Now that I’m settled in Cordoba, these are the five gear items that make everyday life as normal and comfortable as possible. Unsurprisingly, they’re also the five items I found the most valuable every time I landed someplace new. In short, they’ll eliminate some of the headaches from your traveling adventures:
1. Ex-officio underwear – It’s rare to find something that lives up to its marketing slogans, but the Ex-officio underwear does it. If you wanted to, you could really do “17 countries, 6 weeks, 1 pair of underwear.” They wick sweat, dry quickly, and almost never smell. I brought another pair of non-Ex-officio boxers in case Ex-officio didn’t live up to the hype, and am kicking myself for it. Do yourself a favor and pick up a pair (or two) before finding your next adventure.
2. MSR Pack Towl – The MSR Pack Towl is so awesome, I won’t take a regular towel when it’s offered at a hostel. Why bother? The Pack Towl fits into your bag easier, dries you off more effectively, and if hung outside, dries in an hour. The medium size suits me perfectly (I’m 5′7″ and 145 lbs.) It’s not big enough to wrap my torso and prance around like I normally would, but we make sacrifices when we travel.
3. A compass – Basic, I know, but I picked mine up as a last minute addition, when it’s really a MUST HAVE. Especially if you have a tendency to get lost (me) or an aversion of maps (me again.) Even if you have a great sense of direction, you’ll save time when you get off the bus or subway in a new city, and need to orient yourself. You can get a good key chain compass for about $5 (read: cheap gift.)
4. ALOKSAKS bags – All my gear would not fit into one carry-on bag without ALOKSAKS. You look extremely anal retentive using what look like zip-lock bags to hold everything (one Australian said in all his travels – two years straight – he’s never seen someone with so many bags) but compartmentalization is the name of the game. They’re air-tight and waterproof, though the prongs of your chargers will puncture, so be careful.
5. Long-Sleeve Button-Up – This may be another “no sh*t” item like the compass, but I almost decided to leave mine home. You might be tempted to do the same. Don’t – you’ll need it. It’s another layer when it’s cold and it protects your skin from the sun without making you too hot. I lost my first button-up, and bought a new one as soon as I could. Best 20 pesos spent yet.
What gear have you found invaluable in your travels?
Bonus For Writers:
Dana Alphsmart – Everything posted on this blog since October was first written on a Dana Alphasmart. I write about 1,000 to 1,500 words a day, and to do that by hand would: 1. require a whole lot of paper (don’t have it) and 2. be a huge headache (don’t want it.) The battery lasts about two weeks(!) on a single charge, and you can also use AA’s if necessary (which I’m doing now.) The best part is you can get the model without Wi-Fi, and you won’t have pointless e-mailing to distract you from your work. If you’re a serious writer, it’s invaluable. If not, you’ll find the technology awfully backwards.
Bonus For Crossfiters:
A Jump Rope – I joined a gym in Cordoba, but if you don’t plan on settling down, a jump rope is your best bet to keep a Crossfit routine on the road. With the jump rope, the only other thing you need is a bit of space to get it done.
If you have room to jump rope, you also have room for sit-ups, push-ups, handstand push-ups, burpees and squats. Find a spot for pull-ups (tree limb, flight of stairs, or a door overhang if you’re feeling ambitious) and you have a complete workout.
