Katya's Blog

Whether you are camping or hiking, traveling to Europe or Asia as a baller or on a budget, it doesn’t matter. You need to travel as light as possible. This is why I’ll  only be talking about the backpacking necessities.

1. This is one seems quite obvious but it would be bizarre not to mention. You need to bring a backpack! You can’t be a backpacker without a backpack! Not just any backpack, but one that fits not only your items you are brining but also your type of adventure plans! Therefore I suggest you first gather all the belongings you are planning to bring, then find a bag that can both fit all your possessions but is also comfortable to wear. Make sure it has usable pockets and lots of room! Picking the right travel backpack is very important; you are, after all, going to be pretty much living out of your pack.
2. Make sure you find a small compact toiletry bag to fit all your hygiene essentials! Toothbrush and toothpaste, shower gel, cotton buds, pack of tissues, deodorant, razor with replacement blades, shaving gel etc. Trust me from personal experience, it could be a large pain in the butt if you forget even just one of these necessities. The last thing you want it running around a foreign city just to find some toothpaste. I suggest making a thoughtful list and checking off everything you have. If you don’t have certain items, add them to your shopping list!
3. Sunscreen is a must have! Especially if going to places like Asia, Africa, or South America as sunscreen is often very expensive there where locals purposely put up the prices of the product to make money off in need tourists. I suggest getting a sunscreen that is waterproof as you are likely to sweat when walking around with a backpack daily. If going as a group, id also suggest just brining out bottle of sunscreen as you could all share and it will take up less room. You don’t want to burn in the tropical sun!
4. This necessity is often overlooked but is a must have item to bring. Some sort of medical kit or even just a few medical supplies are key. Disinfectant spray, bug spray, bandages and bandages, gauze ect. These are all items that you will regret not bringing if worst comes to worst. From my own experience when backpacking, Ive used these items at least once every trip just even on myself. You will not regret it. Don’t take any chances or risks when it comes to personal safety and health.
5. When you travel the world you are going to have a ton of spare time. Waiting for planes, waiting for buses, waiting for trains – lots of waiting! And that time waiting can be spent wisely reading life-changing literature. I suggest bringing a Kindle! Yes, paper books are more enjoyable to read in most cases but you don’t want to be bringing multiple books that could get ruined in your traveling process. A kindle is nice and thin so you could easily slide it into a compartment of your bad and you could download hundreds of different books. Paper books also weight a lot, are awkwardly shaped and aren’t ideal to haul across the world in a backpack. Get that Kindle! (They also have WiFi 😉 )
6. Clothes are an important part to think about when packing for your adventures. Hot or cold weather, pack clothes that fold up small and don’t weigh too much – avoid denim jeans! Even if you are heading to freezing weather, it’s better to bring clothes that you can layer rather than a big heavy jacket. Cotton is light and breathes. Splurge on the more sweat resistant stuff if you can. Darker clothes hide annoying stains and can be worn for longer. This is extra important because you can expect your backpacking clothes to be on a quicker rotation than your normal wardrobe. Always remember, clothes are pretty cheap in most parts of the world, so rather than overpack, bring slightly less than what you need and pick up anything else you might need on the road.
7. For most people, shoes are the hardest item to pack. They take up a lot of space, and shoes are too specialized to bring just one pair, even for short trips. But I highly recommend wearing one pair of shoes and, if necessary, packing another pair. Bringing more than two pairs of shoes makes traveling carry-on-only difficult and stressful. Removing shoes from your luggage is also an easy way to free up space for clothes. Your second pair of shoes should be packable. They should be light and flat to minimize the amount of space they take up in your luggage. I suggest packing your shoes first, then packing the rest of the items around them!
8. Last but definitely not least you need to bring cords, chargers and ideally a universal charging port. Rather than bringing a charging brick for every individual device, consider investing in a portable single-adapter that has both three-pronged outlets and USB ports. These not only save you space, they come in handy when your hotel room abroad is low on outlets!

With the help of these packing essentials, you’ll be able to figure out exactly what to pack for your trip so you can adventure around the world knowing you’ve got everything you need for your trip!

Being a 17 year old white girl from Canada, I think I’ve eaten some strange foods compared to the people in my demofraphic and I wanted to share some with you guys today! Ive narrowed down to the top six strangest foods I’ve eaten while traveling the world:

1. Fried Bugs in Laos   

Beetles, caterpillars, crickets, and more! The Western world may continue to shy away from it, but insects, otherwise known as creepy crawlies, are consumed by over 2 billion people in over 80 countries around the world. Insects are also PACKED with protein and are seen as a serious solution for world hunger and to feed a growing population without further harming the environment through inefficient food production. My family and I were walking around a night market, one humid afternoon and sat down at some plastic chairs and table to enjoy some live music. We noticed a food stand selling fried bugs and got ourselves a plate to try! Surprisingly delicious! They were cooked in a large circular stone pan along with a variety of spices. Could easily be compared to chips. Highly recommend.

2.  Snails in China 

Virtually fat-free, carbohydrate-free and sugar-free, escargot are an excellent source of lean protein. They’re rich in iron, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus and potassium. Like other mollusks, snails are a good source of tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the brain produce serotonin. After a long tour around the city of Shanghai, our tour lady introduced us to a restaurant that featured snails on the menu. She told us about the famous delicacy highly enjoyed in the country and we had to try it! They were quite good, although the thought of eating a snail isn’t too appealing to me. Safe to say, Im glad and proud of myself for trying it, but that was probably the last time I enjoyed this particular snack.

3.  Tarantula in Cambodia

Fried spider is a regional snack in Cambodia. … It is not clear how this practice started, but some have suggested that the population might have started eating spiders out of desperation during the years of Khmer Rouge rule, when food was in short supply. These arachnids are such a delicacy that large ones can sell for up to $1 each, a hefty sum in a country where minimum wage is about $6 a day. Eating a fried tarantula has become a popular photo opportunity for tourists in Cambodia. Walking at night through a night market in Cambodia, you see a lot of interesting delicacies. My family and I knew that we had to step out of our comfort zones and get something exotic. This might come as a shock, but getting a fried tarantula on a stick was less frightening than some of the other options presented to us that night. Overall, the tarantula was crispy and tasted like a chip. Similar to the fried bugs in Laos.

4.   Frog Legs in Vietnam 

Frog is a “less scary” food compared to many others that will follow on the list and it is not only just a beer snack but Vietnamese also have it as a meal. After skinning and gutting, the frog is then fried, steamed, or grilled and then served on the dining table. You can enjoy it with rice or just have BBQ frog with lemon, salt, and pepper. Other than boiled or grilled frog, you can choose to eat frog curry, frog porridge, or sautéed frog with lemongrass and chili. Even though it doesn’t look good, the flavor is delicious. Frog meat tastes like chicken and contains a lot of essential vitamins and vital minerals so it is seen as a healthy food. The biggest advantage of eating frog is that it helps malnourished children gain weight. Along with enjoying this amazing meal by the water late at night in Vietnam, we were featured on a local television show!

5.  Durian In Thailand 

Grown in many countries across tropical South East Asia, the spiky, stinky durian is an acquired taste. Eating durian is banned in many outdoor spaces and carrying it is prohibited on public transport because of its smell. If you’ve smelled a durian even once, you probably remember it. Despite the potent stench, Durian is a very nutritious fruit that’s rich in fiber, B vitamins, vitamin C, and various healthy plant compounds. My sister being the most daring one in the family when it comes to food, suggested we try the notorious durian fruit that the locals have been telling us about. We’ve smelt it before, as it is cut up among many food markets, but when we actually tried it, we got it pre-packaged in plastic. Oddly enough, the taste is nothing like the smell. The texture, is what is actually interesting about it, when eating it as it feels like rubber.

6.   Alligator in Thailand

Crocodile meat is considered a healthy and nutritious alternative to pork or chicken, as it contains less fat, lower cholesterol levels and a higher proportion of protein than the aforementioned animals. It is purported to provide health benefits for the heart, improve blood circulation and alleviate respiratory illnesses, as well as several other diseases. Many English speaking locals suggested us a restaurant that is famous for their alligator dish. As soon as we arrived at the restaurant, we didn’t even look at the menu and asked for them to bring us the alligator. We didn’t even know what it looked like or what to expect. To our surprise, the alligator was served as completely white meat on top of lettuce. The meat itself was good but intensely dry. Reminded myself of white fish such as cod or halibut.

Despite the taste or overall affect I got from these exotic cuisines, good or bad,  I can proudly say I have stepped out of my comfort bubble to just try them. I hope this blog inspired some of you guys to step out of your comfort zones at least once in a while. Trust me, you won’t regret it!