10 Essential Travel Packing Tips & Hacks - Minimalist Traveling

Тәжірибелік нұсқаулар және стиль

How to Pack Light & Smart - Essential Travel Packing Tips for Minimalist Traveling. Audible is offering our followers a free 30-day trial today. Sign up to check out their audio books using our special link: www.audible.com/exploringalter...
Want more travel packing tips? Check out this NEW video we made for extra light minimalist travel: • Minimalist Packing Tip...
After almost 5 years of travelling, we've come up with our 10 best travel packing tips to help you travel light, save money, and have an easy and comfortable trip.
1. Minimalist Travel Wardrobe
We choose clothes that are all in the same colour scheme and style so they can be layered to create different outfits for different situations and climates. In our experience, packing fewer clothes is always best and if you find that you're missing something, like a warmer sweater, you can always pick it up along the way.
2. Water
After buying and throwing out countless plastic water bottles on our travels, we finally said enough is enough. It was a waste of money and plastic. So we decided to get a portable water purifier (SteriPEN sent us one) and now we bring our own stainless steel water bottles with us and we purify tap water wherever we are.
3. Books and Guides
Books and guides are easily the heaviest things we carry on trips. To downsize the weight in our backpack or suitcase, we try to bring smaller travel journals, we don't bring guide books (we use our iPod and free maps from airports and train stations to get around), and we're starting to try eBooks (free from the library) and audio books from Audible (our video sponsor!).
4. Staying Clean
When travelling, there are many times (for us at least) when we don't shower as often as we'd like, maybe a long 48 hour travel leg, or a nasty hostel shower that we don't want to use. To stay fresh between showers, we use dry shampoo (the one in the video is from One Love Organics) and wet wipes (paraben-free). We also always travel with Dr Bronners soap because we can use it for everything: showering, dishes, and laundry.
5. Souvenirs
We no longer buy souvenirs for our friends and family. Instead, we try to send postcards to show people we're thinking of them. It's cheaper, less wasteful, and we feel that it's more meaningful overall.
6. Passports
We've had a passport stolen, and another damaged by water. We're not messing around with our passports anymore so we carry them in ziplock bags, inside a hidden passport pouch.
7. Food and Snacks
Food and snacks at airports and in touristy areas is usually overpriced and not necessarily healthy. We try to pack our own food and snacks as much as possible (sandwiches, granola bars, hummus and crackers, oatmeal, roasted nuts, etc.) but it's important to check the rules about what you can bring and where.
8. Electronics
When we're not travelling for work, we try to bring just our iPod touch. We travelled for almost one full year with just the iPod & free wifi, and we did all of our hotel and flight bookings, and even a couple of visa applications on the tiny screen. It's not perfect, but it saves us from lugging around a couple of laptops like we do now.
We also always travel with a flashlight. We have a Foxelli headlamp that is USB rechargeable and the battery lasts forever (they sent us the headlamp a couple of years ago and we love it).
9. Reusables
Travel has a pretty big environmental footprint and while we haven't quite gotten to the point where we're willing to stop just for environmental reasons, we do try to minimize flying and we travel with reusable containers to limit the amount of garbage waste we're producing. We bring stainless steel food containers (by Onyx), water bottles, and coffee mugs, as well as cloth bags and cutlery.
10. Staying Healthy
We use natural remedies like oregano oil, garlic pills, activated charcoal, and essential oils to treat things like food poisoning, cold and flu, diarrhea, headaches, etc. We also bring strong anti-nausea pills because Danielle gets motion sick in cars, planes, buses - even a hammock once!
Thanks for watching!
Mat & Danielle
PS a very special thank you to our backbone supporters: The Burgess Family.
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COMMENTS
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We want our channel and our comments section to be an inclusive space where everyone feels welcome to watch and to contribute. For this reason, comments that are inappropriate or hateful will be reported and/or deleted.
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VIDEO CREDITS
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Music & Song Credits:
All music in this video was composed, performed, and recorded by Mat of Exploring Alternatives.
Editing Credits:
Mat and Danielle of Exploring Alternatives
Filming Credits:
Mat of Exploring Alternatives

Пікірлер: 634

  • @ExploringAlternatives
    @ExploringAlternatives6 жыл бұрын

    Want more travel packing tips? Check out this NEW video we made for extra light minimalist travel: kzread.info/dash/bejne/X4SX1K6Qm9vAg84.html

  • @AudreyNataliaKosmar

    @AudreyNataliaKosmar

    6 жыл бұрын

    Exploring Alternatives you can also get solid shampoo to avoid bringing dr bronners liquid soap 😊

  • @jleviathan9766
    @jleviathan97667 жыл бұрын

    Haha carrying a bar of soap has helped me a whole lot. No trouble with liquids at airports and you can just use it to wash literally anything, instead of packing multiple little bottles of shampoo, body wash, etc etc, really convenient and takes up practically no space whatsoever, can even fit it in my pocket lol

  • @Maraaha55

    @Maraaha55

    7 жыл бұрын

    Jules Leviathan and - guess what - it's what we did in the olden days 😆

  • @silviahoard2412

    @silviahoard2412

    5 жыл бұрын

    Which bar soap do you use?

  • @BaileyAllen14
    @BaileyAllen146 жыл бұрын

    If I can back ANYTHING in this video, it’s dr. broners soap. It’s SO SO SO versatile, good for hair, body, laundry, dishes, ETC and it lasts forever, especially since you //need// to dilute it!

  • @shaun6828

    @shaun6828

    3 жыл бұрын

    I like to put it in a travel size mouthwash bottle. They're cheap, durable, designed to contain a thin liquid, and the childproof caps help prevent the lids from coming loose accidentally... At least those bottles work better than any others I've found so far. Lotions or thicker liquid soap seems fine in a silicone / soft plastic squishy bottle... For extra small bottles, I've re-used those little hand sanitizer bottles. Good for holding quite a bit worth of face washing soap or lotion.

  • @carmengarrison1314
    @carmengarrison13146 жыл бұрын

    To bathe when you don't have access to facilities instead of wet wipes: Fill small zip lock baggie with 1/4 cup of warm water. Add 4 to 5 drops lavender essential oil. Add travel wash cloth - we get the really thin ones that dry super fast. Purge air, seal and agitate so wash cloth soaks up the water. Remove cloth and gently squeeze. Start with face, then scalp, then wash everything else. No rinse needed and you will feel and smell fantastic when you are done. Hang baggie and towel to dry, re-use next time.

  • @galelascala105

    @galelascala105

    5 жыл бұрын

    Great tip!

  • @ExtraJexi

    @ExtraJexi

    4 жыл бұрын

    Oil and water do not mix. Using essential oil without diluting or using an emulsifier can lead to sensitization or Allergic Contact Dermatitis. I learned from experience to practice safe essential oil usage. You could add some baby wash to the bag.

  • @MoonaGhost_kitty

    @MoonaGhost_kitty

    4 жыл бұрын

    Essential oil should not be used on the face!

  • @angr268
    @angr2687 жыл бұрын

    scan your passports and mail them to yourselves, anything happens you can have acces to them with your phone or at any local cheap cyber cafe

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Great advice! Thanks for sharing this with everyone :)

  • @CharlieGosh

    @CharlieGosh

    7 жыл бұрын

    I carry multiple color photocopies for everyone of the photo page in different luggage pieces. The most important detail for getting a replacement is the passport NUMBER so put that in your cellphone contacts and take a photo, too.

  • @bonniea8189

    @bonniea8189

    7 жыл бұрын

    I would NOT recommend sending your personally identifiable information in any unencrypted electronic communication. If you're going to use an electronic method of carrying your passport/ID or any other PII with you, make sure it's encrypted. Google how to send an encrypted email with your particular email service or app.

  • @windwaik3r689

    @windwaik3r689

    7 жыл бұрын

    Agreed, unless you know what you're doing don't email these things. Thousands of people have their information stolen if they use this method. Not to mention many Western countries are picky about passports these days and simply won't accept electronic variants unless carried through an official government channel. And a cheap cyber cafe with an unsecured network is just one way this can occur.

  • @dawncadee1877

    @dawncadee1877

    7 жыл бұрын

    Angr. 268 ii

  • @aaronhowell2011
    @aaronhowell20117 жыл бұрын

    Hey guys! Please remember, the UV pen is great and helps with pathogens. You need a filter for heavy metals. I use a 22oz ZeroWater Tumbler, but Brita has a good bottle too!

  • @alexbunn1905
    @alexbunn19056 жыл бұрын

    Well yes a zip lock bag will keep splash off, but that doesn’t make it waterproof. As a kayaker I’ve learned this from friends. If you need something that is actually waterproof you can get water sports specific waterproof pouches, which although are a bit more bulky than a zip lock bag are actually a lot more effective

  • @yahoodlums
    @yahoodlums7 жыл бұрын

    I recommend using a kindle paperwhite as your e-reader. You should be able to download all of your books as pdfs or ebooks. It's easier on the eye than an iPod and the battery life is ridiculous. Love your channel. Please keep up the good work!

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching @ray dollars :) Great suggestion about the e-reader! We're going to see how the eBook and audio book experiment works (I'm pretty attached to physical books lol) but if we decide that it's a good long term solution then I'll look into getting a used one. Happy exploring!!

  • @arckocsog253

    @arckocsog253

    7 жыл бұрын

    ray dollars The reading experience is almost the same. Once you get lost in a book, you don't notice the difference. Also, old kindles come with an option to listen to audiobooks. You can pick up a good used Kindle for $50 on ebay.

  • @annelisabethcom

    @annelisabethcom

    7 жыл бұрын

    Exploring Alternatives, I used to use a Touch for reading e-books. I stopped when I realized it messed up my sleep. Went to a Kobo and have never looked back.

  • @GlammyBee
    @GlammyBee7 жыл бұрын

    Great video! I know Audible sponsors your channel, but for people trying to save money, many libraries not only offer ebooks but they're now offering audio books as well. I download both formats to my phone from my library and it's great since I'm already carrying my phone anyway.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Glammy Bee thank you for sharing this comment! Yes, we've got free audio and ebooks at our library as well! Audible only sponsored that one part of the video (not the whole channel) but I still mentioned the free ebooks so that people know there are alternatives. One thing I have noticed, with my library at least, is that there are long wait times and/or a lack of selection in audio books (maybe because it's a new service?) so it's nice to know that there's more than one place to get audio books. Thanks so much for watching!

  • @robintess7981

    @robintess7981

    4 жыл бұрын

    Glammy Bee l

  • @RVingLiveTheDream
    @RVingLiveTheDream5 жыл бұрын

    We have been traveling 8 years and have most of this stuff. Love the collapsing water bottle and the water Purifier

  • @treefloraken8263
    @treefloraken82636 жыл бұрын

    I recommend soap berries, aka soap nuts. They are a great way to wash clothes!

  • @amamalala
    @amamalala7 жыл бұрын

    100% with you on the Souvenirs. My post card collection is amazing for memories and framed in the family portrait gallery. NO knick knacks allowed. Very nice information. Thanks.

  • @horseenthusiast1250
    @horseenthusiast12506 жыл бұрын

    I do all my laundry by hand, and I just use Dr. Bronner’s soap for it. It works well, even with the washboard, so you could cut down the space by not taking a big laundry bar.

  • @DessertGeek
    @DessertGeek7 жыл бұрын

    For travel I've become a huge fan of polyester/wrinkle resistant dresses. I have a few by local designers that are ridiculously lightweight, can crumple into tiny balls in my pack, and make me look put together even when I don't necessarily feel like it. (Because sometimes you need to look nice with five minutes' warning while on vacation.)

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    That's smart! I'm glad you've found a solution that works for you and your travel style! Thanks so much for watching :)

  • @chrisi8605

    @chrisi8605

    7 жыл бұрын

    Seattle Dessert Geek if you want to splurge try silk dresses for hot climates! :) I had a long sleeve one that felt like I was wearing nothing in hot humid climate. totally more breathable than polyester :)

  • @jojo_is_a_go5893
    @jojo_is_a_go58937 жыл бұрын

    Powdered toothpaste! Only other thing I could think of. Perfect vid.

  • @MichelleNovalee
    @MichelleNovalee7 жыл бұрын

    Psyllium husks for constipation. Works incredibly fast and all natural! Just carry some in a little jar with you and mix with water.

  • @TheLotusrising
    @TheLotusrising6 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for video, I was so happy to hear about the SteriPen as when we go to South America for a month we always have to drink bottled or pop so great option to explore. Matt mentioned he was weary of the dry shampoo so wanted to mention Lush has a shampoo soap, so it is a dry soap bar that turns into shampoo when wet and it feels great

  • @grzesiek2321
    @grzesiek23217 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the tips, I'm testing my minimalist travel setup right now. Things I think are handy: waterproof poncho, small first aid kit, multitool, small repair/survival kit, foldable basin(gearbest) and powerbank :)

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for sharing your favourite minimalist packing items. Those are all great suggestions! I hadn't seen that foldable basin before. Looks really cool!! Take care and happy exploring!

  • @ChiChi-iz6xz
    @ChiChi-iz6xz6 жыл бұрын

    This is the first time that we see your videos. Very beautiful, professional, and simple and easy to understand and learn from. Thank you very much for the effort and work that you put in. Happy travels.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    6 жыл бұрын

    Thanks so much for the positive feedback, I'm happy you found our video helpful! Have a great day :) :)

  • @CrankyBubushka
    @CrankyBubushka7 жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much for this info. I am not traveling right now, but maybe in the future :) The go-to for me and feeling sick is Aspirin though lol :)

  • @ariageraghty
    @ariageraghty7 жыл бұрын

    Will you do a video on the types of food you can bring? No nuts and produce takes away 90% of my go to snacks some other idea would be helpful!

  • @kymmoulds
    @kymmoulds7 жыл бұрын

    I'm traveling to India in October for a 2 week motorcycle trip and I learnt a few good tips from your video. Thank you very much for taking the time to produce it. Cheers.

  • @TheNotBusyLife
    @TheNotBusyLife7 жыл бұрын

    I've never thought to pack suppositories!

  • @TeaandFiona

    @TeaandFiona

    4 жыл бұрын

    Some melted coconut oil in the morning works too. And it goes in the opposite end of the suppositories which is more comfortable

  • @fun2knowme
    @fun2knowme7 жыл бұрын

    We travel by air to cities, Rv by land to country sides, sailing adventures, foreign travels..love your advice..not wacky like lots of extreme travelers

  • @ladyrose837
    @ladyrose8377 жыл бұрын

    I love everything you mentioned! I have a terrible habit of taking too much with me when traveling so I will definitely attempt to enact the recommendations you make here and customize the habits for my lifestyle. I'm looking to become minimal waste and have already started by refusing most plastic water bottles and straws, and only using stainless steel cutlery. And in terms of books, I personally have difficulty with audio books, but a lot of my friends love them. I would probably load up my Kindle and bring that with me instead :D Thanks for all the great tips!

  • @loganholmberg2295
    @loganholmberg22957 жыл бұрын

    FYI another good tip for ebooks, is that if you own the Kindle version of a book you can usually get the Audible version of the book for $3 to $6. Go to the match maker at this link www.amazon.com/gp/audible/matchmaker. Great way to get both versions of a book and save allot of money.

  • @Susazeu

    @Susazeu

    6 жыл бұрын

    I usually pack a small ipad instead of the ipod touch so I can store music, photos and books in epub format.

  • @theminimalistninja
    @theminimalistninja7 жыл бұрын

    Random but funny! I once got thrown into a pool along with my passport and phone. Both items needed to dry and guess what? My phone was still working and my passport was fine! 😌 Great tip with the plastic though as it prevents it from getting all nasty! I have to look up the steripen! sounds awesome! fabulous video, such great tips! 🙌

  • @theminimalistninja

    @theminimalistninja

    7 жыл бұрын

    ps: I swear by oregano oil! it's amazing!! 🌈

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Awesome!! We always carry some with us and it's come in handy so many times! Thanks for watching Minimalist Ninja :)

  • @angiepiraino1757

    @angiepiraino1757

    6 жыл бұрын

    Great idea 👋but don’t forget to make a copy of your passport too

  • @catalinaungureanu1558

    @catalinaungureanu1558

    6 жыл бұрын

    How do use it exactly, as well as the others, please?

  • @nicolecondor5337

    @nicolecondor5337

    5 жыл бұрын

    The Minimalist Ninja I'm personally more concerned with the heavy chemicals in the water and not just the bacteria, I think I'd only use that if I was in a very rural environment that probably isn't affect by a large population

  • @LELEFO
    @LELEFO7 жыл бұрын

    Amazing tips! Thanks s lot! I will definitely check out the water filter and get a zip lock bag for my passport! Really good ideas!

  • @tigriss007
    @tigriss0076 жыл бұрын

    Amen to not being able to read and travel! I love my audible for that purpose and listening while doing yard work. Ebooks are the way to read and carry books period!

  • @mara3842
    @mara38427 жыл бұрын

    I make my own dry shampoo -- definitely cheaper than buying it from the store! Great video you guys.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    That's great. It's definitely cheaper and has less weird ingredients :) Thanks for watching!

  • @fineassamyfresh2387
    @fineassamyfresh23877 жыл бұрын

    I totally appreciate your segment on getting ill while travelling! I have gottent sick while travelling and I now also bring oregano oil!!

  • @0HARE
    @0HARE7 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for all the great tips. They are very well researched and presented. We already do many of these things. I'm interested in the bar of laundry soap. I have never seen this in a store. Is there a brand I can look for? Happy Trails

  • @Infinite_Curiosity00
    @Infinite_Curiosity006 жыл бұрын

    Didn't know usb rechargeable headlamps were a thing. I'm always trying to use less batteries. Also the passport in the zip lock. Good idea. Will start carrying some for general use. Thanks for the tips!

  • @gypsybelle4757
    @gypsybelle47577 жыл бұрын

    Great travel tips! This is definitely one of my favorite Exploring Alternatives videos to date. Thank you for the amazing and inspiring content you share! Safe travels!

  • @jessibertic5084
    @jessibertic50847 жыл бұрын

    such a great video! Haha we do EXACTLY the same thing.. we have metal lunch boxes, water bottles, bring our own grocery bag.... the part I found to be most useful is the natural health remedies. I definitely am a natural health type person. I would love to see a video that goes just a little bit more in depth on staying healthy naturally while travelling!

  • @JenShea
    @JenShea7 жыл бұрын

    Great tips 😊. I got into Audibles a couple of years ago because I do a lot of road trips and enjoyed listening while I was driving... AND because I could enjoy a story while my husband was asleep (thanks headphones). I not only sent postcards home when I was in Europe this winter, I collected them for myself. Inexpensive and easy to pack! I like the solid soaps (thanks Lush) for traveling... for one thing, it isn't a liquid if you are flying... and they last a really long time but the Dr. banners is great too because of the environment. As for the health tips. It's great that you shared these (people can do their own research if they are sceptical, or stick to pharmaceuticals...) BUT, I can say, for certain, the oils WORK! I've been using OIL of OREGANO since 2004, ever since my mother-in-law gave it to me when I had a cold and I can tell you that I have NEVER had a full blown cold since except one time when I was out of it and couldn't get any where I was. It's always in my purse and it WORKS!!

  • @bgarretson5392
    @bgarretson53927 жыл бұрын

    i am a huge fan of your channel (Your channel is the first one I check for updated videos and watch the most),I haven't made that leap to the van life but the more videos I watch the more I am considering it, I am trying to go from asking how can I make more money to what i can do to live a happier life style anyway keep doing what your doing and I look forward to seeing more awesome videos

  • @photophil
    @photophil7 жыл бұрын

    I like that you try to reduce waste, very environmentally conscious, great! :)

  • @ChasingEverywhere
    @ChasingEverywhere6 жыл бұрын

    Been binging on travel hack videos this week. Super helpful, thank you guys!

  • @hieronymusboschful
    @hieronymusboschful4 жыл бұрын

    I absolutely agree about the postcards, that is what I do too. I do try and buy a book at each major destination though, for me it is a perfect souvenir, as I get something from a local writer. And if I can’t add to my luggage I just post it home.

  • @lisah.2900
    @lisah.29007 жыл бұрын

    Great video! That Steripen is so cool! Those suppositories are a great idea too - I think we have all been in that particular traveller's conundrum at one point or another.

  • @ricardotclarke
    @ricardotclarke7 жыл бұрын

    I'd add that for clothing, try fast drying options, usually lighter and great if you need to re use them the following day

  • @donnawinters3587

    @donnawinters3587

    5 жыл бұрын

    I agree. Get fast-drying undergarments, if anything

  • @mountainwit
    @mountainwit6 жыл бұрын

    Great tips, especially about reducing waste as you travel. For water treatment, I also like to bring a mini filter, since it can remove bad taste/smells/sediment from water as well as making it safe to drink. We used a double-up system in SE Asia with filter first, then UV treatment, and were able to drink tap water everywhere without any problems. When once we used only the UV, the water was safe but tasted like a sewer! So we filtered it, and it came out fresh and clean.

  • @TeaandFiona
    @TeaandFiona4 жыл бұрын

    Whenever I feel a dry or itchy throat coming on I take a swig of an equal part mix of apple cider vinegar and honey. It has always worked but I don't know if that will TSA well.

  • @ThirdEyeAwake
    @ThirdEyeAwake5 жыл бұрын

    Yes wet wipes are the best!!! I keep them in my carry on so I can have a "bath" in the plane

  • @dianefilteau5199
    @dianefilteau51997 жыл бұрын

    Really helpful suggestions...I already use most of the natural treatments represented here but the charcoal was a new one for me, thanks

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the feedback Diane! I'm happy you enjoyed the video and discovered something new :)

  • @galihwahyutomo2769
    @galihwahyutomo27697 жыл бұрын

    I wish you could show us your backpack. And how to organize them as tidy as possible... Thanks very informative videos. 👍

  • @ar2nl
    @ar2nl5 жыл бұрын

    congratulations! very practical and helpful your video. And you speak very clear and not too fast (very important for an international audience of non-native speakers of English). Go on amigos!

  • @105cathy
    @105cathy7 жыл бұрын

    Excellent! Love audible! Great content, thank you.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thanks Cathy :)

  • @azmiazmi3768
    @azmiazmi37687 жыл бұрын

    bring your own groceries bag is new things to me. thank you for the idea. definitely will put into must-thing-to-bring

  • @DavidMacchiaW
    @DavidMacchiaW7 жыл бұрын

    TIp's for traveling with pill's/medication: 1) Little "dime bag's"(Walmart craft isle) to pills in & label the bags with Dynamo or tape. 2) Credit card fan style zipper wallet to organize pills bags. 3) Keep a hard copy of any prescription medication data in your wallet & like your passport and DL take a picture & store it on your phone. 4) Small eye droppers can be purchased online in bulk inexpensively. Reducing the bulk traveling helps. Bonus: I find ear drops with grapefruit seed extract with tea tree oil to be essential before pre-flight personally and a small spray bottle is a misty shower on the run. -Safe Travel Jotting

  • @vroomvroomvroom
    @vroomvroomvroom7 жыл бұрын

    Awesome! These tips are really helpful specially for frequent travellers. Keep it up and thanks for sharing. :D

  • @jocelynwolters293
    @jocelynwolters2937 жыл бұрын

    Enjoyed these tips. A great alternative to wet wipes are Norwex wash cloths. We use the baby type for travel as they are smaller. But all of them have an antibac property and are self sanitizing thereby reducing waste and washing.

  • @KombuchaPrincess
    @KombuchaPrincess7 жыл бұрын

    I love sending post cards home when I travel.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Yeah, it's a great way to say hi and show you care without buying and carrying a bunch of extra weight :)

  • @nicholashatch1190

    @nicholashatch1190

    7 жыл бұрын

    Kombucha Princess in addition to showing friends and family that you care, postcards make great, inexpensive souvenirs. Find a card for the places you go, write about what you experienced there, and mail it home. It will receive a postal date stamp so you will remember when and where you were. These make a great addition to scrapbooks or memory boxes,and what you write will help you recall your experiences more vividly even years later

  • @lisasebros

    @lisasebros

    7 жыл бұрын

    Exploring Alternatives Postcards are my all-time favorite and the best souvenir... unless you go to Guatemala and there's no more postal service (we mailed the cards from home, wayyyy less cool). What I love bringing home are edible souvenirs that I know will get eaten quite fast: coffee, chocolate, beans... or "useful" things: a cooking spoon we had to buy bc the hostel didn't have any utensils, a typical blouse that matches my wardrobe... I love it when everyday items remind me of my travels, it makes the holidays longer :)

  • @einat1622
    @einat16225 жыл бұрын

    1) Jeans can be worn for a few days & can paired up with color T-shirt (not grey.... ). 2) I travel with an additional, $50 smartphone- that has offline radio (local radio), and pre downloaded contant to watch/listen offline. This include scanned files of passport and tickets.

  • @33Jenesis
    @33Jenesis6 жыл бұрын

    Dr Bronner sells bar soaps. I use it for everything from hair to clothing. Solid oil is also what I use from face to toes, not cream or moisturizer. In a pinch I use salt as toothpaste. I have all the numbers (cc card theft preventing and embassy) and addresses, copy of passport/cc cards, any confirmation or insurance info on a draft form saved in my email. I still have a hard copy of the same in case I can’t quickly get to email. Headlamp is very handy and useful, never leave home without it. Also a small compass is good to have tethered to my handbag. I used to have 7 audio books in my iPod. Now I use OverDrive to borrow library books to listen or read on my iPad. I also take photos of trail map at the trail head. I take screen shots of Google map routes to have a reference in case WiFi isn’t available when I am out. I take one tee, one fleece 1/4 zip, one tank, one thin merino wool sweater, one scarf, one beanie, one pair of pants (not jeans), and one pair of leggings. I have one soft bra and 2 panties. 2 pair of socks (toe socks and thin merino wool socks). One jacket. One pair of flip flops. One pair of sturdy shoes or light ankle boosts I wear and another light weight running sneakers for city walking. I can go from hot to high 30s for a month. If I got tired of something I just find a charity shop to buy something “new” and leave something behind. I also get umbrellas from charity shops, too. I am not really a rain jacket person. Umbrella is better at rain proofing unless in gale force wind.

  • @IndigoBluelife
    @IndigoBluelife6 жыл бұрын

    LOVE TRAVELING MINIMALISTIC!!! I travel only with a 20 litter backpack. and its the BEST!!!

  • @lilacfunk
    @lilacfunk7 жыл бұрын

    The suppository was a new thing I learnt! Good one!

  • @captaindingbat
    @captaindingbat7 жыл бұрын

    Fabulous video. Never thought about the pencil case to store things and I really like the idea of the audio books. I too, get awful travel sickness if reading when travelling, never even considered audio books! Love your channel. Xxx

  • @mirkwoodforest6572
    @mirkwoodforest65727 жыл бұрын

    Another piece of travel equipment that I have is a money belt. It's a normal looking leather belt I had custom made by Sharkskin, a small company in Point Edward, Ontario for $90. It is a great belt that has a small section with a slat in it that can hold $300 (3*$100).

  • @007janerussell
    @007janerussell5 жыл бұрын

    Awesome video ✌🏼 from Vancouver Island

  • @barnstar2077
    @barnstar20776 жыл бұрын

    Cheers for making a very frank video, it was very informative!

  • @Selakss
    @Selakss7 жыл бұрын

    LOL suppositories....thanks for keeping it real 😊

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Haha! Doesn't come up very often but it's nice to have that in your bag just in case :)

  • @FoxesontheGo
    @FoxesontheGo6 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for the tips. We travel quite a bit but could always use advice to make our travels easier and packing more efficient. - Michelle :)

  • @yasunari65
    @yasunari656 жыл бұрын

    I agree with a lot of what you guys are doing, especially those sickness remedies. I'm looking into J.R. Liggett's shampoo bars, in order to minimize toiletry liquids. It is not only a solid shampoo bar that is made from natural oils and that eliminates the need for hair conditioner because of that, it can also be used to wash your body and clothes, and also to shave with. Now it looks like all I'm going to take is toothpaste (in contact lens cases) , concentrated hand cream (same), and maybe a tiny hand sanitizer (0.25 oz) that can also work as after-shave.....

  • @nayad3770
    @nayad37707 жыл бұрын

    I used to recommend backpacking purifiers for people travelling. Now I live in Vietnam and I recommend buying bottled water because purifiers, especially UV ones, don't get rid of heavy metals and other industrial chemicals. This depends on where you are travelling to, but for areas with heavy industry (Asia), buy large water bottles to refill your smaller ones or look for restaurants, hotels or hostels that have a filter or large re-usable water bottles and re-fill from those.

  • @MsMorganThorne
    @MsMorganThorne7 жыл бұрын

    If you're not crazy about suppositories, magnesium supplements will do the same thing (taken orally), they take a day or so to work :) I love laundry soap bars and also bring shampoo bars with me - they can double as soap too. Saves on weight and space. In Central America, I always carried a metal mug, which I could use to heat up water on the stove for tea/coffee. I found it was essential for some hostels and works over a camp fire too. My boyfriend loves audio books and we listened to them a lot on our recent trip to Guatemala when the hostels had bad wifi (or when we were too far away from civilization). I'm one of those who loves physical books, but I'm starting to get into the audio books :) Great video, it's always good to see other people's tips!

  • @kemillegreene9743
    @kemillegreene97437 жыл бұрын

    I've watched a lot of traveling videos, I love yours. It has a lot of good tips for camping and traveling!

  • @valeriemorin4076
    @valeriemorin40767 жыл бұрын

    Love this video so much! Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us!

  • @theecoveganhouse5300
    @theecoveganhouse53005 жыл бұрын

    loved this video. Was wondering how you go taking the essential oils through customs, do you have any problems with it?

  • @otterwhitewaterider7812
    @otterwhitewaterider78127 жыл бұрын

    excellent advice in a neat, concise presentation! thank you so much!

  • @sikantis61
    @sikantis617 жыл бұрын

    Audible is something great and congrats on having them as a sponsor. I love your tips and have taken a lot of notes on your vid.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for your positivity (and for watching)! :)

  • @Dervishcolorado
    @Dervishcolorado6 жыл бұрын

    Just thought I would add something I picked up over the last few years traveling. Instead of carrying both the detergent bar and the Dr Bronner, just carry some Dr Bronner bar soap, you can use it to clean your clothes and yourselves. Lighten the load a bit. Great video, safe travels

  • @RVingLiveTheDream
    @RVingLiveTheDream5 жыл бұрын

    great tips. we have been rving for 9 years. I need more clothes than that. LOL :-) Thank you for the video.

  • @cliffp.8396
    @cliffp.83965 жыл бұрын

    Excellent quality advice as always, my thanks to you both.

  • @makola1970
    @makola19707 жыл бұрын

    Very helpful, thanks Some places you can't take poppy seeds either! (I use it in cooking )

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    makola1970 Cool, thanks for adding that and also thanks for watching!

  • @WanderlustVanlife
    @WanderlustVanlife7 жыл бұрын

    Great tips guys! Congrats with your videos! I would love to recommend you an extra tip, is about to use merino wool as your main clothing, it deals really good with odour-resistant but like really good hehehe, is good dealing with bacteria (if you use it in socks is a plus for that) also are very breathable, has the benefit to keep you warm and cool, is a great temperature manager, and a big etc... for us was a helpful discover :) I totally recommend it, even if it's a bit expensive, it's totally worthy, it will save you plenty of washing (just make sure you wash it properly and not wash it with zippers,etc) Good luck and save travels! Cheers!

  • @ILOLnumber1
    @ILOLnumber17 жыл бұрын

    Great video! I always enjoy your gentle and realistic approach on everything. Btw, where do you find those light sticks? Is that what they're called? And are they expensive? Would they really do the trick in even removing those parasites from the water? Because that's usually what gets you good in third world countries.

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Thank you Gen! They sel them at MEC in Canada but I'm pretty sure you can get them at REI in the US on directly from their website. It's called the "SteriPEN Ultra"

  • @isabstmr
    @isabstmr7 жыл бұрын

    Don't forget Melaleuca Tea tree oil for rashes, mosquito bites, scratches and cuts. Great tips.

  • @mikegunnerson
    @mikegunnerson7 жыл бұрын

    where did you get the metal food container?? love the video!

  • @kquah
    @kquah7 жыл бұрын

    I use my mobile phone as my camera + map + books + music + internet + torch light. By having less things on me, i have less things to take care off. Many hostels provide drinking water or a water boiler (common in Asia because is normal for families to boil water). I tend to buy local food and drinks although there is a risk of travellers diarrhoea, but tasting food around the world is one of the best parts of travelling for me! Get travel insurance in case you get hospitalised, get into an accident, your belongings and bag got stolen or your flight is delayed.

  • @alexotisy
    @alexotisy6 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video! Interesting all the way through and really feasible ideas. Thank you for sharing this.

  • @carmsy2730
    @carmsy27307 жыл бұрын

    there were some good tips that I'll use when I go overseas in the next few weeks...thanks :)

  • @monicadaley89
    @monicadaley897 жыл бұрын

    Thank you for all the tips, they are all very helpful.

  • @xdnqnvxdnqnv
    @xdnqnvxdnqnv5 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this tips my friend!

  • @Susazeu
    @Susazeu6 жыл бұрын

    I'm done with souvenirs, but one tradition my mother instated back in the 50s are charm bracelets. They last much longer than passports or photos and you can usually find in most stores from as little as 25 bucks. I have so many already I'll soon be starting a second bracelet.

  • @eliaelhabre
    @eliaelhabre7 жыл бұрын

    Hey guys, I really like the video - thanks for uploading. As to the water purifier, I wouldn't recommend that option versus buying bottled water. As a resident in a country where you can't drink tap water, bottled isn't only free of viruses/bacteria but also from toxins, which wouldn't be eliminated with the purifier.

  • @swellinger213
    @swellinger2135 жыл бұрын

    thanks I liked the water purifier item and have ordered mine as I want to stop lugging water around in bottles.

  • @treefloraken8263
    @treefloraken82635 жыл бұрын

    I’m curious about the Fels Naptha. First, couldn’t you use the Dr. Bronners to wash clothing, and just skip the FN? Or is there something about it that makes it better for clothing? Also, how do you used the FN? do you grate it, or just rub it on the clothes? I have a recipe to make laundry soap with it, but I’m curious if it would work fine just on it’s own. Do you have a washboard that you use, or just your hands?

  • @cathiedawson2429
    @cathiedawson24297 жыл бұрын

    Try magnesium (pill form) taken at bedtime instead of a suppository, works great!

  • @rainydaylady6596
    @rainydaylady65967 жыл бұрын

    Great advice and information! Can you get the metal food container through security at airports, etc.?

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    So far so good with the metal container. They usually ask us to open it up for them. We've had more problems with a harmonica lol. Thanks for watching!

  • @rainydaylady6596

    @rainydaylady6596

    7 жыл бұрын

    A harmonica! Lol Maybe they're afraid you'll want to serenade the passengers. 😊

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Haha! Maybe :) :)

  • @ranadeed2309
    @ranadeed23096 жыл бұрын

    Excellent tips for books. I'm still a newbie on this. Usually I just carry one book on the plane and if i am instrested of reading a new book I. Would buy one in the countries I visited.

  • @alejandrasandovalsanchez8604
    @alejandrasandovalsanchez86047 жыл бұрын

    hi! great video, what kind of backpack do you recomend? thank you

  • @nigel-san2843
    @nigel-san28437 жыл бұрын

    Great video, very practical. The only thing I would say is stay away from wet wipes. They are do not degrade and cause problems sewer and septic systems. They often block up pumps which is very costly to unblock. Even to so called flushable wipes! Maybe you could use a small shamy style towel instead which is compact, easy to clean after use and reusable.

  • @indefinitetraveller8610
    @indefinitetraveller86106 жыл бұрын

    About that water purifier. It's killing bacteria in the water, but to say that it "cleans" the water isn't exactly accurate. The bacteria may be dead, but it's no cleaner than it was before. The light will remove no dirt or grime, nor pollution or heavy metals, and it won't necessarily kill all bacteria or viruses in the water. Basically nothing will fully purify water, but I think a filter is probably better, since it will physically remove at least some pollution and dirt from the water. Lifestraw is good, but not reusable, so you have to re-up every once in a while. Personally, I drink bottled water, but try to get a ~3 gallon jug at a time, which can be recycled.

  • @GraniteValleyDave
    @GraniteValleyDave7 жыл бұрын

    Great tips! Really loved this video :) I appreciate the health tips at the end, great to know!

  • @ExploringAlternatives

    @ExploringAlternatives

    7 жыл бұрын

    Very cool, I'm happy you found the video helpful! Thanks for checking it out =)

  • @BMad-we6qf
    @BMad-we6qf6 жыл бұрын

    Found the first aid/health tips especially helpful. Thank you

  • @jessicaely2521
    @jessicaely25216 жыл бұрын

    If you print copies of your passport and drivers license and than get it notarized it will work exactly like a passport and drivers license.

  • @thescribe7645
    @thescribe76457 жыл бұрын

    Another dope video. (: I love grey too, one cool thing I noticed about grey clothes is that their fading isn't as noticeable/is still attractive.

  • @rubis262
    @rubis2626 жыл бұрын

    Hong Ngoc LeThanks a lot for your useful video!! Can you tell me the brand of the portable water purifier that you’re using? Or give me some recommendations about this tool?

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