how do i pack my stuff?

[beeltee]

ok here;s my plan of action:
- 2 weeks backpacking around fiji, then off to australia (cairns down to sydney) for 7 months.. i'l be staying in hostels for teh first while and trying to maybe find an apratment... also working while i'm there

my questions:
1- how do i pack my bag? shoes on bottom? top? clothes all rolled up? should i separate stuff somehow? plastic bags in cas stuff gets wet?i have a sleeping bag compartment on the bottom of my bag that still have lots of room in it.. what else should i shove in there? my pack also has a zip off daypack which i am leaving empty... except that i am taking stuff out of my main pack and putting it in my daypack when i use it as a carry on.. but what should i bring in my carry on for the deathly long flight?

2- is it worth it to get a bikelock or something to lock my main pack to a bed or whatever when i leave my hostel room, just so someone can;t grab it and take off? i am assuming if i do this it doesn;t have to be a really good lock, since if they realyl wanted tehbag it would be easy enough to cut through teh straps that the lock is through

3- i bought avideo camera for teh trip and can;t get any insurance on it.. so i am guarding it with my life... are there generalyl lockers or safes in hostels where i could leave it if i can;t bring it out with me for some reason? it's really tiny and fits in my purse so i am going to try to keep it with me at all times, but any tips for keeping it extra safe?

thanks guys and girls, any suggestions would be much appreciated, i leave in about 4 days and need help!!
becca

[space virgin]

Hi there! The easiest thing for you to do would be to experiment with packing and find out what sequence works best. I usually put my shoes at the bottom, roll my clothes (sometimes I'll roll two shirts together), and put any miscellaneous crap in plastic bags. And anything that leaks should go in its own baggie since cabin pressure can do funny things to bottles of liquid.

I usually bring a book and mp3 player and *maybe* a deck of cards for a long flight. You might get lucky and score a plane/airline that has the individual screens for each seat, which is nice because usually there is a list of movies to choose from.

And as for locking up your pack, well, it's going to depend on where you're staying. Probably most will have security lockers that you can put your pack in. If they don't, locking it to your bed is not a bad idea. I would NOT (!) leave the video camera at the hostel if I were you. Keep it on you at all times. If for some reason you absolutely, positively can't take it with you, check if your hostel has a "safe" place you can stash it. But don't count on it. Plan on keeping it with you.

I hope this helps! Good luck!!

[joanofarc]

bring some emergen-c or another similar product in your carry-on, it's really easy to get sick with all the recirculated air on long-distance flights. i actually feel more seceptible (sp?) to illness when i'm on the road, so i always bring tons.

[space virgin]

hell yes, emergen-c is a must!

[***Beady***]

Umm...I've packed my stuff, and my backpack is FULL....do you reckon I should I kinda half it? But the only thing is....it's all IMPORTANT stuff. Like, umm....pants. about umpteen tops, 5 socks etc etc...??

[zylah]

u dont need as many clothes as u think u do. u can probably get away with 2 long pants and one pair of shorts/ skirt. try to get stuff which can be worn casual or dressy. u can probably get away with 2-3 summer tops, and one jumper, possibly one long sleved top. the trick is the layering, thin tops that can be layers are much more practical then big bulky tops which will take up more space than 2 or 3 thin tops that will keep u just as warm.

3pairs underwear is more than enough. Try to hand wash them out every night, wring them as much as u can and hang them up in your room and they should be dry/ nearly dry the next day. (depending on where u are) Take the last pair of socks/ jocks and put it in a plastic bag. This is your emergency pair, if u r wearing them u better have the others drying )

u don't need more than 2 pairs shoes. (one everyday one dressy)

and just think whatever u pack u have to be prepared to carry around for a while. try to keep the weight under 12Kgs, (30 lbs) and u should be ok

[***Beady***]

Right, well, I have decided 9 knickers, (or underwear), and umm....4 socks....I like socks....and perhaps I have too many tops, but...I have 10. I like variations. A bit over the top on some stuff, but hey, it's my back I'm breaking. Ooh, and one long sleeved top, and a zip up thing.


~~~~I might leave some tops....depending on whether I can actually part with them!

[Delaney]

Beady-- If you took some tops out of your bag you would have an excuse to buy new ones while traveling!