If you travel with someone and have individual backpacks each of you can put half of your clothes in each others backpack (perhaps in plastic bags). This helps if one backpack is lost. You avoid the situation where only one backpack arrives and one of you has all the stuff while the other has none. If your friend is a scrupleless drug dealer however this trick is not to recommend. And just imagine how much fun it will be to explain to the customs guy why your backpack is full of your girlfriends underwear. Put something on your bag to make it easily recognizable when it arrives e.g. a colorful sticker or ribbon tied to the bag. Put things in several different plastic bags e.g. one for dirty laundry, one for clean clothes, one for medicine and another for electronics. This makes it easy to find stuff. There are also specific travelbags that can be used for this purpose. Some of them are even waterproof which can be usable. Others have a fine mesh which makes it easier to see what is inside. Beware that some plastic bags with colour print may rub off some colour which may stick to your clothes. If you plan on shopping a lot you can bring a bag along for that and until you have done your shopping you can use it to store dirty clothes. When you pack your big backpack make sure that the heaviest items are packed closest to your back. Check your luggage allowance before leaving (weight and number of items allowed) in order to avoid penalty charges for overweight. Do not keep souvenirs such as key chains, medallions, etc. dangling on the outside of your checked in luggage, they may disappear during luggage handling.

Hand luggage

Check the current security regulation on what you are allowed to bring as hand luggage, some of the suggestions here may not be possible due to security rules on certain flights (e.g. regarding liquids and gels). If you need to bring medicine on board check to see if you need to bring a prescription and/or put it in the original packaging. Make sure that the hand luggage conforms to regulations regarding number of units allowed, space allowed and weight allowed. If you risk it and try to get a big bag on board you can have a smaller bag with the essentials (which you can take out) inside the big one if you are forced to check in your big bag. Your hand luggage should be packed so that it can be opened and shown to security, do not pack it so tightly that everything will fly in all directions if opened.

Things to bring as hand luggage:

* One change of clothes (if your bag gets delayed)

* Toilet paper

* Ear plugs

* Eye shades

* Contact lens container in case you need to remove your lenses during the flight

* Inflatable pillow

* Toiletries

* Medication in original packaging and prescription

* MP3/media player

* Games

* Book

* Water bottle (fill it up after you pass through security if there are restrictions to bring liquids on board and the water is drinkable)

Things not to bring as hand luggage:

* All the stuff on the list of prohibited articles.

Repacking

Once you have arrived at your destination you may want to consider repacking so that your daypack contains the things you may find useful during your daytrips such as:

* Rain gear

* First aid kit e.g. band-aid, antiseptics, diarrhoea medicine, aspirin

* Biscuits, fruit or other food to keep you going when energy is low

* Water

* Camera

* Sunscreen

* Toilet paper

* Earplugs

* Eye shades

* Inflatable pillow

* Sleeping sheet (to bring out and use as a blanket)

* Additional clothes in case it gets cold

* Backup contact lenses or glasses (in case you lose them)

* Disinfectant gel or antibacterial wipes to clean your hands

Wallet/purse

Besides money and the usual items the following is useful to keep in your wallet/purse:

* Emergency card with contact details

* Address to your accommodation (get a hotel card with address from the reception)

* Currency exchange card

* A card with key phrases in the local language

* Miniature compass

* Small torch (flashlight), e.g. on your key ring

For security reasons it might be worth considering getting a small wallet that will fit in your front pocket.

Money belt

The best way to carry your valuables is using a money belt carried inside your clothing. It is quite hard for pickpockets to get at. An alternative is to use a leg pouch which can be less sweaty. Your money belt will get sweaty so it can be useful to purchase two and use them every other day while washing the one not used. You can also put some toilet paper inside the money belt on the side facing your stomach, the paper absorbs some of the sweat and can be changed frequently. You can also experiment with putting your money belt on your back instead of your stomach for a change.

This article is based on the free e-book The Backpacker's Toolbox It contains checklists, templates, FAQs and practical advice (and a few bad jokes) to make your backpacking experience as smooth as possible.

http://www.hellobackpacker.com - practical advice for new and experienced backpackers for all trip stages: get inspired, plan your trip, advice on the road, tips when back home.