I’m sure it’s happened to the best of us—we carefully check off each item in our list as we pack our things and then find out later on that we’ve forgotten to bring one.
It could be as essential as our passport—yup, this really happened to someone I know!—or something not as vital as, say, an MP3 player. When we travel solo, we have no one else to rely on except ourselves, so must be as self-sufficient as possible.
In my solo travels to Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Vietnam, I’d forgotten a number of things. I have learned to take note of them whenever I have to fly off to somewhere. The following are just six of the essential stuff I have learned not to leave home without if I travel alone:
Don’t forget to bring your passport!
Yes, it seems obvious, but a lot of people still forget to bring this when they go to the airport. Put your passport together with your money, credit cards, and hotel booking in your carry-on bag before even starting to pack.
Check the expiration date at least three months before your flight so that you’ll still have time to have it renewed if it’s about to expire already. A friend of mine arrived at the airport for her flight to Vietnam and realized only at the check-in counter that her passport had expired three weeks before. Remember, a passport has to be valid for at least six months prior to your departure.
Bring colored photocopies of your passport, one to bring with you and another to leave in your check-in luggage. Depending on where you’re going, the hotel may ask for your passport to register you as a guest, and you don’t want to go around without at least a copy of it.
I was reminded of the importance of this when I was in Kota Kinabalu last July 2010. My American friends were quite worried when they learned that I was walking alone around midnight in KK without my passport.
Anything could happen, they said, pointing out several instances before when tourists were mistaken for illegal aliens. They could throw you in jail first and ask questions later. I was quite sad that a Filipino (or anyone) can be treated so shabbily, but after that, I never forgot to bring my passport anywhere with me again.
Not only will immigration officials look for this, but you will need this as well when you arrive. If possible, print out a map of the way to your hotel. Relying on internet connection to check the address again is not very wise, given that you don’t know whether there will be one when you need it.
Have a plan B as well, in case your plan A goes bust. When I went to Shanghai in 2008 with a friend, we couldn’t contact our Couchsurfing host (it was midnight!) from the airport and had to rely on the kindness of a fellow traveler to put us up for the night.
That experience taught me to have an alternative place to stay whenever I’m scheduled to arrive at such an inconvenient time.
You can use a shawl for a lot of things!
I didn’t know how I could have forgotten to bring this in Siem Reap, but I did.
The shawl has so many uses—it can be used as a towel, an impromptu skirt (or dress for me since I’m short), a curtain to hang in your bed for privacy if you’re staying in a dormitory, a head cover, a blanket, and—if it’s new—even a present to a newly-met friend.
I never travel without my Kindle.
Yeah, you probably don’t need an MP3 player; I usually don’t either. But it does have its uses sometimes. On the long trip back to Saigon from Siem Reap, I was the only non-local and everyone was speaking Khmer to each other. I tried talking to a guy sitting across me but he didn’t know any English.
I got bored to death; perhaps if I had an MP3 player, it would have made that trip bearable. (Of course the scenery was good at times, but how long can you keep looking at the same thing over and over again without getting bored?)
Bring a universal adaptor too. I forgot to bring mine in KK and had to borrow one from the receptionist.
Since I’d bought my Kindle though, I have never left home without it! I have over 1,000 books in it, and it helped pass the time on the road. It was one of the most valuable items I carried during my backpacking trip to Europe, when I spent a lot of time traveling on trains and buses.
If you travel solo and you will stay at dormitories, you will certainly need this. They have small lockers where you can put your valuable stuff (for an additional charge) like your laptop and other gadgets.
This is not that essential, but you can also use this in other cases where you would need a string. In an emergency, it can also be used to tie knots.
As a solo traveler, even if you go to all inclusive holidays, you would need to pack light. In looking at your stuff to bring, ask yourself if it’s really needed. Remember, you have to leave space for all the pasalubongs (gifts) you’ll be bringing back home!
How about you? What are the things you don’t leave without when you travel alone?
34 Comments. Leave new
Great post….the only thing I would comment on is that no one is actually allowed to TAKE your passport. I used to think “if it’s their policy…” but after learning it’s not really legit to do so, I’ve never let someone take for anything other than making a copy at a hotel. As long as youre polite, (and hopefully have a color copy, like you said) I’ve never seen anyone get upset when I said Id prefer they just keep a copy.
Also, I would NEVER leave my passport in a hotel. When im traveling in southeast asia I usually keep it in a dry pack or well concealed in a bag that doesnt leave my possession.
Also,do leave a print out of your passport at home or with a friend back home. It helps in reissue of the passport in case its lost. Also, do carry a pair of your best fancy sandals,shoes with you. I was travelling to Srilanka, was invited to a fancy dinner. I checked my back pack managed to find a fancy party wear but not fancy sandals to compliment it:) a lesson learnt for future trips:):):)
@ Michele: Thanks for the tips. I’m always afraid of bringing my passport with me but I’m also scared of not bringing it, in case the police will ask me to produce it! A copy should be good.
I never thought of a laundry line. Good suggestion. I carry a copy of my picture page of my passport instead of the actual thing when I don’t need it for immigration that day. I end up showing it a lot in Malaysia just as my ID for transactions.
@ Ian: That would be good. Perhaps an iPad too if people have one. Its’s very very handy for checking out maps, etc.
@ Nadya: Yes, that’s absolutely necessary. It was winter when I arrived in Europe, and lip balm was a must!
@ Bing: So sorry to hear you have to learn that the hard way 🙁 Expensive too!
Yes, it happened to me. … While at the clark airport checking in for a flight to Kota Kinabalu and to find out that my passport will expire in 2 months.. No one day reneal of passport, no refund on downpayments for rooms and no refund from the airline. Needless to say, this has taught me a very valuable lesson.
My Vaseline lip balm!
Cuz you can never be too certain about the weather or temperature and feel so uncomfortable even painful with cracked lips. Especially when you need to communicate with people quite constantly. It can also be used in other areas for its moisturizing properties.
My iPod touch. I don’t usually listen to music when I’m travelling since I want to take in the SOUNDS as much as the SIGHTS of the place. But since I don’t have a laptop or an iPad this has been very useful surfing the web on free Wi-Fi spots. Also helps me sleep when there’s a snorer around – I just tune in to my ‘nature sounds’ playlist. 😀
@ Ed: I would go with a malong too, except that it’s bigger than a shawl and heavier. But I agree, it has more uses!
great tips aleah! excited for a solo trip abroad soon!
sa yo shawl… sakin, malong. hehe. gamit talaga ang malong (blanket, mat, gawing unan, etc…) hehe.
and agree with the locker, kelangan kong bumili dapat nito! 😀
@ Aravis: Color photocopies are clearer, esp when it comes to your picture. It’s not required though. 🙂
Why does the passport photocopy have to be colored?
Hi Christian, I didn’t include the camera, a book, and clothes because I’ve never forgotten them haha. There was once in my life as a traveler that I didn’t have a camera though, and it was also okay. But I would not travel now without it.
Di kasali camera? =P
Hi Jessica. Re the washing line, I learned that in my Asian trips. I didn’t want to bring a lot of clothes so I had to wash them every other day, and sometimes there’s nothing to hang them on. It’s very handy 🙂
Nice article, Aleah. I travel a lot and on top my list is always the shawl. I recently met a backpacker and his shawl doubles as his towel 🙂
The washing line is something new. First time I heard of such advice. Hehe.
@ Poi: That really sucks; I mean to leave the charger *and* the battery behind? I didn’t include a camera here since I never forget it. Good thing that your phone takes nice pics then.
@ Cedric: Gow! 😀
@ sometimes Kim, sometimes Mj: Very nice tip on the floss. Never thought of that before haha
@ Chad: I know what you mean by the mag light. There’s a small one you can attach to a key chain, right? That’s a nice tip. And duct tape can be used also to keep your soles if the trek ruins your shoes 😀
duct tape is my two cents worth. 1000 uses for that when you are flying solo…..
other little thing that I picked up over my travels was an ultra thin “emergency blanket.” it is almost like a piece of foil it is so thin, but came in handy a couple years ago on the beaches of montezuma costa rica, when I rolled into town late, and all rooms were fully booked. wrapped myself in that to protect myself from the evening wind while I crashed on the beach that night.
speaking of which, other thing I highly recommend is a small, durable flash light (mag light).
nice article, cheers!
Hi Aleah, great tips. I also always bring a shawl with me and I love how it’s multi-functional. It folds really nicely and in most cases, adequate enough to ward off the chills, can also prettify an outfit instantly. A floss can also multi-task as clothes line and for fashion emergencies, you can use it as a thread:-)
Cool. Will grab when I finally go on a long trip. 🙂 Thanks!
Camera with charger and extra batt. Taking/Capturing memories is incomparable and priceless. I have experienced traveling with camera but without the charger (I left it at home), and to make it worse; I left the battery plugged in the charger. No choice but to take pictures using my phone.
@ BPS: The cord is too small to do the job. hehe
@ Cedric: Yep, you can choose whatever length, color, and thickness you want. They’re quite useful and sturdy!
Ahhh. I think I know what you’re talking about. Yan ba yung mga nabibili sa Habagat stores for example?
hah! i will bring a cord from now on… you’ll never know when you need to do your laundry nor the need to hang yourself. hahaha. =D
@ Cedric: I bring a mountaineering string. The one that comes in different colors and can be stretched a bit. I’ll take a pic of it and upload it here later on.
@ Happy Sole: I agree, a camera is a must!
i used to bring an umbrella too.. but then budget travel (read: no free baggage allowance) meant no umbrellas in hand carried luggages no more.
forget everything else, wag lang CAMERA sa akin. the other things, i can buy locally. hihihi
Over the years, I’ve come with a mental list of things to bring, so I haven’t forgotten to bring them for the longest time (though I’m sure I’m bound to forget some of them eventually haha). Thanks about the tip on bringing a padlock. By the way, what kind of string do you bring with you, just the cheapo nylon strings? Are they OK to be hand carried?
@ Claire: I *always* bring an umbrella as well, even hiking! When we trekked to Mt Pinatubo I was the only one with an umbrella. On that super hot day, it was very useful indeed.
@ Leave the Cube: Yes a first aid kit is a must. Am guilty of not having one though. 🙁
@ Pinoy Adventurista: Airport officials once allowed me to take my umbrella in my carry on baggage. I think it depends on the people manning the stations there?
I always bring mg sarong with me, very useful talaga… symepre my camera+charger (mahirap kc pag naiwan ang charger ng camera), cellphone, a small notebook and a pen… kahit yan lang buhay nako sa trip ko… hehehe!!!
I cannot bring an umbrella kc laging hand carry lang ako, eh naharang na minsan ang payong ko, ayoko naman mag check-in ng bag para lang sa payong, sayang ang bayad…hehehe!!! ayun naiwan tuloy sa airport… hehehe!!!
Great tips 🙂
I would like to add First Aid kit also.
Aside from the usual clothes and photography gear, I always bring umbrella and a Swiss knife 🙂
@ Red, I can’t believe I forgot to include a book! I always carry one whenever I leave the house. And a notebook and pen, of course. So many stuff to remember! 😀
@ Stef: When I was a newbie traveler, I was a bit OC in packing my stuff too. I guess the more often I travel, the more I take things for granted. A list would really be great. And writing things down–I used to do that a lot too. Now, I have a lot of backlogs to finish hehe
This post reminds me of my first trip alone with my husband. Macau was our honeymoon destination and we went there without any help from a travel agency.
You can just imagine how prepared I was. Passport, money, plane tickets, and our hotel bookings were already inside our brand new suitcase a month before our flight hahaha!
Aside from these things, I don’t leave my gadgets, my toiletries (especially my contact solution and casing), and my writing tools. I noted down all of our expenses for the entire Macau trip in my organizer. XD
A book or magazine for sure! There’s not too many things worse for me than being stuck somewhere without something to read!!
Great list – particularly liked the shawl idea!!