by Indian Eagle
Published Wed, Aug 30th 2017, 15:06 | Travel
It is always a bit easier for all those people who travel for just a couple of days. But it is not so easy for those of us that live out of a backpack for months or years at a time. Blowing from one destination to another? How do we stay dry, safe, and comfortable? Well, it’s all about planning as is everything in travel. A few small adjustments and a bit of preparation can save you from months of painful travel. Here are a few tips to get you started on your long term travel comfort preparation.
KNOW YOUR TRAVEL STYLE
Self-awareness is a funny thing. It’s a trait many believe they have but don’t realize they don’t until embarking on a long-term trip. Granted, by then it’s too late. Knowing your travel style takes a bit of trial and error. And for many who aren’t particularly well traveled yet, it can be tough. But start with the basics.
KNOW WHAT TO WEAR AND WHEN
What to wear and when to pack it is a nightmare for long term travelers at times. Especially those of us that jump from continent to continent regularly. The key is a bit of planning ahead. The best approach is to break your travel into continents. When it comes to over garments like pants and shirts your approach should be rather simple. For hot and humid weather, stick to Cotton or Chambray (which looks like Jean) for durability and comfort. Linen is PERFECT for heat. Which is why it’s so popular with islanders. Cold weather, wool is your best friend. Cotton is always a good choice. Undergarments are always the key. Drawers/Panties, Socks, and Bras for the ladies. It’s all about the material. What works at home doesn’t necessarily work on the road. When you might not be able to change/wash your undergarments for a couple of days. So you want underwear that dries quickly, controls odor and lets your goodies breath. And of course are comfortable to wear for a long time. Socks are a seriously underrated travel comfort concern. One note, if your feet tend to sweat, DO NOT WEAR COTTON. You’ll have the worse blisters of your life.
BE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Some of us are blessed to have grown up in “tough” environments. A place where having your head on a swivel is second nature. But many aren’t fortunate enough to have grown up in the hood. Yeah, I said fortunate enough. Being aware of your surroundings is a key component to feeling comfortable. Because beyond the cliché “knowledge is power”, knowing what’s happening around you gives a certain control. Always be aware of the safety situation in the area you’re traveling in. While I tend to disregard embassy travel warnings, I find the advice of hostel/hotel staff to be fairly on point in this regard. The more you know the better prepared you can be.
THE TRAVEL TRIFECTA
Douglas Adams immortalized the towel as the single most important travel accessory in the galaxy. After 5 years of traveling around the world, I can agree. Towels are amazing for travel comfort. They can be a source of heat and shade, a pillow, a wrap, a seat cover/pillow cover/bag cover, a hole plugger and yes, an item to dry yourself after a shower/downpour. Baby Wipes and Powder are the two greatest comfort accessories OF ALL TIME!!! I’m not going to go into too many details but trust me, you’ll thank me later. Always have these two in the bag you’re carrying. I can’t tell you how many times these things have saved me from potential bathroom catastrophes. So be it business class flights with plush supplies where you don’t have to carry anything or even last minute flights were to forget to carry everything, just make sure you have the bag of needs handy.