|
Plastic bags. They take up no space, and I guarantee you'll be glad you have them. I save my plastic grocery bags, and always bring a few of them in my luggage. They are amazingly useful when backpacking. I use them to segregate dirty clothes from clean, for makeshift waterproofing when I'm stuck in the rain, for wrapping food, or to disguise a camera while walking around a city. Double the money and half the physical gear. I realize that isn't an option for everyone, but you really don't need that enormous backpack with three backup iPod chargers. Seriously.
|
#
¿
May 30, 2011 15:20
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:39 |
|
|
Mradyfist posted:if it's too valuable to get stolen, it shouldn't come with you. A $300 netbook that's my second computer is cheap enough to be disposable for me, but a $1000 Macbook Air that's my only computer is not. I've never had anything stolen from me permanently while traveling, but I like to keep myself in the position of being mentally prepared to hand over everything on my person and my bags if I get mugged. Absolutely. Your passport should be the only thing with you that's a headache to replace.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2011 00:13
|
|
|
Sheep-Goats posted:For the books section I'd like to have some recommendations as to your best books to read, for fun, while you travel. Often these books are about travel in one way or another. My rep is going to be Vollmann's phenomenal "Atlas." Probably by some time next year the book section will be irrelevant as everyone will just get what they want for free out of some horrible Chinese copyright infringing cloud site, but still, favorites are favorites. I'll second anything by Vollman. Also, anything by Bruce Chatwin.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2011 03:20
|
|
|
One thing to consider with flashy gear like this is how much a target it makes you appear. I do almost all of my travel in Latin America, and I make efforts not to stand out. Carry a daypack like the one above around Rio or Guatemala City, and you'll be the most obvious target for every pickpocket and mugger within eyesight. In Rio, they call tourists with flashy gear 'filet mignon'. When your backpack costs more than the average monthly wage of the place you're visiting, you're just asking for trouble.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2011 16:09
|
|
|
XXdragonsparkzXX posted:This thread could not have come at a better time. My airline just added two layovers for a total of four layovers to my destination, so I was beginning to panic about the chance of losing a bag. I'm traveling to a rural area of Bolivian rain forest for 3 months and for some reason this has been the most difficult trip to pack for. Bring a carryon with the important stuff, and only the impermissible stuff in the bigger checked bag.
|
|
#
¿
May 31, 2011 17:02
|
|
|
I was grossly overcharged at an Internet cafe near Krabi (three times the posted hourly rate) a few years back. When I contested the bill, the owner went apeshit on me, screaming about how much he hates Israeli people. I'm not Israeli.
|
|
#
¿
Jan 24, 2012 12:32
|
|
|
SimonNotGarfunkel posted:Op, does your suggestion of photocopying a passport to use for ID work alright in the states? The only time you'll need a photo ID is to purchase alcohol or rent a car (or to present to police if you get pulled over). I don't know of any state where a foreign passport is not enough to establish that you are old enough to drink. No one will take a photocopy though. How old do you look? Do you have a national ID besides passport from wherever you are?
|
|
#
¿
Feb 3, 2012 09:13
|
|
|
eviljelly posted:Ditto Minneapolis, fwiw, and Minneapolitans are not assholes. Hmm maybe the bouncers are... I've bartended all over Minneapolis. A US passport wasn't valid proof of age in Minensota (a foreign passport has always been) until a few years ago - now it is.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 6, 2012 15:22
|
|
|
|
| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:39 |
|
|
Barracuda Bang! posted:I'm a bouncer, actually. The problem with US passports is that so many people in the 21-25 age range who use them have pictures from when they were kids. I know it sucks to not get into a bar, but I'm not going to risk getting arrested, fined, and fired just so you can come in and drink with your friends. It's unfortunate, but I would rather see a few people who are over 21 get rejected from a bar for not strong enough ID than for a few underage people to come in and drink. You incur no liability if you check a valid ID. Police decoys are not permitted to present forged IDs when they do compliance checks at bars.
|
|
#
¿
Feb 6, 2012 17:42
|
|