Stuff to Pack List

Back when I lived in Switzerland I used to have a “Stuff to Pack” List posted on my wall. Before I made that list I was constantly forgetting things (it didn’t help that I would often pack in the last possible minute).

I long ago lost that list. The purpose of this blog is to list on the internet so I will be able to reference next time I travel. This is a pretty idealized list for the most extreme travel places. Obviously you won’t need all this stuff for most trips. However, the way I look at it, it’s better to have a master list so you don’t forget things. So I present:

Stuff “Not to Forget” Whenever you Travel

Books and documentation

• Passport with needed visas
• Tickets
• Proof of insurance (including emergency contact info, make sure this is in your wallet and backpack)
• Travel guides and maps (make sure you have the place names in the local alphabet)
• Hostel/hotel info
• Disposable books/magazines for killing time
• Local currency
• Credit cards
• Money belt
• Notepad, notebook and pens/pencils

Electronics

• Ipod (including charger)
• Camera (including battery charger, extra memory card)
• Power converter
• Travel alarm clock (you be amazed how many people forget this)
• Watch (preferably a cheap reliable one)
• Head lamp (for hiking or reading in a dark hostel room)
  

Clothing (and similar stuff)

• Shirts, underwear, jeans (including stuff you can wear to a bar)
• Good walking shoes
• Flip flops (hostel bathrooms can be scary, trust a guy who’s had athletes foot)
• Towel!!! (Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy wasn’t wrong)
• Toque (even if you’re going to a warm place)
• Bathing suit (even if going to cold place)
• Sunglasses (remember snow is bright)
• A laundry bag to hold your dirt clothes
  

Clothing (if going to warm place)

• Shorts
• Sandals you can walk in
• Hat (bandana)
• Light jacket (preferably rain proof)

Clothing (if going to cold place)

• Warm jacket
• Mitts
• Waterproof walking shoes
• Long underwear (if it’s going to be really really cold)

Food

• Travel snacks
• Water

Toiletries

• Toothbrush, toothpaste and floss
• Hair gel
• Contacts
• Glasses cleaner
• Deodorant and other smelly stuff
• Soap
• Shampoo (and conditioner if you’re feeling saucy)
• Portable hand sanitizer
• Any medication or vitamins (Pepto-Bismol can be a lifesaver)
• Sunscreen (you can be burned even in winter)
• Insect repellant (if needed)
• Shaving razor

Other

• Daypack
• First aid pack (at the very least a pair of tweezers and bandages)
• Swiss Army Knife (remember to check in bag)
• Sleeping bag (depending on the places you’ll be sleeping)
  
• Travel Yoda (very important)
• Padlock (combo locks work best, make sure it's not too small)
• Postcards for home to give as gifts to people you meet
  

Stuff to do before you leave
Make sure to leave someone at home a copy of your tickets, insurance info, hostel info, passport, visas or any other documentation you may have. If you lose this stuff this can be a lifesaver

Make sure everyone going has a map and directions to the hostel. It’s not uncommon for a travel group to be split up mid-transit

Establish some method of indicating to your travel partner that you are uncomfortable and need to leave the area. I know this sounds paranoid, but this can save you from imposing scammers later on.

Call your credit card company and alert them what country you might using there card in. Otherwise they may cut you off.

Make sure your internet password is only numbers and letters. This doesn’t apply for most places, but I’ve had problems typing a ‘&’ on a Turkish keyboard.

If you need to get vaccinations, make sure you do it well enough in advance so they can be effective.

Review Spectacular #2

Here are my quick thoughts on some of the random media I’ve consumed in the last couple of weeks.

Movies

Pan’s Labyrinth: Pretty good little movie. While I liked the way that the movie combined the more realistic and fantasy elements, I was disappointed that there weren’t more fantasy sequences. The movie really seemed to shine when there was something totally messed up happening and I wanted more.

I learned many things in this movie. For example, if you’re repeatable told not to eat anything in front of a creepy child eating monster, for the love of God, don’t eat anything!!


Ghost Rider: The true reason I wrote this blog is that I wanted to express some of my thoughts on the Ghost Rider movie. Now I warn you this is going to be filled with spoilers. But if your type of person who is worried about spoilers for the Ghost Rider movie, I think you need to re-evaluate your life.

This is a bad movie. I mean a really really bad movie. It’s the type of movie that makes you want to analysis the LA drinking water for brain destroying containments. It’s the type of movie that serves as an argument to become a hermit. With that said, I found it absolutely hilarious with how bad it is.

Here’s a 7 point summery of Ghost Rider

1. Villain Blackheart gets 3 henchmen starts to do something evil
2. Devil doesn’t like this. So he tricks Nick Cage to basically become his bitch (aka Ghost Rider)
3. Devil tells Ghost Rider to kill Blackheart
4. Ghost Rider kills demons
5. Ghost Rider kills Blackheart
6. Randomly mix in a lame love story
7. Movie makes $80 million

So as you can see the movie isn’t exactly Shakespeare. But I’m sure you’re thinking “Come on, this movie is called Ghost Rider. I don’t really want a deep plot”. Well not only is the plot simple it’s only half done.

For example, this movie contains the most lame demon killing I’ve ever seen. The first demon he hits with a chain, killing it. The next demon he whirls a chain around it, killing it. The final demon Ghost Rider appears to defeat it in a staring contest, killing it. I mean if they can’t think of an interesting method to kill a demon, maybe they shouldn’t be making the movie in the first place.

This movie contains some of the most cliché dialogue I’ve ever seen. Here’s the extreme hell fueled insult that Blackheart uses to intimidate the devil: “I will retire HIM [Ghost Rider] just like I will retire YOU, father!”.

That’s some intense stuff.

Ok I grow tired of talking about this movie. I will say though, Nicolas Cage did a good job making the movie fun to watch and the visuals were actually pretty good. To bad there had to be a plot too.

TV

The Office: This show is pure gold. I marathoned all the episodes in a couple of days and
I can’t get enough.

Video Games:

Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess: These days I don’t have much time for video games; real life keeps getting in the way. So when I do play them I try to avoid those that take a long time such as RPGs. However, for Zelda games I make an exception.

Twilight Princess is one fine game, possibly my favorite Zelda game. While the first 5 hours were sort of boring, the rest of the game more than made up for it. The thing I liked most about the game is that they played the formula a bit to make things interesting. Several of dungeons and items were quite different from the standard Zelda swag and it kept things spicy.

The element I loved about this game is that Link looked really badass most of the time. Even though the graphics weren’t the top of the line, there are a ton of scenes that I would have loved to take a screen shot of. It’s nice for once not having to play as kid Link.

Comics

Civil War: Warning there be spoilers ahead

I really didn’t like the way that this ended. It was too small and didn’t resolve anything. My problem with Civil War as a whole is that it never really rose above the initial argument. For example, how come none of the villains got involved? Also, how come the rest of the world isn’t reacting to the fact that the US just forcibly created an army of super powered soldiers that will do whatever their told or be arrested?

As a whole Civil War had some cool scenes but was pretty much pointless. If the act had just been pasted and there had been no resistance, the Marvel Universe would look the exact same that it does now? So what was the point?

Other

MacLean’s Magazine: On a whim I recently I subscribed to MacLean’s. I find that MacLean’s does a good job fleshing out some of the events that I often hear in passing. It also provides good summaries of events that I haven’t been paying much attention to (this weeks article on Conrad Black is a good example of this).

With that said I find that it has a tendency to sensationalize things a bit too much. When reading it one has to be sure to filter the articles in order to keep a clear mind on an event.

Ask A Ninja: Thank you internet for allowing things like this to exist. The premise is a simple one, 2-5 minute video where a Ninja answers any ninja related questions that one might have. The results though are brilliant. I won’t ruin any of them but you need this in your life (btw, it should be noted that you can find all the Ask a Ninja episodes on youtube for extra convenience).