Nature Lover’s Delight

Make your own medical kit and keep it small - just what you need to get through any bad times/emergencies until you next get to a pharmacy. Pharmacies abroad are normally excellent, easily located and 9 out of 10 times someone there will speak English, Spanish (in Latin America) or French (in West Africa). So while away or before you head off, pick up only a couple of doses/treatments of the following suggestions:

Lip salve with sun protection, cold/flu pills (with decongestant), something for a sore throat, plasters (band aids), condoms or contraceptive pill (see below), antiseptic/antibiotic cream, laxative, diarrhoea blocker, Pepto-Bismol or similar (Bismuth: upset stomach and diarrhoea reliever, pill form easier to carry), Hydrocortisone cream (2%) or something else to treat insect bites, a needle (maybe part of a mini-sewing kit) for blisters, perhaps a forehead digital thermometer and of course some pain killers.

If you feel you’ll need them, then to the above list you can add: anti-fungal cream, travel/motion sickness pills, (on longer trips) mouth ulcer (aka canker sores) treatment (especially if taking Chloroquine malaria medication), anti-histamine pills and syringes and needles (but don’t go mad and only if really heading off the beaten track - generally these are not something you really need to carry around with you).

Don’t forget that all things medical are available much cheaper and plentifully on the way. There is very little point in weighing yourself down with a huge first aid kit. For example Salbutamol/Ventalin inhalers are available in major Asian cities at a quarter of the European price. The same goes with anti-malarial’s in Bangkok, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and similar places. If you need to carry unusual prescription medicine, check it is legal in the country you are visiting. Take a prescription and a doctors note in case you are stopped by Customs. - For ideas and details of Malaria medication see the before you go section, but as a general note, this can be bought cheaply in Asia/Africa too.

Footwear is probably the most difficult area to talk about when it comes to packing and of significant influence to your trip and the size of your bag. To summarize here are your main options:

Option 1

am just going to a hot climate in one region (i.e. South East Asia), will not be doing any big walks and understand I must keep my feet covered with insect repellent at certain times. I’m also not too squeamish and understand that on the odd occasion my feet will be open to some less than clean streets - take only sandals.

Really keeps your pack small/light and you get to wear a nice pair that support your feet and are practically uncovered walking shoes with thick soles. Your feet stay cool and you’ll be wearing the same as most locals.

You can always wear socks with them if your feet get too cold such as on an say air-conditioned night bus, but at almost all times it’ll be too hot to wear normal shoes. If for any reason you need something formal/alternative, you’ll make a cheap local purchase.

Option 2

It is going to be quite cold where I am going (I am not moving around, i.e. single climate, European/N.American winter) and even with the temperature I want to trek/climb. It may also be wet - take shoes appropriate to the climate. i.e. good shoes for real cold (China or Japan in the winter) or heavily vented shoes for warmer slightly varied dry climates (East Africa).

Trail running-type trainers are perfect, sturdy, light and very comfortable for walking. They are produced by most major outdoor companies and come in varying weight, waterproofing and venting. Coupling with nice thick sock such as a merino wool pair, will add loads of warmth and padding.

You could purchase a new pair in any major Asian capital and/or pick up flip-flop type sandals on the way if you need them.

Option 3

I am doing a trip across different climates, regions and altitudes. I like to walk and plan to trek at some stage - take both shoes and sandals.

First timers and those unsure should perhaps take both, especially if they have limited info about regions and will visit more than one. Sandals should really be the light and compact flip-flop variety that can be stored easily in or on the outside of a pack, without adding too much weight.

If necessary wearing the shoes (trail-running variety as per option 2) when carry your bag to keep its size down. You do not need any more footwear than this. Remember both can be bought (of limited varying quality abroad), basic sandals being easier. Remember you could start with one or the other, get somewhere like Australia and buy more or send one pair home.