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Friday, July 14, 2006

How and What to Pack for Hosteling


Good straightforward article here from eHow.com I'm including it in its entirety (since eHow lets you do that), but check the license at the bottom if you copy it. ;-)

It's not specifically for seniors, it applies to all hostelers, but perhaps we seniors need to reminded of these tips most since we're mostly used to traditional vacation-packing.

I especially like tip #3. It reminds me of when I went to the International Girl Scout Round-Up in Colorado in 1959. We all took "swaps" that represented our region to trade with girls from all over the world. It was one of the neatest things about Round-Up. I kept those swaps in a box for nearly 4 decades!

I created a link for all you ex-girl scouts (and I bet there are a lot of you visiting a blog like this!) to the G.S. Round-Up Reunion happening the end of this month.

Hmmm . . . sounds like fun.

International Girl Scout Round-Up

How to Pack for Hosteling - eHow.com

If you plan to stay at hostels anywhere in the world, it's a good idea to carry as little as possible with you. Never bring more than you can comfortably carry by yourself.

Steps:
1. Get a sturdy bag - preferably a backpack or convertible travel pack - that you can wear or carry comfortably. Remember that you may have to walk or take public transit to your hostel.

2. Pack slightly less than you think you'll need - you can always do laundry if necessary. Leave behind clothes or shoes that you aren't sure you will wear.

3. Bring along a few tiny, lightweight souvenirs to give to people you meet on your travels. These could be postcards from your hometown or tiny lapel pins with your country or state flag.

4. Bring clothes that don't need ironing or dry cleaning. Choose items that don't wrinkle easily or show stains. (Leave the white linen shorts at home.)

5. Make sure every item of clothing you pack can be worn with at least two other items. This step will allow you to mix and match outfits without packing too much.

6. Roll your clothes instead of folding them. This step will mean fewer creases and more usable space. Tuck small items inside your shoes.

7. Put liquid toiletries, such as bottled shampoo or perfume, inside a zip-lock bag, just in case a container splits or cracks. In general, it's a good idea to decant toiletries into small containers, depending on the length of your trip and your destination. (Remember that you can buy the basics just about everywhere.)

8. Pack a small address book, so that you can exchange contact information with any new friends you make while hosteling.

9. Bring a few miscellaneous essentials: a needle and thread, a set of utensils (plastic or metal), a few safety pins, a length of string or cord (for an impromptu clothesline or to tie things to your backpack) and some extra zip-lock bags. Pack a travel-sized container of sanitizing soap, if you have room.

Tips:
Bring a Swiss army knife or similar multipurpose tool. Even if you use just the corkscrew or can opener, you'll be glad you brought it.

Use empty 35mm film canisters to hold change or small items of jewelry.

Pack a small zip-lock bag or sample-sized box of laundry detergent for visits to the Laundromat. If you bring a small bag of white soap powder, be sure to label it clearly!


Warnings:
Don't bring anything you can't live without. Leave expensive or meaningful jewelry at home and wear a money belt or security pouch under your clothing. While most hostel guests are honest travelers just like you, the occasional pickpocket or scam artist may try to take advantage of the communal living and sleeping situation.

Label your bag clearly on the inside as well as the outside, just in case the external luggage tag gets torn off or lost in transit.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Enjoy . . . and get packin'!

Kristi

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