I love travelling! Living in London for 15 years gave me great access to the most populated side of the world and like most Kiwis, I made the most of the opportunity. My young nephews, who love maps, pointed out recently that my age and the number of countries I have visited are now the same. Two years of Covid lockdowns have reinforced how much I missed it.

Travelling awakens my senses… the people, the food, the sights, sounds and smells. It also teaches me… about history, different cultures, politics… opening my mind to other ways of doing things, other possibilities, and it takes me outside my comfort zone. 

It brings me back into contact with people I love. And it is easy to meet new people because it feels like we are all travelling in some sort of uninhibited parallel universe.

That’s how I met Julia, on an island in Thailand, back in 2000. We were both on sabbaticals from work. Although we now live on opposite sides of the world, we have travelled together many times since.

Julia is THE best person to travel with. As well as being fun and easy-going, she manages to pack every useful thing you will ever need. I bet she even has a fold-away kitchen sink somewhere in one of those pockets!

We enjoy going to countries that are relatively new to independent travellers, so it’s not too touristy and still has the feel of adventure. Like Laos in 2001, three weeks in Colombia and Panama recently was a perfect choice.

One day as we packed, we made a list of the things we find most useful on our travels. I’m writing this blog as a reminder for me when I pack next. 

Communication & information

• • If you are not addicted to your phone, get a local Sim or e-Sim card. Great for looking up information, transport timetables, planning on the move.
  • If you are addicted to your phone, then just use the wifi at your accommodation once a day. Download useful offline apps like Google Translate, which was great for speaking with locals, and in non-English museums you can take a photo and it will translate – amazing.
  • Share photos with each other using something like a Whatsapp shared album. I discovered Google Photos to create collages and movies for social media.
  • Most of all… talk to people. Julia is great at it. In a tapas restaurant in Salento, a young guy sat down next to us and ordered his food. Julia asked him “So what have you ordered for your dinner then?” We ended up connecting with Daniel again in Medellin and Minca.

Security

• • Before you leave home take copies of anything you might lose and store separately eg: passport details, insurance policy etc. Backup phone.
  • Padlock your suitcase or rucksack cover – it won’t stop someone getting in, but it will act as a deterrent.
  • Get a phone cover with a strap – it stops people on bikes snatching it as you take photos or dropping it into a ravine as you get that great pic.
  • Leave valuables in your room safe if you have one. Otherwise carry in cross body bag (with jacket over top if you’re wearing one) that can’t easily be snatched or cut. If you have two passports, separate them. Check the room twice when you checkout!
  • Keep a small, separate wad of local cash that can be handed over if you’re robbed.
  • We used Uber everywhere in Panama and Colombia – it saves having to haggle, it’s tracked, and no money changes hands.  

Exploring

• • Know what spins your wheels – don’t just go places because everyone else does. 
  • Join a relevant Facebook/social media group where you can gather ideas before you go.
  • Google Maps offline is good if you don’t have a sim card.
  • We like Lonely Planet and still carry a physical copy, combining it with online tips. Although we did notice that Covid has rendered lots of written travel info out of date as the industry rebuilds.
  • However… the real gems were from talking to other travellers en route.

Other stuff

• • I like travel cubes; good for separating out different items like shoes, dirty clothes, beach wear etc, they act like drawers in your pack.
  • Dry bags and a pack away rucksack for day trips and water adventures.
  • A rechargeable head torch for reading. Few places have good lighting.
  • A multi-port charger was great for charging phones and power packs.
  • A metal water bottle – airlines are inconsistent about what you can and can’t take on a plane but are less likely to confiscate an empty personal vessel.
  • Hand sanitizer and biodegradable wet wipes; we have never been sick… but pop in some diastop tablets and rehydration salts just in case.
  • Doing anything at an airport is convenient, but it’s also usually more expensive. And it’s usually cheaper to withdraw local money from cash machines than using currency exchanges.

When it comes to travelling harmoniously, here are the three things I find most helpful:

Allow space: we don’t have to do everything together, especially if we want to see different things, or one of us needs some time out. Socialising with other people also adds variety.

Share responsibilities:  When we’re on the go a lot, it helps when the load is shared. One example is our shared purse for dinner, transport etc. Each day we take turnabout “having the purse,” and the other person is custodian of the room key.

Most of all, it’s good to be aware when we are tired or hungry… bite our tongue, have a laugh, reflect on the day, eat a good meal and have a good night’s sleep – it always looks better in the morning 🙂

There are many forms of “travel.”
Long may we do it. It is a beautiful thing.

“Sky above, earth below, peace within.”