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Packing Essentials For The UltimateOz Adventure

Australia has something for everyone, whether you want to relax on its idyllic sandy beaches, quad bike through the Outback or dive with Great White sharks…the options are endless.

So before you embark on your trip down under, you should ensure that you’ve packed all the essentials that you will need for your trip. As Australia is a modern and westernised country, you will have no issues finding items such as toiletries and even clothing, so don’t worry too much if you leave something behind!

We know that packing all your belongings into a backpack is daunting, stressful … not to mention difficult! (It just won’t fit!!) So we’ve put together a list of what we think will be important when you get here, to help you get started:

Sun Protection & Aftercare

This one is a no-brainer, Australia is well-known for its scorching hot temperatures and the sun can be unforgiving during the summer, especially in the Outback! Make sure you pack some sun cream to get you started and some after sun, preferably with Aloe Vera, to soothe your skin. If you run out, you should have no problems picking some more up in one of the stores over there.

A handy little tip … put your after sun in the fridge if you can, it feels so nice on your skin after a day in the sun!

Insect Repellent

Australia may not carry a Malaria risk, but mosquitoes are still a problem that plagues many travellers. And unfortunately, it is not just pesky mosquitoes that are looking to make life uncomfortable for you during your trip.

Sand-flies are also prevalent in Australia and are often found at beaches, lakes and swamps; these little critters can also cause pain and discomfort if they manage to bite you. Packing an insect repellent with DEET can help to repel mosquitoes, sand-flies and other insects, helping you to avoid uncomfortable insect bites.

If you are unlucky enough to attract these creatures, we can absolutely sympathise! There is a really good relief cream called “Itch Eze”, found in most chemists … tried and tested by yours truly and it’s the best we’ve found so far!

Australia Travel Adapter

If you want to be able to use appliances and recharge your mobile phone, camera and other electrical items, an Australia travel adapter is an absolute must have item for your packing list! These adapters have two slanted flat pins, which form an upside down ‘V’ shape.

It is better to get these in your home country as they will not cost as much as if you were to buy them in Australia!

Dry Bags/Zip Lock Bags

This one is for the water sport enthusiasts and those who plan on spending a lot of time at the beach. Storing your belongings in a dry bag or zip lock bag will help keep water and sand off your stuff. (Honestly, it gets everywhere!!) Dry bags are great for storing wet swimsuits separately from the rest of your gear and zip lock bags can be used for items such as phones, documents and guide books that you want to protect from spillages and wet items in your bag.

Travel Towel

This is a popular item on many packing lists, the quick drying, compact and lightweight alternative to standard towels from home. Travel towels take up a fraction of the packing space of a normal towel and they dry much quicker. Some towels on the market also feature a special anti-bacterial coating, which helps to prevent odours from developing when the towel is damp.

Travel towels come in a range of sizes. For Australia, we would recommend packing a giant or body sized towel, so you can use it at the beach as well as back at your hostel.

Photocopies of Important Documents

You should always photocopy your passport and other important travel documents before you leave, as you’ll be in a bit of a mess if you somehow manage to lose them (it’s easily done!). The copies should be stored somewhere different to where you’re keeping the originals. The process of obtaining an Emergency Travel Document can take days and will also tap into your travel fund!

See our past blog for tips on other things to do before you go travelling here

Camera

Another obvious choice for your packing list. You should never travel without a camera, as they help to capture your experiences, so that you can look back on them once you’ve returned home. If you’re travelling with your laptop, you can also upload your pictures to Facebook and other social media platforms, so family and friends can see what you’ve been up to in Oz…and most likely be seething with jealousy!

We would always recommend that you store this in your hand luggage … you don’t want to miss a photo op!

Locks

As with any travel destination, locks for your backpack or luggage are a must. Many padlocks on the market are designed to fit through most luggage zips and are a great way to prevent zips from opening in transit and for keeping thieves out of your bag.

If you get one that has a code, rather than a lock, you won’t need to worry about losing your key – nightmare scenario avoided!

Hopefully, this will give you somewhere to start when packing for your new adventure! Got any questions, (packing related or otherwise)? Give our UltimateOz team a shout, you can email us or pop us a post on Facebook and we’ll be happy to help!

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5 Things To Do Before You Go Travelling

1. Get Prepared!

Sort out what you’re going to do with all your belongings! If you’re lucky, you may have wonderful parents, or friends, that can store your stuff for a while. If you do, that’s awesome! If not, you need to search for an alternative. You can find a good storage option for a reasonable price these days, you just need to look around!

Make sure your bank knows that you are off your travels! Set up payments for any bills that you still have, so that they come out automatically. That way, you won’t need to be worrying about is your card being blocked or being charged for late payments when you should be enjoying your adventure … not to mention that that money has far better uses!!

Get all your documents together before you go travelling. Is all your visa information, itineraries, flight details etc in an easy to find spot? Take a photocopy of these documents and any other important ones and leave them with someone at home too, in case you lose anything important along the way. It sounds boring but the last thing you want to be doing after a 26 hour flight to Sydney is having to unpack everything because you left all your documents at the bottom of your backpack!

Don’t leave it until the last minute to pack – packing the only belongings you are going to have for a long period of time into a backpack can be stressful – it is almost guaranteed that you will need to pack and unpack a few times before everything fits, and you’re bound to forget something! Do a practice run … or five – you won’t regret it later on!

2. Get your phone unlocked!

Phones are so handy when you’re on your travels! If you have a smart phone, even better! It is your map, your camera, your translator, your local tour guide … not to mention that if you don’t keep in touch with your mum while you’re gallivanting around the world, you will never hear the end of it! All things considered, making sure you can use your phone when you’re away is important. If you get your phone unlocked, you will be able to get a PAYG sim card from the country you are travelling in … shop around for the best deal – if you find one that has a good rate for international calls, you could save you a lot of money!

3. Sell sell sell!

You need all the money you can get and while you’re clearing out all your stuff is a great time to see what you can make money on. As much as it’s a pain, start listing your things on Ebay, go to car boot sales and, as a last resort, because you don’t get as much money, bag your things up and take them to a Clothes For Cash joint where they pay you by the kilo. It may take up some of your time, but it’ll be worth it! Especially when you raise enough money to pay for one of your internal flights in Thailand, that awesome trek in Vietnam, or your skydive during your East Coast trip in Oz! Plus, the more stuff you sell, the less you have to store!

4. Soak it in!

We bet you can’t imagine that when you start your adventure, and you’re finally doing all the things that you have been daydreaming about for months, you’ll miss ‘the little things’ from back home … but it’s almost definitely going to happen. It could be something small like your favourite takeaway or bar, or it could be that you will wish you have gone somewhere more often before you left … make sure that you take the time to make the most of your surroundings. Don’t stop making memories at home because you’re so busy planning for the new memories you’re about to make elsewhere!

5. Party!

If you have lots of friends and family to get round and say goodbye to before you leave, it’s going to take you a while and you’re already short on time! A personal goodbye one on one with everyone you know is not really feasible, so get all your favourite people together at the same time. Meet everyone at your favourite bar, go for a meal or have a house party. Because you’re (obviously) their favourite person, they’ll probably shout you a few drinks on the night – awesome! Whatever you do, it’ll be a blast, a night that keeps you smiling long after you’ve said goodbye at the airport!

There’s plenty more to add to this list … what’s the best tip you’ve been given  while preparing for your trip? Let Ultimate Travel, and your fellow backpackers, in on the secret!

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