These are what I consider to be essential items for My Amend for any traveler/backpacker. These are items that I have used in my past travels and have served me well.
Backpack
The first and most obvious thing for any traveler is whether to use a backpack or a suitcase. I traveled with a bag during my first solo travel experience to Southeast Asia, Korea, and Japan. For those under 50, I bought a Eurohike 55-liter bag with a rain cover, which came in handy during the monsoon season! The pack was top-opening and didn’t offer much by way of security.
Therefore, I bought a special backpack transit case that I put my backpack into and made it secure from theft and secure from airport conveyor belts. I had heard that the conveyors in airports sometimes broke clips from backpacks if they were not properly secured and that some airlines didn’t even want to have loads on their airplanes because they were a safety threat.
I lost the backpack case during my travels and had to wrap my backpack in black bin bags and tape to prevent the clips from catching airport conveyors. The gear was comfortable, with some very nice cushioned padding. However, I realized as my trip went on that the pack was a little too large. I have read on many websites that the smaller and lighter your group, the more comfortable your trip will be.
This is so true. It is not just about how light the pack is for you to carry, but also practical reasons like traveling on packed trains and subways with a giant wardrobe on your back. The backpack was incredibly annoying while traveling on busy subways, as I didn’t know if, and how badly, I was bumping into people – but I am sure I was! However, it was great to have my hands free when I needed to pay for tickets and carry bags and water bottles.
Suitcase
I decided to ditch the backpack and travel with a medium-sized suitcase on my second trip to Japan. I was traveling for three weeks and had planned to move around the country quite a bit. I was worried about the condition of the suitcase’s wheels by the end of the trip, but altogether, I preferred the comfort of a nice bag. The bag takes up the use of your arms, but it does relieve your back. I found time and again that my backpack was becoming too cumbersome for longer walks; a suitcase, meanwhile, makes walking a pleasure.
Finding your hotel in Bangkok’s humid and busy conditions with your gigantic backpack is not a pleasant experience. Going upstairs is a pain with a suitcase, but it is a breeze with a bag. This may be important to you as it is best to travel around a Japanese city (and many other Asian cities) via the subway system. Sometimes, they have enormous staircases leading to the platforms.
The final clincher is that a suitcase makes you look more businesslike and professional; a backpack makes you easily identifiable as a traveler or tourist and makes you stand out far more. If I entered a nice hotel with my bag, I wouldn’t be given the same service as traveling with a suitcase. I believe that backpackers have a bit of a bad name in some countries, as backpackers tend to be younger people who are more prone to boorish behavior due to letting off some steam after finishing university.
Daypack
You don’t want to take your suitcase or backpack on daily walks or excursions, so you need a nice, convenient daypack. I took a shoulder bag, which looked more stylish than a small backpack. But be warned: a shoulder bag can give you some irritating neck and shoulder pains if you overpack it with large water bottles or souvenirs. In this instance, a nice mini backpack is better as it transfers the weight evenly on your back and shoulders.
I always take out travel insurance as you never know what could happen during your trip. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Medical help abroad could cost you thousands if you do not have the correct insurance, so always read the insurance policy properly. When I search for insurance, I always turn to comparison sites, such as moneysupermarket.com. This way, you can compare all the different companies offering insurance and their relative policies.
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