Some Things I’m Glad I Didn’t Leave Home Without……

Packing clothes, a novel to read and taking a camera are obvious items to put into the suitcase, but here are a few things that have made my time “on the road” more pleasurable…….

1. A stretchy clothesline – even though getting washing done is quick and cheap, being able to stretch my line out to dry a few “smalls” is a boon.
2. My laptop – so that when I have internet access, I can connect with friends and family, reserve my next hotel, have fun writing the next installment for my web page and download photos (I use my laptop to store them, then from time to time send a copy home as a backup). It’s been getting loads of use. I bought a Kathmandu neoprene sleeve for it to help give it extra protection for the times I take it to a café to write and for when it gets packed into a specially padded compartment in my day pack.
3. The tiny travel jug and mug (great for my early morning cup of tea in my hotel room).
4. A small medical kit with items such as; Paraderm for healing bites and minor skin abrasions, anti diarrhea and malarial tablets, Royal D (re-hydration mix), band aids, etc. I have tried to be reasonably self sufficient. Even though in the cities pharmacists and supplies are plentiful, the language barrier, and different brand names on products can be a challenge.
5. Lonely Planet guides – I left with three - Thailand’s Islands and Beaches, Cambodia and Vietnam. But then I decided to add Laos onto my trip so added this guide. I picked up a new one in Cambodia for about $10 versus about $50 at home! All are well marked and have been used extensively.
6. A supply of tiny coloured post-it page markers to use in my Lonely Planet guides. It’s amazing how that “vital” piece of information you read about, or fantastic hotel deal can be nearly impossible to “find” again, but with these markers this “misplaced” information rarely happens.
7. A Belkin Power Surge Protector. The electricity supply has, in places, been erratic – lights dim with monotonous regularity (especially in Thailand and Cambodia) and I’m not using a dimmer switch! When my laptop is charging I have a degree of comfort that there’s less likelihood of the insides getting fried! At least that’s what I think – but what do I know about electricity?
8. My journal (of course). I’ve written a couple so far.
9. The wonderful and powerful (but tiny) LED torch for lighting my way back to my room at night. It gets dark here very early. I keep it handy, on my bedside cabinet, in case of power failure during the night.
10. A plug converter so that I can charge my laptop, camera batteries and for use with the electric kettle.
11. A couple of plastic glad containers – ideal for storing open packets of biscuits, nuts etc so they are sealed and won’t get squashed when I pack.

12. A small photo album with a selection of photos of family and some of my favourite places in NZ (including a small map of where we are in the world). At times I feel like I’m a walking tourism adviser to our wonderful country…..it’s a role I’m VERY happy with - if only I could get paid to do it!