Hostelling series: five ‘must packs’

What to pack for a backpacking trip? Personally, I find it easier to pack for longer travels than a short holiday because on a long trip at least I know I’ll have to wash my clothes at some point and that refrains me from bringing too much. Everyone will know the basics of jacket, fleece, pants, vest, tops, undies, camera, music etc. In this post, I’ll list five things that I’ve learnt are super handy to bring along when travelling.

1. Earplugs

Every backpacker needs a pair! I don’t know how I ever travelled without some. I remember travelling through Australia and being kept out of my sleep by snoring guys and gals. Yes ladies, some of you snore as well! So annoying! After a while I decided I really needed to do something about it and tadaa, earplugs. Even with earplugs it can be difficult filtering out all the noise, but it’s better than nothing, right?

2. Padlock

Padlocks are so handy when travelling! If dorm rooms have lockers, you pretty much always have to use your own padlock to lock it. Sometimes there will be some kind of lockers in the kitchen to store your food without having to worry that some hungry cheapskate steals it. Some hostels sell padlocks, but it could very well be cheaper to buy it in a store.

3. Washing line

Most outdoor shops will sell washing lines. They are super handy if you need to dry your freshly washed clothes and you have no pegs to hang it up with or when the hostel has no washing line to use. My washing line is two elastics twisted around eachother so you can squeeze part of the garment in between, but there are plenty of variations.They are also handy for creating some kind or ‘curtain rod’. If you want some more privacy in your bunk bed, hook the washing line around the frame and then you can hang your towel or a big scarf over it as a makeshift curtain.

4. Slippers/flipflops/jandals

Whatever you call them in your country, bring a pair! Not only are they super handy when you go to the beach or out and about when it’s warm outside, they are super handy to use when you take a shower and you don’t want to go in barefeet. Just always pack a pair. 😉

5. Pillow case

Something I always pack when I go backpacking is a pillow case. If I were to be a bit iffy about the cleanliness of a place, at least I have a clean place for my head. Although I go for the better quality hostels and don’t run into that problem so quickly, you never know when your own pillow case will come in handy. For example, when I go trekking, a pillow case is perfect to wrap around a pile of clothes to create a makeshift pillow!

What are your ‘must packs’ when you go travelling?