Jeff was so very excited about graduation. He had worked hard to graduate from high school as one of the Valedictorians 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 a great opportunity to plan an educational adventure. After giving it a great deal of thought, he decided to embark upon a backpacking tour. He studied many possible destinations and considered a number of places. He had always been interested in touring Greece and seeing its many architectural wonders. He was also drawn to Middle Eastern culture as his family tree contained many relatives from Israel. He considered Germany and Austrian locations as well as locations in the French countryside. The more he investigated, the more he was excited by what he read and heard about the tours in Turkey. Istanbul tours, as well as those in a close proximity 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 possible trip locales. As he finalized his plans, Jeff quickly started preparing for his departure. He had never packed for this type of trip before and wanted to do his best to be ready. He called some friends 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 some ideas he found most useful.
Do not overpack 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 all prescription drugs needed on a regular basis. Include pain relief medication and topical cream and itch treatments too.
Make a deliberate foot wear selection. Shoes, no matter if they are hiking boots, hiking sandals, or something in a soft -soled athletic shoe, should be durable, comfortable, and well broken in.
Pack more than a single source of monetary funds. Having access to ready cash and a credit line 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.
Carry a cell phone containing easy to access important contact information. Having a listing of emergency contact numbers is essential in case of injury or hospitalization. An index card of one’s own personal emergency information should be carried as well. Such things as all identifying medical and personal characteristics should be included.
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