Travelling in South America - what to pack?

• 

  saine on 27/07/2014 - 12:16

  +2

  Don't overpack - the lighter your packs, the more flexible you are, particularly on public transport. For six months, you will need to wash your clothes anyway, so aim for a weeks supply of clothes.
  It sounds boring, but I stick mostly to dark colours so I could wash it all in one go and it didn't show the dirt.
  You never wear dressy clothes enough to make them worthwhile to lug about, and they're usually not something you can happily dump. Instead, aim for an outfit which could pass for day or evening - i.e., jersey black dress which could be used for a days sightseeing and then accessorised for evening. For a second pair of shoes for a woman, ballet flats are light, can be worn with a dress, and good for lounging around a hotel in.
  Travel towels are gold and if you decide to hand wash clothes, rolling them in a travel towel before hanging them up will halve the drip dry time.
  Dry Shampoo for your wife - when trekking, it make make a huge difference in terms of how you feel.
  For overnight journeys, I sewed the pocket of a money belt to the inside of my jeans. Slept better knowing valuables were secure and it was more comfortable than a passport holder.
  Some rooms don't have many free power points. I use a plug with two USB chargers built in.
  If you're a reader, Kindles are amazing when travelling. Books are heavy and it can be hard finding a good-quality new one when you're done with the last. The Lonely Planet is harder to use in eReader format, but the weight difference makes a huge difference.
  Zip lock bags are essential when trekking. You should also line your backpacks with a heavy duty bin bag.

• 

  Davo1111 on 27/07/2014 - 14:12

  +1

  I used this blog post for inspiration. But it's asia, so obviously had to change a few thing.

  I wrote this (below) on another forum, but still applies. Was europe so clothing is a bit different.

  Items I use on a regular basis

  • tablet for emails, research, trip advisor, booking trips
  • small 15L waterproof sack for washing clothes, dirty laundry, and carrying groceries in emergencies. Also I can use it during ongoing bad weather to protect stuff in my bag. I wish I'd bought a slightly more waterproof one (aka one that wouldn't eventually leak through the stitching)
  • softshell jacket - slightly rainproof, but looks tidy and looks nice for bars etc
  • goretex jacket (paclite or similar) depends on your budget, but it really was useful, I stayed much drier than others.
  • a few metres of cord for use as a clothes line, fixing gear, rescuing handbags that have fallen into the lake etc etc
  • any other passports you have - dual citizen?. Need something to give to the hotel? Use the expired passport.
  • packed all my stuff in green enviro bags (bag for life) before putting them until my backpack. Packing cubes are expensive.
  • Antibiotics from your home country, and/or alternatives to drugs you're allergic to.
  • edit…. Lightweight flip flops for shower in shitty communal showers

  Travel and security

  • always have your passport on you. Don't put it in an item of clothing you can easily take off and forget, I.e. jacket
    have £1 of the local currency (kept separate of other cash) to get rid of scammers, beggers et. Who become Aggressive in a situation you can't get out of. I also carry a fake wallet with a small amount of cash (a believable amount if I get mugged)
    in cold climates, use a leg wallet. IMO it's less intrusive than a money belt or neck wallet. You shouldn't need to access it during the day anyway.
  • have a copy of your passport etc stores in your luggage, USB, photocopy etc. Much easier when if you lose your passport, cards etc

  Computer tips an apps

  • Google drive for syncing important files, which I can also access from any internet kiosk if my tablet is stolen
    encrypt your tablet, if it gets stolen, you don't want the crooks getting access
  • citymapstogo - 10 free maps, plus an additional 5 with the code appoftheday (should work)
  • trip advisor - its great, but take it with a HUGE grain of salt. Some hotels marked as poor were the best I stayed at.
  • Any GPS app, if you have one, particularly on a mobile phone, that works offline. You can mark the hotel when you arrive, then slowly mak your way towards it.
    back those photos up, use a OTG cable and upload the photos to your tablet. The cloud wil take too long but it doesn't hurt to have a backup.
  • I'd rather have 4 * 8 gb SD cards, than 1 32gb SD card. Don't store it with your camera though!
    if possible, use devices that charge off USB. Its lighter to take 1 USB charger than 5 plugs

  Things I'd do differently

  • a larger travel towel, one that is LARGER than your waist size. The extra weight is negligible.

  Items I'm yet to use

  • formal clothes - depending on where you go, most of the places will be tourist bars with little dress code. Although I can understand if you must bring something
  • flashlight (I have a flashlight app on phone, onewise just waking up my tablet was fine).
    a second pair of gloves. You have 2 hands right? Same with hats, sunglasses etc even shoes…..
  • notebook, diary etc - unless you use one on a regular basis, its useless. Write stuff on scrap paper, then photograph it. - - Photograph a sign with the city you're in if you want to help remember where the photos were taken.

  OTHER TIPS

  • you know those maps at hostel reception with ads and crap all over them? Take 1. You can write all over it with places you want to go. If it gets wet, throw it out. If you lose it, just grab another. Best of all, they're free!
  • Notes: isc, isic and the many other "student cards" aren't very useful. The only reason to get one is if your real student ID card doesn't make it clear that you are a student without reading it closely.
  • backpack worked well for me, particularly in countries with cobblestones. Although they are harder to pack.
    pack light. Halve, then halve again. I did that, and wished I cut more of everything, except socks and undies (bottom layer).
    consider leaving stuff at home you might need "just in case". You can always buy it over there. If you can't find it, then you need to wonder how the locals can survive without it
  • edit: Prepare for your next day the night before, particularly in shared rooms. Leave your PJs on your bed, leave your towel in a easy to reach place. You're not Mr popular if you wake everyone up in the morning finding shit.
• 

  perez on 01/08/2014 - 15:27

  Thank you both for your replies… plenty of useful advice to help me decide what to pack!

  Some more advice I was given by a friend who has worked in the travel industry was to get one of those multi-currency pre-loaded credit cards; they had a lot of customers who were scammed in South America by having their cards cloned. At least that way, you can limit any potential losses. Since two of us will be going, we can grab two cards, so we have a few options if any problems when away.

  This one from Commonwealth bank looks pretty good: https://www.commbank.com.au/content/dam/commbank/personal/in… - you get two cards with different numbers, linked to the same account, so if one is lost/stolen it can be cancelled. It can be recharged using BPAY when away.

  If anyone knows a better card of this type then please let me know!