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useful or useless?

the most useful things i have packed, to date:

- anti-bacterial hand gel. j, who originally scoffed at the idea, has since apologised profusely, after god knows how many atrocious bus stop toilets and no soap anywhere in sight.

- my ipod travel charger. worth its weight in gold.

- my hooded fleece. invaluable on bus trips, train trips, and protecting me from dodgy headrests.

most useless things i packed, to date:

-travel skirt. never worn, very practical but too frumpy.

-even the *minute* amount of makeup i brought. i assumed there would be days i’d still want to “look nice”. i stopped caring after about day 10.

-travel money belt. never used. see “daybag” below.

useful things picked up along the way:

-travel speakers. cost 5 pounds. ambiance in charmless hotel rooms… priceless.

-sarong. it’s a beach blanket/cover up/top sheet (i cannot sleep without a top sheet, and much like hot water showers, those are nowhere to be found in s.e.a.)

single most useful item: my messenger bag. all items of value (camera/ipod/wallet/passport/tickets) are on my body at all times. also permanently in the day bag are toilet paper, hand gel, lip balm, small notebook (for tracking expenses), pens, and guidebook. optional weather-dependent items are umbrella, bandana, suncream. for journeys also included are: paperback novel, book light, large notebook (for writing), fleece jumper, and assorted snacks/water. that bag is my life – much more important than my pack, and far more versatile.

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