Jeff could not wait until graduation. He had worked hard to graduate from high school near the top of his class and he was looking forward to his future college career with anticipation. Like many students his age, he was looking for an educational experience on top of the learning which takes place on high school and college campuses. The summer between graduating from high school and entering college seemed like the perfect time to plan an educational adventure. After much deliberation, he decided to embark upon a backpacking tour. He thought about possible destinations and considered a number of places. He had always been interested in touring Greece and seeing its many tourist sites. He was also drawn to Middle Eastern culture as his family heritage included many relatives from Israel. He considered Germany and Austrian locations as well as locations in the French countryside.
The more he investigated, the more wonderful things he read and heard about the tours in Turkey. Istanbul tours, as well as those in nearby surrounding areas, had a reputation for being extremely fun, as well as extremely safe. The latter was very important to his parents who had expressed some concern over the safety of some of his potential destinations. As he finalized his plans, Jeff immediately began preparing for his departure. He had never packed for this type of trip before and wanted to do his best to be ready. He chatted with others who had gone on trips such as he was planning. He consulted websites and read everything he could find that provided planning tips for backpacking trips. Here are several of the tips he found most useful.
Do not over pack for the trip. A pack that is too full will be very difficult to transport and it will take up additional space in crowded areas, particularly spaces associated with large crowds or public transportation.
Chose a comfortable backpack style. Since one’s pack will be toted around for the duration of the trip it is imperative that is be of a comfortable weight, height, and material.
Make sure to pack a small first aid kit. This kit should include all the typical first aid supplies, as well as any medications taken on a regular basis. Include pain relief medication and insect bite treatments too.
Make a careful shoe selection. Shoes, whether they be hiking boots, hiking sandals, or something in a soft -soled athletic shoe, should be durable, comfortable, and well broken in.
Pack not one but two credit cards. Having access to a high limit of funds is extremely important in case of emergency. Make sure to secure them safely and resist the temptation to use them for an excess of souvenirs, which one most likely doesn’t have room to carry anyway.
Have a listing of important contact information. Having a listing of emergency contact numbers is essential in case of injury or hospitalization. A listing of one’s own personal emergency information should be carried as well. Such things as name, age, weight, and blood type should be included.