snag these somewhere).
• 1-2 small carabiners.

BRING PHOTO COPIES OF YOUR:

Visas

Credit Cards

Passport

Travel Insurance (if you have it)

TIPS:

If you are planning a large trip (4+ months) I think that a small laptop (otherwise referred to as a Netbook) is a MUST. This is great for backing up photos, taking notes, and most importantly, trip planning. Computer usage fees can be pretty expensive at Internet cafes.

When at the airport and the immigration lines are really long, stick to the outside lanes if you can. Chances are they will open up another one (if you keep your eye out, you can time it perfectly).

Bringing a roll of duct tape can take up way too much space. What I do is wrap around 10-15 feet of it onto my nalgene water bottle.

Bringing a student ID can save you heeps of cash. Every museum, park, event, or public transportation hub we went to, I asked politely if th ey gave a student discount. Often times they did! If you don't have one, ask anyways.

I like to roll my duct up on my water bottle. That way, it's pretty much always with you during the day.

If you don't carry a water bottle, just take a quarter or half roll with you and flatten it.

I recommend having a buddy with a decent camera shoot some head shots of you and stick them on a 4X6 print out so that you have several with you at all times. This is also very cheap. 6 passport sized photos will run you at least 10 bucks in a CVS. This way is is about 1 buck per copy of 6.

Here is a list of travel resources that I used while planning my trip:

www.skyscanner.com (amazing for flights)
www.wikitravel.com (best free guidebooks in the world)
http://travel.state.gov/travel/travel_1744.html (all info on Entry/Exit requirements)

www.cdc.gov (the only way to find out exactly what immunizations you need)

www.youtube.com
www.tripadvisor.com
www.hostelworld.com