Backpacker’s lifestyle

After almost 3 weeks traveling I’m getting used to this new lifestyle and how I can make it as comfortable and practical for myself. You never know what to expect even if you’ve travelled before or received useful tips from others. I have no issue with wearing the same clothes for many days (especially trousers) and I’m pleased I’ve packed light so I don’t have a lot of extras. Now I know why you have to wrap your valuables and clothes in plastic bags, after the first downpour my bag was soaking wet including some of the contents. So I’ve collected more plastic bags and am now searching for a rain cover for my bags. My hand or day bag contains the obvious, money, passport, hand sanitizer, water, sun cream, mosquito repellent, malaria tablets, lonely planet but the ‘spork’, plastic drinking cup and head torch are useful objects too. The head torch works out as a perfect reading light during the night bus trips too.

There’s almost a system in my bag with everything in a separate bag and always the same place so you can find it easily. My travel partner commented that I’m always re-packing my bag and advised not to take out too many things every time you stay somewhere overnight as you have to be able to leave in 15 minutes if needed. Maybe useful information but he’s a man and I do like to have my bag as organized as my wardrobe! On the flip side I feel that I do carry at least 2 kg too much in that bag so some items will have to go shortly when I had enough of them. The packing light makes a lot more sense when you’re traveling!

I already bought some tradition trousers and two lovely hand woven over the shoulder bags in colourful purple and red. However I wasn’t happy that there’s no zip in these handbags to make sure that your money or passport doesn’t fall out. So I took a zip from my current handbag and went to a lady at the market with as sewing machine that solved this problem incl shortens the handle for 75pence! Angel happy with a very useful bag which hopefully will make it all the way with me on my trips.

Betel leaf

For me a first but apparently in many Asian countries people chew on Betel leaf. There are little stalls everywhere on the street who sell these in little packages of 4 pieces. The Betel leaf is a kind of tobacco which has a stimulating effect when you chew it. They make little packages from the betel leaf, at some lime paste followed by some spices (kind of nutmeg) and tobacco. When you chew this the betel juice will colour your teeth red so you see lots of people with red or hardly any teeth as this is due to the betel leave. Once chewed they have to get rid of it so most of the time they will spit this on the floor or in a bin which results in many dark red stained bins and pavements.