Making a Travel Survival and Comfort Kit
Packing for Adventure and Volunteer Travel in Developing Counties
Jul 5, 2009
Eco-adventures and volunteer tourism opportunities tend to take place in parts of the world where the standard of comfort is not usually as high as it is in an average North American or European suburb.
Air conditioned buses? Nope. 24-hour convenience stores? Dream on. Pharmacies with products that would meet F.D.A. standards? Maybe, but more often not.
All of which means that the traveler headed for the back of beyond can enormously improve comfort and safety by carrying along a carefully selected “Survival Kit.” It doesn’t matter whether the destination is a rainforest in a South America or a village in West Africa. Nor does it matter whether the trip will be a two-week vacation or a six-month live-in voluntourism experience. A few standard and inexpensive items can make a huge difference in comfort and health.
Toilette Items for Travel in Third World Countries
This is easy. Bring everyday supplies, in conveniently-sized unbreakable travel bottles.
- Toothpaste and travel toothbrush.
- Soap, shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer. Note that in dry and desertlike environments, a supply of moisturizer is a skin saver.
- Tweezers, nail clippers, nail file, and small scissors.
- Packaged damp towelettes for quick cleanups.
- Facial tissue and toilet paper (not usually available in public toilets in most developing countries).
- Rubbing alcohol and/or peroxide for quickly disinfecting minor cuts or blisters.
- Q-tips.
- Personal sanitary and birth control supplies (both of which may be hard or impossible to find.)
First Aid Supplies for Adventure Travelers
Pack a basic traveler’s first aid kit, modified for personal preferences. If using an old kit from a previous trip, be sure to freshen it with new Bandaids, tape, etc. In addition to standard first aid kit items, be sure to pack:
- A blister kit, because nothing ruins a trip faster than a blister. Use Second Skin or Moleskin. Athletic tape is the strongest adhesive tape, and can be used to hold the Second Skin firmly in place, even in humid, wet conditions.
- Prescription drugs. Make sure all drugs are properly labeled and identified, and in their original prescription containers.
- Advil or a painkiller of choice.
- Antibiotic ointment.
- Some kind of anti-itch crème or ointment such as Benadryl or Hydrocortisone for mosquito bites and minor rashes (common in humid tropics).
- Allergy medicine/antihistamines such as Benadryl or Claritin.
Water and Snacks for Travel to Developing Counties
Bottled water is generally available, but may not be in small villages where volunteers may be based. So bring some way to treat water just in case. Steripen makes a water purifier that disinfects with UV rays. Or bring water treatment pills (available at an outfitting store).
- Packages of powdered Gatorade.
- Rehydration mix.
- Snacks from home. No chocolate: it will melt in hot environments. Granola bars and energy bars are good; so are dried fruits and nuts
- Water bottle.
Miscellaneous Supplies for Travel Comfort
Every traveler sooner or later develops a list of essential comfort items. Here are some to consider:
- Bug repellent.
- Hat with visor (A light color reflects the sun better).
- Bandana.
- Extra glasses and/or contacts.
- Sun glasses. For high altitudes, be sure they have UV protection and wrap around the sides of the eyes.
- Sun block and lip balm. Women can also bring neutral colored lipstick (acts as a sun screen, and it’s the simplest and single most effective type of makeup a woman can dash on to feel and look a bit more dressed).
- Sewing kit.
- Pocket-sized brush and or comb for freshening up on the road.
- Mouthwash.
- An inflatable neck pillow can make all the difference in the world on an overnight flight or a long bus ride. These are available in travel supply stores and at airports. The inflatable ones, when deflated, fold up small enough to fit in a pocket.
- Eye covers help travelers sleep even if lights are on.
- Ear plugs. Here’s just a partial list of when these come in handy: Sleeping in shared dormitory quarters with snoring room-mates. Trying to sleep amid the cacophony of barking dogs, crowing roosters, and all night village music festival, the next door neighbor’s rock and roll.
- Plastic flip flops for showers and communal lodging.
- Small notebook and pen.
- An international cell phone.Check out the Mobal, which can work in up to 170 countries. Cell phones are important for emergencies -- and for hearing a voice back home.
All of these items won’t take up much room in a suitcase, but they are well worth the weight and space for traveling dealing with harsh climates, difficult transportation, bustling crowds, and challenging health conditions.
For more information on travel health and safety: See Resources for Adventure Travel Health.
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