What to Bring: the Necessities

Although I may be a little loose with the term “necessity”, here’s a list of what I think are the most important things you will need to bring with you.

Losing your clothes, cameras, toiletries, etc. would be frustrating, but they can be replaced relatively easily.

But losing any or all of these items will be a huge PAIN IN THE ARSE. It wouldn’t be the end of the world – they can, for the most part, be replaced as well – but it definitely would be an inconvenience, so be smart and safe with them.

Passport:

Well duh… you’re not going to be able to enter or leave anywhere without one, so make sure you have it up to date. Some countries will not let you in if it’s not valid for at least 6 months after your date of entry, so make sure you have this sorted out before you go.

Depending on the number of countries you plan to visit, it could be worth getting a business-sized passport. The standard Canadian passport contains around 26-28 pages, while a business-sized one contains 48 pages. As well, some countries are very cliquey and won’t stamp on pages that other countries have already stamped on… how very “high school” of them. So combine that with all the visas you may need to get, it could be a good idea. It only costs an additional $5 when you renew, though you do have to write a quick letter outlining why you want one.

Visas:

Some countries issue basic tourist visas on arrival, while others require you to get them ahead of time. It’s also good to confirm whether you can receive a visa at all entry points or just at specific ones – ie. only at airports and not at land crossings. As well, be sure to keep in mind how long your tourist visa is – 7 days? 14 days? 30 days? – otherwise you may have some explaining to do when you try and leave 3 days after it’s expired.

Passport Photos:

Some countries want a photo of your pretty l’il face before issuing you a visa on arrival, so stock up on a couple before you leave. Yes – you can get passport photos pretty much anywhere, but do you really want to have to deal with it on your vacation?

Medical Information:

This includes your Immunization Card and copies of your prescriptions. Countries like Kenya will not allow you entry unless you have proof you’ve received a Yellow Fever vaccination. And customs officials get very suspicious of jars of pills without proper documentation – “proper” being official documentation from a doctor, not something written on the back of a napkin.

Wallet:

I’m going to assume you know what a wallet is for… just don’t put ALL of your cash & credit cards in it. Just put in what you think you’ll need for the day. That way, if it’s lost or “borrowed” you don’t lose everything. The rest of your cash, etc. should be kept in your…

Money Belt:

A money belt is a small pouch you put money into and then wear discreetly under your clothes. IT IS NOT A FANNY PACK, so don’t wear it on the outside. When you do that, you defeat the whole point of having it – you might as well just wear a sign that says “hey everybody – look where I keep all my cash!” If you want a fanny pack, then buy a fanny pack – I believe they’re still for sale in 1987. But if you want to keep your money safe then bring a money belt and use it properly. And one other thing - avoid wearing your money belt under form fitting clothes, like tights & a tank top, because you can still see it.

Bank Cards:

ATMs are available almost everywhere… ALMOST everywhere. You’ll find them for sure in major cities and I think they are still the most reliable way to get cash. Despite some of the extra service charges your bank may have, they still tend to give you less hassle than private exchange services.

Plus ATMs don’t typically try and rip you off as much as the guy who owns the Dry-Cleaning / Coffee Shop / Currency Exchange booth in the market. Just check to see that the machine hasn’t been tampered with… try ejecting your card once BEFORE you type in your pin number. As well, make sure you have the Plus or Cirrus or Maestro symbol on your card – some banks, like PC Financial, can’t be used internationally.

A little trick – I actually opened up a new account with TD for my trip and because I’m carrying a large enough balance on it, they’ve waived all transaction fees, which in the long run will save me a couple days worth of expenses.

Credit Cards:

I tend to only use these for major purchases, like flights, etc. , though you can use them if you need a cash advance… just be sure to see if there are additional fees – some places transfer the 2-3% fee they’re charged by the credit card company over to you.

In a lot of developing countries, credit cards aren’t accepted. It’s really only an option at the more upscale chain hotels and restaurants. But if you do use it, check your balance regularly and report anything you don’t recognize… additional purchases have been known to “pop up” on statements.

It’s also good to let your bank & credit card companies know where and when you’re going so they don’t freeze your card… if you live in Kitchener and suddenly there’s a purchase in Hanoi, it can look a little suspicious.

US$ Cash:

It’s accepted pretty much everywhere worldwide and is easy to exchange. In fact, some countries only want their visas purchased in US$, so it’s good to have some. But if you can, bring some smaller denominations in case you need to pay an unexpected “fee” to a government official (ie. an extra $1USD to get your passport stamped).

Emergency Travel Insurance:

Don’t leave home without it. It’s not expensive and worth every penny should you need it, from personal injury to “lost” baggage.

If you’re leaving the country for a significant time and you’re an Ontario resident, you can sometimes extend your OHIP benefits to cover you while you’re away. It’s usually only for emergency situations, but it can help cover any costs your insurance won’t. You can do it for up to 2 years in your lifetime, so check with your local Ministry of Health office to see if you’re eligible.

I’m not sure if other provinces do this or not… and since I’m not from another province, I don’t care enough to look it up – do it yourself, you lazy bum.

Copies:

Make sure you have copies of all of your important items… passports, visas, plane tickets, immunization records, driver’s licenses, health cards, credit cards, etc. Instead of carrying photocopies of everything, get digital scans of whatever you may need and then save it to a little USB “jump drive” which you can carry in your money belt… though having at least one photocopy of your passport is a good thing.

It’s also good to leave a copy of everything with a friend/family member back home – in an emergency, they can fax or email you whatever you might need.

Guidebook(s):

This may not fall into the typical category of “necessity”, but I think guidebooks are pretty important.

They can give you an overview of what to expect, hints & suggestions on where to sleep & eat, what to do and where to go, as well as quirky little tidbits about what you might see. They have basic maps of countries, provinces & cities and are a good way to remind you of little things, like getting a visa.

But please remember, they’re only a guide – DO NOT TREAT THEM AS LAW!

Prices change, schedules change, politics change… so even though your book may say an entry visa is $25, the armed border guard telling you an entry visa is now $30 is probably right.

The number of times we’ve heard travelers get in arguments over a price they have in their book versus a posted price in a store/bus station/hotel is amazing… “but it says here, in this 3 year-old book which has no affiliation to you and your private company, that a beer is 20 Baht and not the 25 Baht you have clearly posted on the sign over the beer cooler!”

Some travel agents have a tendency to only know about the products they sell and may give false information in order to make their packages the best option, so asking them about public bus tickets & times isn’t always reliable. So when in doubt, it’s best to go directly to the source… ie. the bus station, the embassy, the taxi driver, etc.

An Open Mind:

Ultimately, this is the most important thing you can bring with you.

You are a guest in another country and culture, and an ambassador for your own country, so keep that in mind. No matter what you do, you’re automatically going to be treated as a tourist, but your actions can determine whether or not you’ll be treated as a welcome guest or an ignorant foreigner.

For instance, you don’t have to learn the whole language, but try and learn a few things as a sign of respect, such as “hello”, “good-bye”, “please”, “thank you”, “delicious”, etc. You may get a few smirks and giggles over your mispronunciation, but you will also earn some respect which can go a long way.

And remember, there’s a big difference between something being done “wrong” and something being done “differently”. Your expectation of how things should happen may not be the way they’re going to happen, so there’s no point in getting upset over minor details. For example, in Asia, food is typically served when it’s ready and it’s up to you whether you wait for everything or not before you start eating. So even though the spring rolls you had planned as an appetizer arrive after your main course, there’s no point getting upset – that’s just how it’s done, so try and enjoy your meal.

That being said, just because you’re a tourist, doesn’t mean you can be taken advantage of. If something serious is not going right – we’re talking real “serious”, not my eggs aren’t cooked right “serious” – don’t be afraid to stand your ground. Be firm but be polite and 9 times out of 10 a solution can be reached that will make everyone happy.