November 2nd 2014

The Emperor's New Clothes

The clothing you chose to take with you can mean the difference between an enjoyable trip and a few rough nights.

A friend of our moved to Europe without any warm clothes, he arrived on our doorstep looking like a miserable wet kitten.

We took him to the nearest opportunity shop and fitted him out with an array of ridiculous jackets. When you are faced with the prospect of freezing, the way you look loses a great deal of its former importance.

But the cold is not the only thing you need to worry about when you are traveling. There is wind, rain, sunshine and insects. Not to mention cultural conditions.

Here is our definitivee list of what you need in your backpack.

1) You need a light-weight jacket that will protect you from light rain and winds.

2) You need some kind of light-eight wide brimmed hat. It doesn't need to look good, just keep the sun off.

3) You need a disposable poncho. Seriously.

4) You need socks of various thicknesses.

5) You need at least one pair of waterproof shoes, probably the only shoes you take other than flip-flops.

6) You need a light-weight scarf. This can help keep you warm, keep the sun off your neck, and act as a make-shift protection from the sun or wind.

7) You need something to go swimming in, boardies, bikini, whatever.

8) You need lots of light-weight T-shirts. These are universal attire, put on more when you get cold.

9) You need pants that don't chafe, no joke.

10) You need a belt, travelling with a pack can make you shed kilos. Without a belt your pants will start to fall down.

Have we missed anything ?