Star Trekker part 1 of 3

Nobody wants to think of themselves as a tourist. Better to think of yourself as a traveler. Or better yet, a trekker.

Much cooler to be able to say you trekked across the country of your choice rather than to say that you went sightseeing through said country.

But if you aspire to be a trekker, you are going to have to do a little prep work. But, if all else fails, you can at least look like one.

First, you are going to have to trade in your oversized, Burberry-plaid rolling suitcase for a backpack. Don’t get one that’s too big. Thirty to 40 liters should do the trick. No more checked luggage at the airport. You only get to bring along what you can carry on your back. The gold-standard for light packing was set by my younger brother who did a six-week, around- the-world, five-country trek with just one small, school-sized backpack.

Pack light. You only need to bring clothes for about a four- or five-day cycle. The places where you are going to be staying will offer relatively cheap laundry service. And the clothes items that you do bring; make them older items. At the end of your trip, you can either give them away or throw them out. This will create space in your pack for your souvenirs –oops, I mean cultural talismans- that you will be bringing back from your sojourn.

Pack a small towel. It will serve a host of purposes. In addition to using it to towel off, you can fold it up to create a make-shift pillow. Roll it and use it for a neck cushion on long flights. Tuck it under the back of your hat to keep the sun off your neck. Use it to block out the light when you are trying to grab some sleep in the middle of the day.

Pack a hefty amount of trail mix. There will be times when you are deep in the hinterlands and don’t have access to a restaurant. Or there will be times when you are dashing out of your guesthouse and you won’t have time for breakfast. You can buy ready-made trail mix, but it’s cheaper to buy ingredients, mix your own, and put them in single-serve plastic sandwich bags. If you don’t overdo it on the M&Ms, trail mix is actually a pretty healthy food: dried fruit, nuts, and seeds.

Ziplock baggies are your friend. They are cheap, disposable, see-through, and water-resistant. Leave the fancy, leather cosmetic bag at home. Put your toiletries in a Ziplock baggie. Put your passport(s) in a ziplock baggie. Bring several extras. You will be surprised at how many uses you will find for them.

Pack an umbrella not so much to fend off the rain as to fend off the sun. Just because you are using it to block the sun, don’t ever refer to it as a parasol. You’re trying to be a trekker here, not a lady-in-waiting. Also, don’t forget the sunscreen. Bring a good hat, the floppier the better.

Bring a plastic grocery bag for dirty laundry and wet clothes.

Bring a roll or two of toilet paper. You will be schlepping across third-world countries. Nuff said.