Gearing Up for International Adventure

If opening your eyes in never-seen-before-by-you places fills you with unrelenting excitement, and your thirst for first-time experiences is never quenched, then you are a nomadic spirit filled with wanderlust and traveling is the only cure.

Unrepentant for restlessness—a state of being confirmed by my DNA—I am gearing up for my next big adventure: Machu Picchu, Peru and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve in Costa Rica. What I am taking with me are several lessons learned from hiking the Camino de Santiago in 2015.

Preparation for international adventure travel is as much mental and emotional as it is physical. In fact, your mental calisthenics may be more rigorous than packing. Keeping things simple, light, and easy is the bedrock of success for the overseas traveler.

Mental Preparation
In today's world, safety is paramount. You must account for new security measures in a fluid political situation and consider what you would do if you get waylaid in a foreign place. While no one wants to think about getting locked up abroad or pulled into secondary, it is worth running the scenarios through your mind. Imagining such things can put people off, but for travel hungry nomads, this is part of the adventurer's admission fee.

After you buy your plane tickets, register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). This free Department of State service allows US citizens and nationals to enroll with US Embassies and Consulates in the countries they will be visiting. In the event of a national emergency or disaster, officials will know to look for you. When you register, put relevant US Embassy and Consular phone numbers in the cell phone you will be taking. Additionally, enrolling in STEP will help your family find you if they have an emergency and cannot reach you directly. STEP also provides needed Visa and immunization information.

Banking and credit and debit cards. Before you go, contact your bank and let them know where you will be traveling, how long you will be gone, which countries you will be visiting, and what credit and debit cards you will be taking. This will prevent them for blocking your charges while abroad, landing you in a regrettable situation. Many countries do not accept American Express and most countries, including all of Europe, require credit and debit cards with a chip. While chip cards are finally catching on in the US, I learned about this the hard way in 2009 onboard a train in France when I could not pay for my ticket with my chip-free credit card. Luckily, I was not thrown off the train mid-transit. If you do not have a card with a chip, contact your bank and request a credit card for international travel.

Cash. Carry only enough US dollars to get you through airport incidentals and or tips required in US dollars. Use your debit card to withdrawal a few days worth of cash once you reach your destination. You will incur transaction and exchange rate fees, but this is the simplest, safest way to obtain cash, which is still the best—and possibly only—way to pay for things in many developing foreign countries. Also, many banks reimburse users for some if not all of these transaction fees.

RFID. Credit cards and passports contain scannable personal identifying information technology. To prevent your information from being wirelessly scanned, spend a few dollars to protect your stuff with RFID protected cases. You can purchase as assortment of light-weight RFID protected passport and credit card sleeves perfect for backpacking through REI.

Physical Preparation
Immunizations. Having the proper immunizations is required for safe overseas travel, and is literally part of the admission price to get into some countries. In Peru for example, you must show you have been immunized for Yellow Fever. Travel clinics throughout the US give adventurers the immunizations, medications, and travel tips needed for safe passage through foreign lands. Keep your immunization card close at hand as evidence you have received your shots.

Water. Being fit goes a long way to making traveling anywhere a better experience, but it's not the only thing that is important. Staying hydrated is key. While it is easy to get caught up in "rules" for water intake, the simplest way to know if you are hydrated is to check your pee. It ain't mellow if it's yellow. Urine should be clear. If it's not, drink more. Make sure you are well-hydrated at least three days before you travel, especially if you are traveling to high altitudes, and especially if you are taking altitude medication which can have unpleasant side-effects if you are dehydrated. Also remember caffeine is a diuretic. So if you are a coffee or pop lover, you must do a one-for-one replacement of water to coffee or pop.

Gear
Now comes the fun part, laundry. Haha, just kidding. But once it is done, you can pack with ease. Every adventure comes with its own set of gear requirements and you have to figure out what those will be for the adventure you are taking.

Airport baggage. The most important thing I learned hiking the Camino is: less is more. The lighter my pack, the more free I am to adventure. Ten percent body weight is an excellent rule of thumb to avoid injury when thru-hiking and not camping. Using a backpack that is 40 liters or less will prevent you from having to check your bag at the airport. If you are carrying a laptop and are traveling to/from the Middle East, review the confusing laptop ban recently enacted by the US Government. Stay on top of TSA requirements and have a back-up plan should you be unable to get back into the US for any reason.

Go bag. Take a small, secondary, lightweight, preferably waterproof "go-bag" in case of emergency. Inside, you can carry your ID, passport, immunizations, water, medication, a change of clothes, and any necessary toiletries should you have to be separated from your primary bag for any reason. This comes in handy should you unexpectedly have to check your bag at the airport.

Electronics. Again, less is more. Unless you are a photojournalist or photographer, taking a big, heavy, expensive camera is ill advised. iPhones take amazing pictures as do many pocket sized cameras. On the camino I ditched my camera and iPad and kept only my iPhone. I discovered it was all I needed to blog, take photographs, listen to music, and stay as connected as I wanted to. Be sure to pack a converter as well; you will need it. If you are going to Ireland, you will need to buy a different type of converter; they do not use the two-pronged European converter.

Toiletries. You don't have to pack everything. People all over the world wear clothes, use soap, and brush their teeth. Shocking, I know. To keep your pack light, just pack enough. You can replenish abroad if need be, and who knows, you may find even better products overseas. Consider it part of the adventure. I found some great lotions and muscle creams in Spain I have yet to find in the US. Also, consider taking only a single razor blade and leave the handle behind. Practice once or twice before you go, but every ounce counts. Remove unnecessary packing from products. Wearing glasses instead of contact can make things easier, but if you are going to be a rainy environment, contacts may be the better option. If you are going to share sleep quarters, ear plugs are a must!

First-aid kit. Put one together yourself, it's cheaper and you can tailor it for your needs. Also, it is best to wear shoes that do not hurt your feet. Don't plan to break them in abroad. This sounds like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised how many people get blisters walking the Camino. Thankfully I did not have this experience, but saw them ruin peoples' experiences.

Ladies. True freedom can be found when we can extricate ourselves from jewelry, make-up, and non-essential beauty product, including contacts. My skin never looked better than it did in Spain, devoid of make-up for six weeks. I'm not saying this is a must, just something to consider. It also opens the door for a foreign shopportunity... But don't forget sunscreen and a hat.

Rejuvenate Your Soul
Once all the preparation is done and your packing completed, it is time for the best part. Have fun, keep an open mind, and explore the world abroad without inhibition. Make the best of every day's unique experiences and your trip will be just what it is meant to be. Adventure on!