I must look more innocentrdowns said:
, although I've only taken my PB on five trips. Before, with my work Dell, I didn't care. 
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
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MR Travel Thread
- Thread starter Chip NoVaMac
- Start date
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, although I've only taken my PB on five trips. Before, with my work Dell, I didn't care. 
More on clothes (women's)
Ack! MEN!
Absolutely! I took a lightweight plain cotton "twinset" which worked well together with blue jeans as well as with the black jeans I mentioned. Each also worked well separately (t-shirt on its own, cardigan over another shirt). Although I didn't think to do that this time, yes, taking along a couple of scarves can make a tremendous difference in how an outfit looks.
One thing to also keep in mind is if one is going to a destination where it is likely that buying and wearing souvenir t-shirts will be part of the fun. No need to take along a lot of extra tops from home. In planning for my trip to MWSF I knew that it was likely I'd be collecting various shirts along the way (which I indeed did!) so deliberately only packed a couple of casual t-shirts in addition to the aforementioned twinset. After my first couple of days there, once MacWorld was underway, I was wearing t-shirts I purchased at the convention or was given by vendors....
Applespider said:You guys going on about two pairs of jeans and some running vests being a wardrobe!
Ack! MEN!
Applespider said:
Absolutely! I took a lightweight plain cotton "twinset" which worked well together with blue jeans as well as with the black jeans I mentioned. Each also worked well separately (t-shirt on its own, cardigan over another shirt). Although I didn't think to do that this time, yes, taking along a couple of scarves can make a tremendous difference in how an outfit looks.
One thing to also keep in mind is if one is going to a destination where it is likely that buying and wearing souvenir t-shirts will be part of the fun. No need to take along a lot of extra tops from home. In planning for my trip to MWSF I knew that it was likely I'd be collecting various shirts along the way (which I indeed did!) so deliberately only packed a couple of casual t-shirts in addition to the aforementioned twinset. After my first couple of days there, once MacWorld was underway, I was wearing t-shirts I purchased at the convention or was given by vendors....
re: Travel tip: Jeans (women's and men's)
I was one step ahead of you. I planned on wearing my "blue" jeans on the first day of travel. I am trying to make my "black jeans" fit within the 18#US that many international airlines limit he budget traveler to.
I am currently looking at wearing a pair of blue jeans, packing a pair of black jeans, and a pair of "Dockers". The problem I have with "jeans" is the weight. Putting a pair of jeans in my carry-on pushes me close to the 18#US limit that us economy flyers go with for Europe.
Clix Pix said:
I was one step ahead of you. I planned on wearing my "blue" jeans on the first day of travel. I am trying to make my "black jeans" fit within the 18#US that many international airlines limit he budget traveler to.
I am currently looking at wearing a pair of blue jeans, packing a pair of black jeans, and a pair of "Dockers". The problem I have with "jeans" is the weight. Putting a pair of jeans in my carry-on pushes me close to the 18#US limit that us economy flyers go with for Europe.
Clix Pix said:
This exemption is open to much discussion.
Meeting the 18#US limit for carry-on; with another 18#US in "personal" - does this meet the "limits"? Add to that most International carriers allow for 50#US for checked baggage. These weight limits may be in part to gain extra revenue from travelers.
In the end limits for carry-on forces us t look at what we carry. In my case I am at about 15#US for my carry-on. For the rest I am trying to make it make sense.
Security Checkpoint...
I don't mind telling you all that I was really freaking out prior to my trip because of the whole Security Checkpoint thing. It had been YEARS since my last flight anywhere -- LONG before 9/11 -- and I was really astonished when buying my luggage to have the salesman assure me that the locks were "TSA Approved" so that they wouldn't have to cut them off. HUH? CUT THE LOCKS OFF??!!
Last trip I took was about, mmm, ten or twelve years ago, I guess. I remember that I had to open up my laptop bag and turn on the laptop and show them that the thing wasn't going to blow up and then I had to take my then brand-new Coolpix 900 out of its case, turn it on and show them that it, too, wasn't going to blow everybody sky-high.... With these memories I was really dreading travelling with my PB and two digital cameras.
I was pleasantly relieved to learn that the cameras could go right on through the scanning doohickey right in the carryon bag and that the PB, although I had to pull it out of the laptop case and put it into a bin, could also ride through without needing to be turned on.
Nonetheless it really bothered me to be over in a separate line waiting to go through the security thing (shoes off, of course) while my valuable belongings were going through the scanner and then just sitting there in the open, vulnerable (especially the highly-visible PB) to anyone who might have ideas about snatching them up. I was greatly relieved to get my shoes back on my feet, the PB back in the carrying case, my hands firmly on the carryon bag and to be on my way through the airport!
I don't mind telling you all that I was really freaking out prior to my trip because of the whole Security Checkpoint thing. It had been YEARS since my last flight anywhere -- LONG before 9/11 -- and I was really astonished when buying my luggage to have the salesman assure me that the locks were "TSA Approved" so that they wouldn't have to cut them off. HUH? CUT THE LOCKS OFF??!!
Last trip I took was about, mmm, ten or twelve years ago, I guess. I remember that I had to open up my laptop bag and turn on the laptop and show them that the thing wasn't going to blow up and then I had to take my then brand-new Coolpix 900 out of its case, turn it on and show them that it, too, wasn't going to blow everybody sky-high.... With these memories I was really dreading travelling with my PB and two digital cameras.
I was pleasantly relieved to learn that the cameras could go right on through the scanning doohickey right in the carryon bag and that the PB, although I had to pull it out of the laptop case and put it into a bin, could also ride through without needing to be turned on.
Nonetheless it really bothered me to be over in a separate line waiting to go through the security thing (shoes off, of course) while my valuable belongings were going through the scanner and then just sitting there in the open, vulnerable (especially the highly-visible PB) to anyone who might have ideas about snatching them up. I was greatly relieved to get my shoes back on my feet, the PB back in the carrying case, my hands firmly on the carryon bag and to be on my way through the airport!
General - FedEx/UPS/DHL/etc.
Depending on where and when you're traveling, sending packages to your destination or back home from your destination can be an option. You might not trust the hotel, etc., to keep your package, but it's usually fine to send one home - if you don't need the contents immediately upon return. Works well for dirty laundry, toiletries, etc., esp. if you acquire more souvenirs than you expected.
Depending on where and when you're traveling, sending packages to your destination or back home from your destination can be an option. You might not trust the hotel, etc., to keep your package, but it's usually fine to send one home - if you don't need the contents immediately upon return. Works well for dirty laundry, toiletries, etc., esp. if you acquire more souvenirs than you expected.
Packing Tip:
Bring your towel.
Also, if your gonna be on a long flight use the site www.seatguru.com. It is great for finding a seat and I have often sat on a plane thanking seat guru for whatever reason.
Bring your towel.
Also, if your gonna be on a long flight use the site www.seatguru.com. It is great for finding a seat and I have often sat on a plane thanking seat guru for whatever reason.
jsw said:Great place. I had my very first kiss there, on my 16th birthday, at the National Forensic League's National Speech & Debate Tournament. Romantic city, hot speech chick... terrible kiss. Alas.
Are you sure that it wasn't the Adult Theater down the block? <g>
Not Checking Luggage
I've found that most airlines allow 2 carry on bags. For short trips (less than 5-10 days), it's awesome to travel without checked luggage. Get two flexible carry-on bags, a backpack and a small duffel bag is a great combo.
Pack all your clothes in the duffel, and put it in the overhead bin. Pack anything you might want to use on the plane (iPod, Laptop, books etc) in your backpack and put it under the seat in front of you.
Most of the time, if you have no checked luggage, you'll be able to check at an 'Express Check-In (No Luggage)' kiosk. There are never any lines for these, so you can show up at the airport 20-30 minutes later than you normally would, as the only time sink is getting through security.
Traveling super-light is awesome, but if you don't have enough clothes it's not worth it. If you're staying long enough to need more clothes, bring laundromat-friendly clothes or check a bag.
I've found that most airlines allow 2 carry on bags. For short trips (less than 5-10 days), it's awesome to travel without checked luggage. Get two flexible carry-on bags, a backpack and a small duffel bag is a great combo.
Pack all your clothes in the duffel, and put it in the overhead bin. Pack anything you might want to use on the plane (iPod, Laptop, books etc) in your backpack and put it under the seat in front of you.
Most of the time, if you have no checked luggage, you'll be able to check at an 'Express Check-In (No Luggage)' kiosk. There are never any lines for these, so you can show up at the airport 20-30 minutes later than you normally would, as the only time sink is getting through security.
Traveling super-light is awesome, but if you don't have enough clothes it's not worth it. If you're staying long enough to need more clothes, bring laundromat-friendly clothes or check a bag.
Chip NoVaMac said:
18 pounds? They limit carryon luggage to 18 pounds of weight? Oh, Lordy....I'll never make it to any country outside the US, then!
Wait -- that's not the camera gear, though, right? You mentioned something about standards for that being different? Not that I'm planning to fly to Europe any time soon but I might as well learn right now what the deal is....
Getting back to the clothes. Yeah, jeans are heavy, no two ways about it. On the other hand, what you're planning to take sounds reasonable: one pair of blue and one pair of black jeans and then a pair of Dockers...
Tops. Maybe you can reduce the weight in tops? Wear your heaviest, of course, and then maybe take various lightweight things that can be layered to keep you warm enough over there. ?? Or you could just take very few --the very minimum -- tops with the idea of buying some things over there....and then shipping the stuff that you don't immediately need home to yourself. ?? I had to do that because I bought/accumulated way too much stuff in SF and I knew I'd never get it all crammed into the luggage for the trip home. Worked out fine, but then again it was easy enough for me to just trot the extras over to the Business Center at the Moscone Center and arrange to have it shipped via UPS. NOT the same when you're in a European country doing the tourist thing....
Or maybe you should just bite the bullet and go ahead and have a piece of luggage that you check through, too. ?? Sure, it's inconvenient having to stand around and wait for the darned stuff to be spat back out of the airplane's cargo compartment and there IS the risk of it being lost somewhere along the way, but it does offer you a little more flexibility....
re: General - FedEx/UPS/DHL/etc.
Good point. I have done this in the US.
But looking at International rates, this may not be a great bargain.
As you said, there is a trust of the "local" place you are going to.
As you said, it is better to pack lite, and use the expense of "over weight" to to ship back to to the US.
jsw said:
Good point. I have done this in the US.
But looking at International rates, this may not be a great bargain.
As you said, there is a trust of the "local" place you are going to.
As you said, it is better to pack lite, and use the expense of "over weight" to to ship back to to the US.
If you can visit their brick and mortar stores in So. Cal (Santa Barabra, Santa Monica), you can often find really good deals on some of the less gimmicky stuff they carry as well. Particularly during their 2x a year clearance sales.-hh said:Magellan's store also has a lot of the gimmicky travel gadgets that you probably don't really need ... resist the temptation
I've picked up some Ex Oficio gear at 70% off retail price there, as well as lots of stuff I really didn't need.
B
No, I went there after the whole first-kiss fiasco.Chip NoVaMac said:
Also, in an aside that no one will care about but which I will write anyway, I met a celebrity of sorts that night.
My friend Tom and I, walking back from the den of iniquity at the Grant, passed by a man desperately trying to pull a stick - looked like a handle from a picket sign - from a chain mail fence around a construction area. We saw him trying feverishly to remove it, and, just as we walked by, he succeeded. Doing so, he announced to, well, himself I guess: "I did it. I really am Jesus Christ!"
Now, of course, I suppose it's possible that we actually met Jesus Christ, and that the whole second-coming thing wasn't working out too well for him. But, nevertheless, Tom and I suddenly because aware of the fact that (a) we were only 16, and (b) we were walking around at 2AM in a big city wearing sports coats and ties. We sped up the pace.
Also, on the way back, we found our stupid sense of humor. We walked past a store with a sign reading "Moving Sale" in the window. We turned to each other and said "hey, I wonder where the sale will be tomorrow?" and laughed.
Which leads me to another travel tip: you never know who you'll be sitting next to, and what stories they will wish to tell you, so bring an iPod or ear protection of some sort, and those eye covers you wear to sleep in bright areas. You might not need either of those things, but, if you do and don't have them, you very well might end up sitting for an 8 hour flight next to a 72 year old man who insists on repeating the same 30 minutes of agonizing detail about his family over and over and over, and you too will realize that, as much as you might try, it's impossible to kill yourself with one of those coffee stirrers they hand out.
re: Not Checking Luggage
These are the limits that the airlines publish for international flights.
I chose not to test their limits/rules. The limits I talk of are for "coach class" .
From what I have been told, if you can handle 30#US, as if it were 18#US, then there will be no no issues, Otherwise you pay an extra "fee;" for being overweight.
But that does not matter if you check your baggage. For myself I am planning on go lite over there; but willing to get my 50#US on my return if needed. I can wait 3 days to get my stuff back on my return, but not during my trip.
Clix Pix said:
These are the limits that the airlines publish for international flights.
I chose not to test their limits/rules. The limits I talk of are for "coach class" .
From what I have been told, if you can handle 30#US, as if it were 18#US, then there will be no no issues, Otherwise you pay an extra "fee;" for being overweight.
But that does not matter if you check your baggage. For myself I am planning on go lite over there; but willing to get my 50#US on my return if needed. I can wait 3 days to get my stuff back on my return, but not during my trip.
I've found this to be true as well.Chip NoVaMac said:
Also, any satchels or other items which can be hung beneath a coat aren't ever noticed - note that the people who do security screening don't care at all what you bring, so all that matters is that no one questions the number of items or their weight upon checkin or boarding.
It seems very unfair that a 300lb man and a 110lb woman both pay the same and have the same luggage limits, even though the man clearly is adding more weight to the flight.
RE: Packing tip
Good point - - I had forgotten about this.
In a lot of Europe ... especially once you get out of the expensive tourist hotels ... you'll discover that the bathroom has no (8" square) wash towel.
Bring your own.
Also FYI, the Rick Steve's toilet kit bag has two outside pockets that are open mesh on the outside...helps it air a little if you have to pack it while its still damp. But do be aware that many European rooms often have either nice heated towel racks and/or radiators...these can dry stuff out quickly (such as your wash towel while you're downstairs having breakfast).
-hh
killuminati said:
Good point - - I had forgotten about this.
In a lot of Europe ... especially once you get out of the expensive tourist hotels ... you'll discover that the bathroom has no (8" square) wash towel.
Bring your own.
Also FYI, the Rick Steve's toilet kit bag has two outside pockets that are open mesh on the outside...helps it air a little if you have to pack it while its still damp. But do be aware that many European rooms often have either nice heated towel racks and/or radiators...these can dry stuff out quickly (such as your wash towel while you're downstairs having breakfast).
-hh
Chip NoVaMac said:
I don't know what my carryon bag weighed when I went to SF, but it certainly wasn't light: it had the D200, two lenses, the P&S, numerous chargers, Epson P2000, batteries for the cameras and an extra for the Epson, cell phone charger, memory cards for the cameras...other stuff which I am not remembering right now. I'm sure it was over 18 pounds and it probably wasn't as much as 30 pounds. Adding in the laptop bag, well, there's another five-plus pounds for the PB itself, plus the other stuff I had in there, so, yeah, with those two bags I was carrying on, I was probably handling around 30 pounds, give or take a little.....
I've never traveled anything other than coach class so no idea of what privileges someone gets who pays more for their ticket. My theory has always been that, hey, we're all ending up in the same place, right? Why pay more if I don't have to do so? Now, sure, if I were lucky enough to have someone else footing the bill for my travels, fine, I'd be happy to go first class if they were to insist upon forking out the money for that, but otherwise, for me, coach is just fine.
I see that JSW and I had the same thought about sending stuff home. I would hesitate to send it TO the destination, especially if it's a hotel and not a private home, the home of a family member or family friend, but certainly while you're on the trip, sending stuff back home works out really well (at least within the US).
Well, I guess if I ever get back over to Europe I might as well resign myself right now to the idea of having to check through at least one bag. I'll never make it otherwise....
jsw said:
One thing which I always do is to wear a "waist bag" (sometimes known as a "fannypack" or "bumbag"). I take it off and stick it in the carryon bag for going through the security checkpoint, but prior to that and immediately after that it is back around my waist. This is what holds my wallet, cell phone, hearing aid batteries, sunglasses, keys, whatever else.... So when I'm getting on the plane, that's not really noticed, or if it is, isn't counted as a "purse" because it's not something dangling from my arm or shoulder.
-hh said:
Yes, a towel is good for that but a towel, is also about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value—you can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a mini raft down the slow heavy river Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or to avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (a mindboggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you—daft as a brush, but very, very ravenous); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough. More importantly, a towel has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag [non-hitch hiker] discovers that a hitchhiker has his towel with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitchhiker might accidentally have 'lost'. What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his towel is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
jsw said:No, I went there after the whole first-kiss fiasco.
Ah, the Knob Hill Theater! <g>
I met the SF twins (the older ladies) at on my final dinner this past summer at Uncle Vito's at the corner of Bush and Powell. Given it was my BD, I was tickled to no end!
Amen! I have had the pleasure of sitting next the likes of members of the Congress and the Senate, hosts of the Sunday talk shows.
In fact at the shop I work at we had one of the "architects" of the "Republican Revolution". His wife asked how long would it take for their "needs". I really wanted to respond, as long as it took the Republicans ti give us "affordable" healthcare... <g>
killuminati said:
Good one - I sometimes bring two. They are great for packing breakable/fragile items in as well, whether it be your shaver, sunglasses, etc.
Travelling tips: ettiquette
Never lick the locals, even for a dare, for risk of infection and/or physical harassment. I don't think I'll ever be welcome back in Curitiba.
Never lick the locals, even for a dare, for risk of infection and/or physical harassment. I don't think I'll ever be welcome back in Curitiba.
njmac said:
A warning here... while in London, don't buy any food from a stand set up on a street corner (usually sell hotdogs or caramel peanuts). They're not licensed, not regulated and from the TV/newspaper investigations, their hygiene and food safety procedures are non-existent (ie no refrigeration to keep the raw hotdogs in)
Actually, in London, I'd recommend avoiding most of the street food-sellers.
The other point is that if you're in somewhere like Chinatown in SF or London, or Brick Lane in London if you're curry-hunting, there will be good restaurants scattered amongst the overly-tourist ones. That's where local newspapers may have 10 best restaurants that might help you pick them out.
Don't carry all your cash/credit cards around with you. Take what you need plus, perhaps, an extra bit in case you find something you 'must have'. Leave the rest in the hotel safe. Consider not taking all cash/traveller's cheques; check your bank rates to see what they charge you for overseas withdrawals. If it's low, then take enough for the first few days and then use ATMs.
General Tips from a travelling man
I guess my tips are good, but it depends on what type of travelling you're talking about.
TOWELS: Yes, bring a towel, but make it a beach towel. They dry VERY quickly compared to cotton ones, and they fold much much smaller. Actually, bring a quick-dry towel. They're not as comfortable though, but they fold around 4x smaller than a regular towel, and around 2x smaller than a beach towel. They dry the quickest, but beach towels are quite ace and comfy.
Bring a pillow case: If you go somewhere where you don't have a pillow, stuff your pillowcase with dirty clothes and make your own pillow!
If you go to a place where they might give you a dirty pillow case, you may get an eye infection if you ever sleep face down. That eye infection is VERY difficult to get rid of, and sometimes you might actually need a minor surgery if you don't get it treated.
CLOTHES:
SHIRTS: Bring synthetic running shirts instead of cotton ones, whether you're going somewhere hot or cold. Long and short sleeve running shirts under a fleece is more breathable than anything else, and are easy to clean, too. They pack 2x smaller than their cotton equivalents, so you could technically bring twice the number of shirts and take up the same amount of space as half the number of cotton t-shirts (ie: 6 running shirts take up the same amount of space as 3 cotton shirts).
Never bring fleece unless you're going skiing/snowboarding/climbing. They can't be packed small, although they're very breathable for sports (eg: skiing) and dry quickly.
Also bring a 2-ply Gore-Tex (XCR) jacket (not North Face, please ) because they pack very small and are extreeemly versatile.
Some shirts made from synthetic material also look somewhat dressy (IMO). If you need to bring dressy shirts, roll your shirts and place inside an airtight bag that has had all the air drained from the inside. They sell bags that make it easy to do this. JSW already explained it, but your dressy shirts won't wrinkle this way.
Layering is better than bringing several thick shirts.
PANTS: Also bring pants made from a synthetic material. That means both shorts and long pants. The trousers look decent (ie: semi-casual) even if made from a synthetic material. Don't bring jeans because they dry slowly (in case it rains and you get wet), are dense and heavy, and feel dirty easily. You can't wash them in a sink if you have to, either.
If it's warm, bring swimming shorts or board shorts and "go commando." Why use a pair of underpants unnecessarily, or wear them at all?
SOCKS: Merino wool socks keep you warm, don't smell much even after several days of use, and are anti-microbial. They also don't lose their thermal properties when they're wet.
MONEY: Bring a money belt. Its like a very slim "waist pouch" where you can keep your money, credit cards, and passport. Keep the money belt tucked under your shirt, or even inside your pants' waistline, and nobody will even know the pouch is there. Keep all those important cards, ID, and the majority of money away from your wallet. You may get robbed and you'll have nothing at all.
But keep some money in your wallet so that you don't have to dig through a money belt in public.
PACKING A BACKPACK: There are only a few situations where you'll need to bring a backpack larger than 60-70 litres, especially when you bring the stuff I suggested. Some people have 75-90L backpacks and I just don't get it.
Rather than packing all your most "useful" things on the top layer of your backpack, pack all mid-weight stuff at the bottom, heavy stuff in the middle of your backpack, and the lighest stuff at the top. Do this if you're THAT concerned about weight and carrying your stuff.
OTHER THINGS:
- Swiss Army knife. The beer bottle opener and can opener are actually useful.
- Pack a copy of your passport and drivers license in your bag, in your wallet, and give a copy to your parents/friends to hold onto.
-When you buy a drink, always buy from a grocery store. It's always the cheapest place. And pack fruit. They provide lots of energy and things like apples don't go rotten quickly.
- If a local starts a conversation with you, don't give them your full name, where you're staying, AND the country you're from. The combination of these 3 pieces of information is what some thieves/hustlers con and rob tourists.
I'll think of some more later.
I guess my tips are good, but it depends on what type of travelling you're talking about.
killuminati said:
~Shard~ said:Good one - I sometimes bring two. They are great for packing breakable/fragile items in as well, whether it be your shaver, sunglasses, etc.
TOWELS: Yes, bring a towel, but make it a beach towel. They dry VERY quickly compared to cotton ones, and they fold much much smaller. Actually, bring a quick-dry towel. They're not as comfortable though, but they fold around 4x smaller than a regular towel, and around 2x smaller than a beach towel. They dry the quickest, but beach towels are quite ace and comfy.
Bring a pillow case: If you go somewhere where you don't have a pillow, stuff your pillowcase with dirty clothes and make your own pillow!
If you go to a place where they might give you a dirty pillow case, you may get an eye infection if you ever sleep face down. That eye infection is VERY difficult to get rid of, and sometimes you might actually need a minor surgery if you don't get it treated.
CLOTHES:
SHIRTS: Bring synthetic running shirts instead of cotton ones, whether you're going somewhere hot or cold. Long and short sleeve running shirts under a fleece is more breathable than anything else, and are easy to clean, too. They pack 2x smaller than their cotton equivalents, so you could technically bring twice the number of shirts and take up the same amount of space as half the number of cotton t-shirts (ie: 6 running shirts take up the same amount of space as 3 cotton shirts).
Never bring fleece unless you're going skiing/snowboarding/climbing. They can't be packed small, although they're very breathable for sports (eg: skiing) and dry quickly.
Also bring a 2-ply Gore-Tex (XCR) jacket (not North Face, please
) because they pack very small and are extreeemly versatile.Some shirts made from synthetic material also look somewhat dressy (IMO).
If you need to bring dressy shirts, roll your shirts and place inside an airtight bag that has had all the air drained from the inside. They sell bags that make it easy to do this. JSW already explained it, but your dressy shirts won't wrinkle this way.Layering is better than bringing several thick shirts.
PANTS: Also bring pants made from a synthetic material. That means both shorts and long pants. The trousers look decent (ie: semi-casual) even if made from a synthetic material. Don't bring jeans because they dry slowly (in case it rains and you get wet), are dense and heavy, and feel dirty easily. You can't wash them in a sink if you have to, either.
If it's warm, bring swimming shorts or board shorts and "go commando." Why use a pair of underpants unnecessarily, or wear them at all?
SOCKS: Merino wool socks keep you warm, don't smell much even after several days of use, and are anti-microbial. They also don't lose their thermal properties when they're wet.
MONEY: Bring a money belt. Its like a very slim "waist pouch" where you can keep your money, credit cards, and passport. Keep the money belt tucked under your shirt, or even inside your pants' waistline, and nobody will even know the pouch is there. Keep all those important cards, ID, and the majority of money away from your wallet. You may get robbed and you'll have nothing at all.
But keep some money in your wallet so that you don't have to dig through a money belt in public.
PACKING A BACKPACK: There are only a few situations where you'll need to bring a backpack larger than 60-70 litres, especially when you bring the stuff I suggested.
Some people have 75-90L backpacks and I just don't get it.Rather than packing all your most "useful" things on the top layer of your backpack, pack all mid-weight stuff at the bottom, heavy stuff in the middle of your backpack, and the lighest stuff at the top. Do this if you're THAT concerned about weight and carrying your stuff.
OTHER THINGS:
- Swiss Army knife. The beer bottle opener and can opener are actually useful.
- Pack a copy of your passport and drivers license in your bag, in your wallet, and give a copy to your parents/friends to hold onto.
-When you buy a drink, always buy from a grocery store. It's always the cheapest place. And pack fruit. They provide lots of energy and things like apples don't go rotten quickly.
- If a local starts a conversation with you, don't give them your full name, where you're staying, AND the country you're from. The combination of these 3 pieces of information is what some thieves/hustlers con and rob tourists.
I'll think of some more later.