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Special Gear
- We each had two pairs of quick dry pants for the trip & that worked great. Exofficio & Royal Robbins make nice pants with hidden zippered pockets that are great for travel.
- Patagonia silk-weight long sleeve shirts worked wonderfully in the heat – they breathe well and give you some sun protection. I’m not a fan of the heavier weight & more expensive Exofficio safari shirts.
- Umbrella - it's too hot for even the most breathable gortex, and too wet to do without rain cover entirely.
- Sunscreen
- Mosquito protection - talk with your doctor about anti-malarials and pack plenty of mosquito repellant. We also soaked our clothes in Permathrin which helped them repel mosquitos too!
- Cheap bottled water is available everywhere - you do not need a water purifier
- You absolutely need a hat if you'll be doing any trekking.
- Take several handkerchiefs or bandanas. The cheap ones from REI work great. You can put one over your mouth to keep dust out (bandit style) or soak one in water & tie it around your neck or head to keep cool.
- Camera. I recommend at least a 200mm telephoto lens. You'll get great shots without toting around a big heavy lens. A 300mm lens is even better, if you don't mind the extra weight. Camera film is expensive and it may be old or not stored properly, so bring your own. If you take a digital camera, make sure you have a big memory card (or buy a digital wallet) -- you'll take more pictures than you think.
- A video camera (or digital camera that can record video clips) is a great way to share your experiences with friends and family at home. The smaller the better. Bring extra batteries and a charger.
First Aid Kit and Health
- A squirt-top bottle is a nice thing to have. It takes a little while to get used to brushing your teeth w/water from a bottle.
- Bring some oral rehydration salts (ORS) and some mixes for Gatorade or other "sports drink". If you’re not careful or are very active, it can be easy to get dehydrated. It's often easy and cheap to get these in Africa, but it's a good idea to take some with you too.
- If you’re staying in budget places, a silk sleep-sack is a really nice thing to have. It keeps you warm and shields you from the not-so-clean sheets.
- If you have an Aquis quick dry towel, it’s worth bringing, even if it’s the small size.
- Bring a couple of energy or breakfast bars (or whatever you like that doesn’t melt). They’re wonderful to have in a bind.
- Ginger tea is great to settle your stomach. Tums are another alternative. You should have one of the two!
Questions and Answers
how much for an ordinary lunch meal ?
Unless you are eating in a fancy tourist restaurant, a few dollars will buy you a filling lunch.
anybody's done the journey name " the trans-vietnamiese trip adventure" 21 days/18 nights lots of questions about it, was it great, how much would you spend for the extra meals, what was the trip by train like, sleeping conditions, hosting ... everything that's worth telling... thank you very much. We'll do the trip april the 8th.
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