Packing & Travel Tips
Helpful hints on how to best prepare and pack for an outdoor adventure, travel tips, words of wisdom on getting the most out of your trip, and thoughts for arriving home.
Before You Go
Packing Tip » Essentials to
Go
Among handy items to pack, you'll find that Ziploc bags are very useful—good
for wet items, medication, shampoo bottles, soap and dirty laundry.
Stowing some of your personal belongings in clear, plastic bags also
reduces the chance that airport screeners will have to handle them.
Consider wrapping a couple feet of duct tape around a pen or marker.
This works great to fix broken sandal straps, luggage handles or for
any other unexpected repairs. Avoid camera calamities and pack extra
batteries in addition to extra film. Pick up some wet wipes for washing
your face, wiping hands, and cleaning sand or dirt off of personal belongings.
None of these will add much weight or take up a lot of space in your
baggage. The Society of American Travel Writers lists other items every
traveler should carry: photocopies of your credit cards (carry copies
separately from your cards), photocopies of prescriptions for necessary
medicines or eyeglasses, Imodium (for diarrhea), a pocket
flashlight, and your address book.
Packing Tip » Pack a "Daytime
Bag"
If you're planning a rafting vacation or any other trip that involves
packing away the bulk of your belongings and keeping a day bag with
you that contains essential items, try this. Pack all the items you'll
need access to during the day (sun
block, camera,
raingear,
medications, etc) in a separate bag and pack it near the top of your
main bag. When it comes time to decide what you want to keep with you
during the day, you will have already made the decision. This will be
much easier, quicker, and you'll be sure not to forget any essential
items.
Packing Tip » Carry a Carabiner
For any adventure trip, it's nice to keep your important gear easily
accessible. One of the best ways to do this is with a carabiner.
The carabiner's oval-shape and simple gate mechanism allow you to quickly
and easily clip your water bottle, cup, or camera nearby. Carabiners
can be purchased at a local recreation or climbing shop or you can buy
a carabiner online.
Packing Tip » Make Your Preparation
Easy and Save - Order "The Works"
When you order items from several categories on your packing
list, you'll receive a free Columbia®
Duffle Bag with your order. Tour operators recommend this duffle
bag not only because it is durable, but also for its ideal size. It's
just right for any length of trip and fits perfectly into a river dry
bag. Learn more about the Works »
Packing Tip » Don't be a Pack Rat
Sharpen your packing skills and save yourself loads of travel stress.
Choose lightweight apparel. Make sure that some of your clothing does
double duty: a sarong
can be used as a skirt and beach cover-up. Convertible pants work as
both a pair of shorts and a pair of pants - not to mention their versatility
in temperature fluctuations—see men's
convertible pants. See women's
convertible pants.
Packing Tip » Wipe
Out Wrinkles
When packing your bags, there is no way to completely eliminate all
wrinkles, but we have found a good way to reduce them and as an added
bonus, make better use of the space in your bag. When you pack your
clothing, lay it out flat, fold pants and shorts in half, fold shirts
vertically a couple times until they are about 6 inches wide, then roll
the shirt like you would a sleeping bag. By creating less folds in your
apparel, you'll find less wrinkles when you remove them from your bag.
Plus, the "rolls" of clothing are much easier to access in
a duffle bag than a large stack of folded clothing.
Travel Tip » Consider Travel
Insurance
Most trips have penalty charges for canceling. If you think there is
any chance that might not be able to make the trip (medical condition,
unstable situation in your destination) or if you're traveling with
a group of friends, travel insurance is a smart option.Base your decision
on the amount of money you're spending, your tolerance for financial
risk, and the cost of the policy. Most policies include medical coverage,
trip protection, and baggage loss. But policies differ in coverage of
weather disasters and preexisting medical conditions. No policy will
refund your money if you change your mind about taking the trip. Talk
to your tour provider about the best policy for you. They may be able
to offer a trip-specific policy at a discounted rate and will often
take care of the purchase details for you.
Travel Tip »Cheap Airfare
Make your air reservations at around 1 AM when discounted fares
are most available. The airlines reload their computers starting at
midnight with the low-cost seats they sold but for which they've received
no money. A temporary buldge in the number of rock-bottom-priced seats
results.
Travel Tip » Car Rentals
If you need to rent a car for more than four days, it is usually cheaper
to rent for the entire week. Reserve your car early—there's no
penalty to cancel, but there is usually a discount for renting in advance.
And don't go straight for an economy car thinking it's the cheapest;
sometimes midsize car costs are just as low.
In Transit
Travel Tip » Expedite the
X-Ray
While waiting in the airport security line, pack a small zippered bag
with your watch, jewelry, keys, change, cell phone, and belt. This will
keep your valuables together and enable you to reassemble in peace—
not in public. Have your boarding pass and driver's license ready for
security personnel. Wear metal-free shoes. Label any larger, important
valuables with your name, phone number and email address.
Travel Tip » Food on the Fly
Since many airlines stopped serving meals on domestic flights and decided
a turkey sandwich was worth $8, packing food for plane or car trips
has become essential. Carbs, particularly refined, such as sugar or
white flour, give you quick energy and then a crash, so you crave more.
Start with a good breakfast and carry snacks, such as nuts, dried fruit,
and cheese cubes. The fruit gives you a quick energy boost and the nuts
provide protein to sustain you.
Travel Tip » Leave Jet Lag Behind
Jet lag happens when the body's inner clock falls out of sync with daily
cycles of light, meals and rest. Minimize the effects by getting several
nights of good sleep before your trip. During the flight, do isometric
exercises, eat light meals, and keep hydrated, but avoid sugary, alcoholic
or caffeinated drinks. If you have crossed several time zones, you may
want to consider a taking a supplement that eases transitions to new
time zones. One homeopathic supplement that does just this is called
"No-Jet-Lag" and can be found at www.nojetlag.com.
Travel Tip » In-Flight Comfort
Wear layers on the airplane to weather cabin temperature changes or
for pocket space to store handy items like snacks, glasses and medication.
Stretch in your seat, breathe deeply, and amble up and down the aisle.
Avoid the seduction of too many in-flight movies. Eight hours of cinema
might sound tempting, but sleep will undoubtedly prove more rewarding.
During Your Trip
Travel Tip » Go Digital
With so many options for sharing photos with friends and relatives online,
you may want to consider taking a digital camera with you on your trip.
Your trip provider may offer a service to share photos amongst all of
the trip participants as well as other friends or you can consider a
service such as www.webshots.com,
www.ofoto.com, or
www.snapfish.com.
For the times when you do not want to risk having your digital camera
out, consider a disposable
waterproof camera.
Dress in Layers
If you're participating in any outdoor adventure, you will be most comfortable
if you are able to adjust layers of clothing according to the temperature
and weather conditions. We suggest you prepare for three weather scenarios—cold
or wet days, hot days, and cool evenings and mornings in camp. Much
of our apparel is made from lightweight, quick-drying, moisture-wicking
materials like polyester, nylon, polypropylene, capilene or fleece.
You may occasionally find a cotton T-shirt comfortable on hot, sunny
days, but cotton clothing is best saved for evenings and mornings when
you are not involved in active adventure. Your travel provider's packing
list will ensure that you have the right clothing to dress in appropriate
layers for the area you'll be exploring.
Travel Tip » Journal
the Journey
An outdoor adventure can not only be a time for excitement and seeing
new things, but also a place for reflection, meditation, and re-prioritizing.
Writing your thoughts about what you are seeing, learning, and feeling
will help you to get the most out of your journey. Journal writing has
been proven to heal anxiety and will help you more fully immerse yourself
in the experience. So take along a small notebook and pen or one of
our journal
/ albums that you can add photos to after your trip.
Heading Home
Travel Tip » Just One More Day
Plan your itinerary to include a day at home of restful regrouping before
racing into a frenzy of work and activity. "I try not to tell people
the exact time of my return so that I can ease back into life at home,"
says international development worker Kyeh Kim. "I like having
a day to unpack, do laundry, go grocery shopping, edit trip photos,
and reflect on my vacation. The purpose of a vacation is to mellow out,
so why undo your holiday cool as soon as you get home?"
Travel Tip » Keeping in Touch
Adventure travel creates bonds between trip participants in a way that
other vacations do not. Be sure to pack a pen and paper or small address
book to jot down addresses and contact information of new friends. Often,
trip participants will keep in touch for years and plan future adventures
together.
Travel Tip » Souvenirs
Be sure to top off your trip with your travel provider's most popular
souvenirs.
Special thanks for packing & travel tips contributions:
National Geographic
Traveler
Western River Expeditions
Arthur Frommer's
Budget Travel
www.onebag.com
